Biomass estimation and characterization of the nutrient components of thinned unripe grapes in China and the global grape industries

Mengyuan Wei; Tingting Ma; Muming Cao; Binsheng Wei; Chao Li; Caihong Li; Kekun Zhang; Yulin Fang; Xiangyu Sun

doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2022.100363

Biomass estimation and characterization of the nutrient components of thinned unripe grapes in China and the global grape industries

Food Chem X. 2022 Jun 16:15:100363. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2022.100363. eCollection 2022 Oct 30.

Authors

Mengyuan Wei¹, Tingting Ma¹, Muming Cao², Binsheng Wei³, Chao Li³, Caihong Li⁴, Kekun Zhang¹, Yulin Fang¹, Xiangyu Sun¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Enology, College of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Viti-Viniculture, Viti-viniculture Engineering Technology Center of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shaanxi Engineering Research Center for Viti-Viniculture, Heyang Viti-viniculture Station, Ningxia Eastern Foot of Helan Mountain Wine Station, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
² Grape and Wine Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning 530007, China.
³ Shaanxi Zhangyu Ruina Castle Winery Co. LTD, Yantai Changyu Pioneer Wine Company Limited, Xi'an 710075, China.
⁴ Quality Standards and Testing Institute of Agricultural Technology, Ningxia Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yinchuan 750002, China.

Abstract

The biomass of thinned unripe grape (TUR) was investigated and estimated in China and the world. In addition, the physicochemical parameters, nutritional and functional components and antioxidant activity of nine TUR and ripe grape fruit (RGF) samples were determined and analyzed. The results showed that about 1695.75 kt TUR was produced in China and as much as 14436.16 kt worldwide, which was closely related to the fruit thinning time. The total sugar and protein contents of TUR were significantly lower than those of RGF (p < 0.05), while the organic acids (especially tartaric acid and malic acid) and crude fiber of TUR were significantly higher than those of RGF (p < 0.05). Moreover, the total polyphenol, flavonoid, tannin and flavan-3-ols contents of TUR were 4.2-13.5, 3.6-12.3, 4.3-62.8 and 1.5-7.6 times those of RGF, respectively. Meanwhile, the antioxidant capacity of TUR was significantly higher than that of RGF, as well (p < 0.05). This study aimed to conduct in-depth research into the nutritional characteristics of TUR, propose the targeted direction for their further investigation and then lay a theoretical foundation from which the research findings could be applied in practice.

Keywords: Biomass estimation; Biomass investigation; Functional components; Nutritional components; Thinned unripe grapes.