Geographical Discrimination of Iranian Pomegranate Cultivars Based on Organic Acids Composition and Multivariate Analysis

Abstract

In this study, geographical discrimination of some Iranian pomegranate cultivars was investigated using chromatographic analyses and mul tivariate statistical methods. The organic acid content of 24 pomegranate samples of d ifferent cultivars (5 sweet, 7 sweet- sour and 12 sour cultivars) from different producti on sites (Yazd and Markazi Provinces, Iran) were analyzed by HPLC/UV. Ten organic acids i ncluding oxalic, tartaric, malic, shikimic, ascorbic, maleic, succinic, citric, aceti c and fumaric were identified and quantified in freshly prepared juices. The total or ganic acid content was in the range of 105.4–2074.4 mg 100 g -1 of pomegranate juice. Citric acid predominated in most cultivars especially in sour cultivars, while sweet-sour and sweet ones were characterized by high malic acid content. Principal Component Analysis (P CA) indicated that principle component 2 was responsible for discrimination of t wo geographical regions. Furthermore, Factor Analysis (FA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) showed the high potential in complete separation of pomegranat e cultivars based on geographical origins. Keywords: Chemometrics, Geographical origin, HPLC, Organic ac id profile, Pomegranate.