Abstract

In recent years, many non-commercial native fruit have been characterized in the search for functional ingredients; however, their cell wall and sugar composition are less well known. In this research, changes in cell wall components, principally pectin and monomeric sugar composition were evaluated in three different developmental stages of two Chilean native fruits, arrayan (Luma apiculata) and lleuque (Prumnopitys andina), that occur naturally in locations from Andes and Coastal ranges of south-central Chile. Fruit quality parameters, cell wall components, lignin, and monomeric sugar composition were analyzed. Particularly, lleuque fruit have remarkable high and low levels of soluble solids and acidity. According to firmness reduction, the cell wall content and lignin decreased significantly during fruit development concomitant with loosely bound polymers in both species and locations. The analysis of cell wall-associated monomeric sugars indicated a reduction during fruit development in arabinose (Ara), rhamnose (Rha), and galactose (Gal) in both species and locations suggesting a loss of the pectin branching. Moreover, the environmental condition could imprint differences in cell wall dynamics since sugar contents were higher in fruit from the Andes than in the Coastal range. Besides, lleuque fruit accumulates high Ara, Man, xylose (Xyl), glucose (Glc), and Rha contents in all stages and locations. Thus, lleuque fruit could be an interesting natural source of sugars. These findings can serve as a basis to deepen in cell wall-associated carbohydrate properties of non-traditional fleshy fruit.