Effect of yearly conditions on sugar composition of fresh, partially dried and sun-dried fig fruit

Turkey is the world leader in fresh and dried fig trade. Fig possessing high dry matter and sugar content has been one of the major sun-dried fruit species in the Mediterranean region for millennia. Various factors as the cultivar, rootstock, ecological conditions, cultural practices, or harvest maturity may influence the sugar composition of the fruit. Deviations may also occur according to the prevailing yearly climatic conditions. This study is designed to assess the yearly variations in the sugar composition of 'Sarılop' fig fruit at fresh, partially dried and fully dried stages. Sugar composition was analyzed in fruits harvested from 10 fig orchards selected to represent the major production region in Aydın, Turkey. Major sugar fractions were fructose and glucose; sucrose was found only is some samples at low concentrations. In fresh fig fruit, glucose content showed variations according to the years (6.16-7.19 g 100 g^‑1) whereas fructose (mean 5.65 g 100 g^‑1) contents were found similar in all years. As the fruit water content decreased, the sugar concentration increased in partially and fully dried fruit. In partially dried fruit, the sugar concentrations were higher in the third year, mainly as fructose (15.37 g 100 g^‑1) and glucose (17.25 g 100 g^‑1). In dried figs, the yearly variations were very limited and the mean values for fructose, glucose and sucrose were determined as 17.60, 21.40 and 1.19 g 100 g^‑1, respectively. Noticeable yearly variations occurred in glucose content of fresh, fructose, glucose and sucrose of partially dried, and sucrose content of dried fig ('Sarılop') fruit.