The study of carotenoid composition and content changes during coloring process in Ziziphus jujuba Mill. ‘Dongzao’

In order to study the changes of carotenoid composition and content during the coloring process in Ziziphus jujuba Mill. ‘Dongzao’, metabolomics were used to quantitatively analyze the carotenoid in fruit peel. The absolute quantitative analysis of 16 kinds of carotene in fruit peel showed that only five kinds of carotene were detected like violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin. The orders of their content were lutein (27.41-59.42 mg g^‑1 FW), zeaxanthin (16.51~28.50 mg g^‑1 FW), violaxanthin (3.47-12.19 mg g^‑1 FW), antheraxanthin (2.74-5.89 mg g^‑1 FW), and carotene (0.09-0.14 mg g^‑1 FW). Among the five carotenoids, lutein content was highest in green period (G), white period (W), white side at the semi-red period (SR-W), red side at the semi-red period (SR-R) and red period (R), respectively, and among which the W period had the highest content. The total carotenoid content was higher at R, W and SR-R period, and lowest at SR-W period. The results showed that lutein plays an important role in the carotenoid mediated changes in the peel color of ‘Dongzao’ jujube, and the R period was the best time to eat jujube based on fruit quality and nutrition.