Abstract

Biological characteristics of 5 Zanthoxylum schinifolium (Zs) fruits such as Z1 (early August), Z2 (middle August), Z3 (middle September), Z4 (early October) and Z5 (middle October) according to harvesting time were evaluated. As fruits ripened, average weight of Zs increased from 4.8mg (Z1) to 50.7mg (Z5), while moisture contents decreased from 74.6% (Z1) to 55.2% (Z5). Crude fat contents of the fruits during ripening increased from 1% (Z1) to 10.6% (Z5). The major fatty acids in Zs were palmitic (C16:0), palmitoleic (C16:1), oleic (C18:1), and linoleic (C18:2) acids. Linoleic acid (C18:2) was a main fatty acid in Z1 and Z2, whereas oleic acid (C18:1) was found as a main one in the other Zs. The ratio of unsaturated fatty acid to total fatty acids increased from 60% (Z1) to 80% (Z3~Z5) during ripening. Among ripening stages, Z4 had the highest contents of total fatty acids ($3,355{\mu}g/g$) and total unsaturated fatty acids ($2,753{\mu}g/g$). Forty six volatile compounds in Zs were also identified. The major volatile compounds were ${\alpha}-pinene$, ${\beta}-myrcene$, ${\beta}-ocimene$, 2-nonanone, estragole, 2-undecanone, and ${\beta}-caryophyllene$. Major volatile components of Z1 were ${\beta}-ocimene$ (20.8 peak area %) and ${\alpha}-pinene$ (9.7 peak area %). In Z2, estragole (30.1 peak area %) was a main volatile compound, but the contents of ${\alpha}-pinene$ (0.4 peak area %), ${\beta}-myrcene$ (0.3 peak area %), and ${\beta}-ocimene$ (0.6 peak area %) were lower than those in Z1. Especially, estragole used as perfumes and as a food additive for flavor was drastically increased to 91.2 (Z3) and 92% (Z4) as fruits ripened.

Keywords

• Zanthoxylum schinifolium;
• Harvesting Time;
• Fatty Acid;
• Volatile Compound