RELATION BETWEEN POLYPHENOLS CONTENT ANDSKIN COLOUR IN SOUR CHERRY FRUITS

Fruit skin colour plays a major role in quality assessment of food,significantly determining consumer`s choice. Colour of sour cherries depends onanthocyanins which are phenolic compounds (flavonoids) present in high amountsin fruits. The aim of this study was to determine a possible relation betweenpolyphenols (total phenolics and anthocyanins) and colour parameters of fruit skinof sour cherries. The plant material used in this study was twenty two sour cherrygenotypes from an orchard of Agricultural Institute Osijek. Total phenolics andanthocyanins contents as well as colour parameters (L*, a*, b*, h and C) of fruit skinwere determined. Variability between sour cherry genotypes in total phenolics andanthocyanins as well as in colour parameters was revealed. Total polyphenolscontent varied from 462.7 to 1049.0 mg GAE/100 g of fresh weight, while totalanthocyanins ranged from 160.1 to 495.6 mg CGE/100 g of fresh weight. Asignificant positive correlation was found between polyphenols and anthocyaninscontent. Total phenolics content had a significant negative correlation with colourparameters b* and h, while anthocyanins content negatively correlated with colourparameters L*, b* and h. According to the obtained results, genotypes Maraska,Heimanns Konservenweichsel and Rexelle are the richest genotypes in polyphenolsand anthocyanins content.