Revaluation of underutilized lemon fruits of southeastern Spain as a potential source of bioactive compounds and to be used in creative cuisine

Abstract

In the present research colour, weight, morphological parameters and total antioxidant activity (TAA) of the edible tissues of three underutilised cultivars of lemon fruits was quantified. In addition, other fruit quality properties, such as organics acids and sugars concentrations in the lemon juices were analysed. Also, the evaluation of organoleptic attributes, such as sweetness, aroma, firmness, lack of bitterness, overall impression and notable feature of fruits was performed by a sensory panel. Results show significant differences on the analysed parameters among lemon cultivars. The relative proportion of each fruit tissue was similar for the three cultivars. 'Fino' and 'Sanguino' lemons showed the highest TAA, while the most appreciated by consumers according to the sensory panel results was 'Sanguino' lemon which could be due to their original colour. These traditional cultivars of lemon fruits could be used as ingredients in creative cuisine due to their attractive properties providing also nutritional and antioxidant compounds.