Regulation of phytochemicals in fruits and berries by environmental variation—Sugars and organic acids

Abstract

Sugars and organic acids are important phytochemicals contributing to the nutrition and sensory properties of fruits and berries. Their contents are closely correlated to the genetic background of plants as well as to the environmental conditions during growth. This review focuses on the recent researches on the metabolism of these compounds in fruits and berries in response to the variation of environmental conditions, including temperature, radiation, and water supply. A great deal of investigations indicates that the influence of environmental factors on the composition of fruits/berries depended largely on the genetic background. Moreover, the metabolic regulation in response to environmental changes also varies between different plant developmental stages. Nevertheless, some general trends, like the positive correlation between light intensity and sugar content, were observed in most investigations. In grapes (Vitis vinifera L.), the content of malic acid always decreases as light intensity increases, and as the water supply decreases. Practical applications The contents of sugars and organic acids, and especially their relative ratio, are important indicators determining the taste and quality of fruits and fruit products. In this review, we summarized the investigations carried out on the regulation of these sensory contributing primary metabolites in fruits and berries in relation to the variation of environmental conditions. It was indicated that various factors, such as plant genotype, growing period, and interaction between environmental factors, might contribute to the impact of environmental changes on the composition of fruits/berries. The article not only provides comprehensive knowledges in food chemistry and plant physiology but also provide important background knowledge for berry cultivation and breeding, as well as useful guidelines for utilization of fruits and berries in food industry.

Antibacterial Activity of Some Flavonoids and Organic Acids Widely Distributed in Plants

“…Moreover, these extracts may show various mechanisms of biological and pharmacological activity, i.e., ability to bind to protein domains, modulation of the immune response, mitosis, apoptosis, and signal transduction [2]. However, it should be noted that plants interact with the environment and other organisms, therefore their chemical composition and the level of active substances can be very diverse [3,4]. In addition, the manufacturing process of herbal medicinal products is very complex because it encompasses non-standardized processes like the cultivation of plants, obtaining the vegetable raw material from various parts of the world, preparing of extract, and producing a product in accordance with local guidelines of the good manufacturing practice.…”

“…interact with the environment and other organisms, therefore their chemical composition and the level of active substances can be very diverse [3,4]. In addition, the manufacturing process of herbal medicinal products is very complex because it encompasses non-standardized processes like the cultivation of plants, obtaining the vegetable raw material from various parts of the world, preparing of extract, and producing a product in accordance with local guidelines of the good manufacturing practice.…”

“…Among non-aromatic, short-chain hydroxy acids, malic, citric, and quinic acids belong to the most abundant substances with a key role in plant metabolism and physiology. Malic and citric acids are mainly produced in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (Krebs cycle) and, to a lesser degree, in the glyoxylate cycle, while quinic acid is a byproduct of the shikimic acid pathway [4]. High accumulation of these compounds is observed in various berry fruits of wild and cultivated plants from the Ericaceae, Rosaceae, and Grossulariaceae families, including cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton and V. oxycoccos L.), bilberry (V. myrtillus L.), blueberry (V. corymbosum L.), blackberry (Rubus spp.…”

Geographic Authentication of Eucommia ulmoides Leaves Using Multivariate Analysis and Preliminary Study on the Compositional Response to Environment

“…The composition of secondary metabolites in plant tissues varies depending on different factors, such as genes, climate, altitude, and growth environment conditions in general (Ložienė and Venskutonis, 2005;Shafie et al, 2009;Zheng et al, 2012;Zheng et al, 2018). Li and Wang (2018a) investigated the chemical information of the two medicinal parts (epidermis and inner part) of Wolfiporia cocos; the inner parts had better quality consistency, which was affected by the main factor, i.e., the epidermis' poor resistance to the external environment.…”

Application of HPLC–PDA–MS metabolite profiling to investigate the effect of growth temperature and day length on blackcurrant fruit

“…Despite the fact that the environmental impact on chemical composition of blackcurrant has been studied extensively, the specific effects of individual environmental factors on fruit quality are extremely difficult to differentiate because of the interrelation of external stimuli in field experiments (Krüger et al 2011 ; Woznicki et al 2015a ). Results of experiments focused upon the environmental effects on various fruit quality attributes are often contrasting, showing distinct responses not only between species, but also among the cultivars and growing sites (Zheng et al 2018 ). For example, a negative correlation between ascorbic acid accumulation in blackcurrant and ripening temperature was reported from a field trial conducted in Estonia (Kaldmäe et al 2013 ).…”