Color Parameters and Total Anthocyanins of Sour Cherries (Prunus cerasus L.) During Ripening

Color is very important indicator of quality of fresh fruit. It also serves for estimating the stage of maturity of fruit. Plant pigments responsible for the color of some kind of fruits are anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are the flavonoids which are present in high amounts in sour cherries. The aim of this study was to determine total anthocyanins and color parameters of sour cherries ‘Cigančica’ and ‘Keleris’ collected in Osijek and Zadar (Croatia) in 2005 during ripening. Color parameters of skin and fl esh of sour cherries were determined with colorimetric CIE LAB method and total anthocyanins were determined by means of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using UV/VIS PDA detector. Total anthocyanin was higher in sour cherries cv. Keleris grown in Zadar than in cv. Cigančica grown in Osijek during ripening although cv. Keleris is light colored genotype. Obtained results suggested that warm Mediterranean climate could have influence on high anthocyanin synthesis during ripening. Analysis of variance showed that stage of ripening did not influence total anthocyanin concentrations, but influenced almost all color parameters. Parameter H° was good indicator of color variation during ripening in both sour cherry cultivars