Lester Gene E
Kika de la Garza Subtropical Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Building 200, 2413 East U.S. Highway 83, Weslaco, Texas 78596, USA.
J Agric Food Chem. 2008 May 28;56(10):3694-8. doi: 10.1021/jf8001735. Epub 2008 May 3.
Orange-fleshed, non-netted honeydew ( Cucumis melo L.) is a relatively new melon in the marketplace and has shown a lot of potential as an alternative to netted muskmelons (cantaloupes), which are often prone to surface contamination by enteric bacteria. Orange-fleshed honeydew is a cross between orange-fleshed cantaloupe and non-netted, green-fleshed honeydew. This glasshouse study investigated the nutritional profile (phytonutrient and sugar contents) in different tissues of mature orange-fleshed honeydew melon fruit. The equatorial mesocarp of ripe fruit was segmented into hypodermal (subpeel), outer, middle, and inner (near the seed cavity) tissues and then assayed for total sugars, mineral nutrients, phytonutrients, total proteins, and enzymatic antioxidant activities. The concentrations of soluble solids, sucrose, total sugars, beta-carotene, and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid increased in an inward direction from the subpeel mesocarp tissues toward the seed cavity. The activities of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase also increased in an inward direction. The concentrations of calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, and sodium all decreased in the inward direction. When expressed on a dry weight basis, the concentrations of ascorbic acid, boron, copper, fructose, glucose, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc were higher in the subpeel region compared to the inner mesocarp tissues, but the reverse was true when data were expressed on a fresh weight basis. These data reveal that there is considerable variation in sugars, minerals, and phytonutrients across the mesocarp regions and that expressing the data on a fresh or dry weight basis can alter interpretations of the nutritional significance and health benefits of fruit. The data also confirm that orange-fleshed honeydew melon can be a rich source of many human health-related nutrients.
橙色果肉、无网纹的蜜瓜（甜瓜）是市场上相对较新的一种瓜类，作为网纹甜瓜（香瓜）的替代品，它显示出了很大的潜力，网纹甜瓜往往容易受到肠道细菌的表面污染。橙色果肉的蜜瓜是橙色果肉的香瓜和无网纹、绿色果肉的蜜瓜杂交而成。这项温室研究调查了成熟橙色果肉蜜瓜果实不同组织中的营养成分（植物营养素和糖分含量）。将成熟果实的赤道中果皮分割为皮下（近果皮）、外层、中层和内层（靠近种子腔）组织，然后测定总糖、矿物质营养素、植物营养素、总蛋白和酶促抗氧化活性。可溶性固形物、蔗糖、总糖、β-胡萝卜素和5-甲基四氢叶酸的浓度从皮下中果皮组织向种子腔方向呈内向增加。抗坏血酸过氧化物酶、过氧化氢酶和超氧化物歧化酶的活性也呈内向增加。钙、铁、镁、锰和钠的浓度均呈内向降低。以干重计，皮下区域的抗坏血酸、硼、铜、果糖、葡萄糖、磷钾和锌的浓度高于内层中果皮组织，但以鲜重计数据时情况则相反。这些数据表明，中果皮各区域的糖、矿物质和植物营养素存在相当大的差异，并且以鲜重或干重计数据会改变对水果营养意义和健康益处的解读。数据还证实，橙色果肉的蜜瓜可以是许多与人类健康相关营养素的丰富来源。
