Environmental Conditions Affect the Color, Taste, and Antioxidant Capacity of 11 Pomegranate Accessions’ Fruits

The well-established health beneficial value of pomegranate juice is leading to increased demand for pomegranate products and to the expansion of pomegranate orchards worldwide. The current study describes differences in the chemical composition of major ingredients of the arils and peels of 11 accessions grown in Mediterranean and desert climates in Israel. In most of the accessions, the levels of antioxidant activity and content of total phenolics, total anthocyanins, total soluble solids, glucose, fructose, and acidity were higher in the aril juice of fruit grown in the Mediterranean climate compared to those grown in the desert climate. However, the peels of fruit grown in the desert climate exhibited higher antioxidant activity, and the levels of total phenolics, including the two hydrolyzable tannins, punicalagin and punicalin, were higher compared to those in the peels of fruit grown in the Mediterranean climate. The results indicate that environmental conditions significantly affect pomegranate fruit quality and health beneficial compounds.