DISTRIBUTION AND EFFECT OF GRAPE MATURITY ON ORGANIC-ACID CONTENT OF RED MUSCADINE GRAPES

Changes in organic acid contents of red muscadine grapes with fruit ma turity and their distribution within mature berries were determined by HPLC. The major acids identified are succinic, tartaric, and malic ac ids. Succinic acid was the most abundant immediately after fruit, set but its concentration dropped sharply as fruits matured, Tartaric acid was the most prominent acid from verasion until the fruits were fully mature, Malic acid content increased gradually until verasion, after which it decreased with fruit ripening. Distribution of acids within t he berries was uneven. Grape skins had the highest acid content, where as the amount of acids in the seeds was the lowest.