SUGAR AND ANTHOCYANIDIN CONTENT OF 2 PROCESSING-GRADE SWEET CHERRY CULTIVARS AND CHERRY PRODUCTS

The individual sugars and anthocyanidins in processing-grade 'Dawson' and 'Bing' cherries and cherry products were investigated in order to assess the quality of the processed fruit. Glucose, fructose, and rela tively high levels of sorbitol were found in fresh and frozen cherries of both cultivars. During glaceing, sucrose was predictably absorbed by the fruit but glucose was preferentially leached into the glaceing, syrups. In contrast, sorbitol is preferentially lost during the manuf acture of cherry leathers. Cyanidin was the only anthocyanidin detecte d in both cherry cultivars. 'Dawson' and 'Bing' frozen cherries contai ned cyanidin levels of 76 mg/100 g and 74 mg/100 g wet weight of fruit flesh respectively. Processing the cherries to give glace cherries an d cherry leathers reduced the cyanidin contents by 9 to 30%. The reduc tion in cyanidin due to processing was organoleptically acceptable.