2.1. Vegetal Materials

Pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.) cv. Wonderful was harvested at commercial ripening stage when they were found to belong to category B2, assessed through epicarp color analysis, in the classification of Holland and Bar-Ya’akov’ [37] (Figure 1), from a farm located in Naro (37°17′14.0″ N 13°47′30.1″ E), province of Agrigento, Sicily. This cultivar was chosen, as the most widely cultivated in Sicily and one of the most consumed in Europe, for the characteristics of its arils, which fit minimally processed transformation [38,39,40,41]. After harvest, the fruit was transferred to the post-harvest laboratory and processed within 24 h. Fruit that did not present visible physical defects were washed in sterilized water, and arils were extracted manually with a curved knife and washed in chlorinated water and 3% citric acid for 2 min.

Ripening stages of pomegranate fruit according to Holland and Bar-Ya’akov’ [37].

Physical characteristics of whole fruit were measured on a representative sample of 10 fruit at the beginning of the study for the following parameters: fruit weight (g); fruit length—longitudinal diameter (cm); fruit width—transverse diameter (cm); fruit volume (cm³); Shape index, obtained as (Equation (1)):

where TD refers to transverse diameter and LD is longitudinal diameter; skin color (CIE L*a*b*: lightness (L*), redness/greenness (a*), and yellowness/blueness (b*)); skin weight (g); skin thickness (cm); Skin index, obtained as (Equation (2)):

where SW is the skin weight and FW is the fruit weight. Data are presented in (Table 1).

Physical characteristics of the fruits of pomegranate from which the arils were extracted. Values are expressed as mean ± Standard Deviation (n = 10).

Later on, fruit were opened with a curved knife and arils were manually extracted and went through the evaluations of number of arils; weight of arils per fruit (g); weight of 20 arils (g); aril height—longitudinal diameter (cm); aril width—transverse diameter (cm); aril yield, obtained as fruit weight—skin weight (g); weight of 20 seeds (g). Data are presented in (Table 2).

Characteristics of the pomegranate arils prior to treatment and storage. Values are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (n = 10).

Moreover, characteristics of the juice extracted from the arils using a centrifugal juicer (Centrika Metal, Mod. 0173, Ariete, Firenze, Italy) were measured: juice content (mL/100 g); total soluble solids content (°Brix); titratable acidity (g L⁻¹ citric acid); pH. Data are presented in (Table 3).

Physico-chemical characteristics of the juice extracted from the arils prior to treatment and storage. Values are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (n = 10).

Weight of arils was measured with a precision electronic scale accurate to two decimal places (Gibertini EU-C 2002 RS, Novate Milanese, Italy), while the diameter and length of the fruit were measured with a digital caliper (Turoni TR53307, Forlì, Italy). Volume of the whole fruit was determined by immersing it in a 2000 mL graduated cylinder filled with water. Characteristics of whole fruit agree with the requirements for export of fresh pomegranate to Europe. Fruits were found belonging in UNECE category 1/A [39]. All analyses results are presented as mean ± standard deviation.