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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #426524
Research Project: Enhancing Vegetable and Ornamental Production by Synergistically Managing Nutrients and Pests

Location: Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research

Title: Jicama as a low-sugar ingredient for juice production: the impact of soil amendment and harvest maturity on juice quality

Author
item FREITAS, THAIS - Orise Fellow
item Bai, Jinhe
item Zhao, Wei
item Hong, Jason
item Trandel, Marlee
item Rosskopf, Erin

Submitted to: Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/23/2023
Publication Date: 12/31/2024
Citation: Freitas, T.P., Bai, J., Zhao, W., Hong, J.C., Trandel, M.A., Rosskopf, E.N. Jicama as a low-sugar ingredient for juice production: the impact of soil amendment and harvest maturity on juice quality. Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society. 136:179. 2024. https://doi.org/10.32473/fshs.136.1.138443.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32473/fshs.136.1.138443

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus) tubers have potential to enhance insulin sensitivity, making it a great suitable for low-sugar juice. Limited information exists on Florida-grown jicamas. A study at the USDA Horticultural Research Laboratory in Fort Pierce, FL, compared jicama varieties ‘Marde Ross’ and ‘222’ grown in a field treated with anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) to a control with conventional fertilizer. Tubers were harvested at 75, 105, and 147 days after seeding (DAS). The fleshy portion (FP), juice yield (JY), particle size (PS), zeta potential (ZP), soluble solids content (SSC), pH, titratable acidity (TA), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity were measured. The fruit, flesh, and juice were white without discoloration. The FP accounted for 94.6%, and JY was 75.5%, with potential for improvement. The SSC ranged from 4.6 to 6.3%, TA about 0.03% with a pH of 6.4. Harvest time influenced the radical scavenging activity with values of 0.69, 0.55, and 0.36 mM Trolox equivalents on 75, 105, and 147 DAS, respectively. ‘Marde Ross’ had higher FP, JY, and SSC. ASD-treated plot tubers had enhanced SSC and higher ZP value, indicating improved stability. The cultivar, soil treatment, and harvest maturity influenced jicama yield and quality, but all samples met the standards for low-sugar juice. The results showed that jicama tubers had over 90% water content and have a potential to be a great juice processing crop. The future efforts should concentrate on investigating physical, chemical, and biological properties of the juice products.