New UF Research Unlocks the Nutritional Value and Shelf-Life Potential of Passion Fruit

By Brad Buck

With passion fruit, you get more than just a tasty drink or snack. It’s packed with nutrients like vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants, making it a popular choice for healthier eating.

It’s also important to farmers in tropical and subtropical regions – including central, Southeast and Southwest Florida – where it supports local economies.

Understanding how varieties of passion fruit stay fresh after they’re harvested can help reduce waste, improve nutrition and make sure consumers enjoy the fruit and its health benefits, said Tie Liu, an associate professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

Liu led a newly published study in which he and his colleagues wanted to find out why some varieties of passion fruit stay fresh longer than others.

In the study, scientists examined three kinds of passion fruit and used special lab processes – called metabolomics  to measure natural chemicals like sugars, acids and flavors, inside their juice.

“These tools help us see what’s in the fruit on a tiny scale by measuring hundreds of different natural chemicals that affect how the fruit tastes, smells, its nutrition level and how long it stays fresh,” Liu said.

Researchers found that one variety, called Passiflora ligularis – or orange passion fruit  stayed fresh the longest. It also had low acidity, more vitamin C and flavonoids, all of which help protect the fruit from spoiling.