Measuring the changes in free sugars, organic acids, amino acids and respiration rate of pomegranate fruit during the ripening period, the authors have obtained the following results;
1. The respiratory pattern of pomegranate fruit was nonclimacteric type whose rate of respiration decreased continuously.
2. Free sugars of pomegranate fruit were glucose and fructose and the content of each sugar was very similar in the early period after flowering but only glucose was remained in the ripened fruit.
3. Among organic acids of pomegranate fruit, citric acid was the major one, and succinic, tartaric, fumaric and malic acid were also identified. Organic acids in the fruit was very high, however, the ratio of acid to sugar was very low in spite of the fruit contained normal sugar compared with other fruits.
4. Among free amino acids of pomegranate fruit, 13 kinds of amino acids were identified; glutamic acid was presented as the major one. And total amino acid increased at 75 days after flowering but the other stage was not remarkable.
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