Essential oil composition and antioxidant activity of citron fruit (Citrus medica var. macrocarpa Risso.) peel as relation to ripening stages.

Stages of maturity have decisive roles in determining the quality and quantity of essential oil (EO). In this regard, EO yield and composition and their antioxidant activity of citron fruit at four fruit maturity stages, i.e. the green mature (GM), intermediate (INT), yellow ripe (MAT) and overripe stage (OR) were studied. Obtained results showed significant effect of fruit maturity on most measured properties. The concentration of EO varied between 0.60 and 0.77% (v/w). The highest amount of limonene was 89.39% related to GM stage. The limonene decreased significantly during maturity. The highest antioxidant activity (76.08%) was measured at the OR stage, which is probably due to the presence of specific compounds in the EO and their synergistic effects. The phytochemical behaviors of this citron variety were different as relation to stages of fruit maturity. We can determine the ideal harvest period for maximum bioactive substances by recognizing these actions.

The Effect of Different Growth Stages of Black Chokeberry Fruits on Phytonutrients, Anti-Lipase Activity, and Antioxidant Capacity.

The present study investigated the nutrients, biologically-active compounds, as well as antioxidant and anti-lipase activities of chokeberry fruits across four different stages of development, from the unripe green to mature black forms. The highest content of total phenolics (12.30% dry weight (DW)), including proanthocyanidins (6.83% DW), phenolic acids (6.57% DW), flavanols (0.56% DW), flavonols (0.62% DW), and flavanones (0.10% DW), was observed in unripe fruits. The unripe green fruits were also characterized by the highest content of protein (2.02% DW), ash (4.05% DW), total fiber (39.43% DW), and chlorophylls (75.48 mg/100 g DW). Ripe black fruits were the richest source of total carotenoids (8.53 mg/100 g DW), total anthocyanins (2.64 g/100 g DW), and total sugars (33.84% DW). The phenolic compounds of green fruits were dominated by phenolic acids (above 83% of the total content), the semi-mature fruits by both phenolic acids and anthocyanins (90%), while the mature berries were dominated by anthocyanins (64%). Unripe fruits were the most effective inhibitor of pancreatic lipase in triolein emulsion, scavenger of 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation, and reducer of ferric ion. Biological activities were mainly correlated with total proanthocyanidins and total phenolics. Considering their strong anti-lipase and antioxidant activities, unripe chokeberry fruits may have potential applications in nutraceuticals and functional foods.

Prediction of the ripening stages of papayas using discriminant analysis and support vector machine algorithms.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of the quality properties of papaya becomes essential due to the acceleration of the fruit shelf-life senescence and the deterioration factor of the expected postharvest operations. In this study, the colour features in RGB, normalised RGB, HSV and L*a*b* channels were extracted and correlated with mechanical properties, moisture content (MC), total soluble solids (TSS) and pH for the prediction of quality properties at five ripening stages of papaya (R1-R5). RESULTS: The mean values of colour features in RGB R m , G m , B m , normalised RGB R nm , G nm , B nm HSV H m , S m , V m , and L*a*b* L m , a m , b m were the best estimator for predicting TSS with R2 ≥ 0.90. All colour channels also showed satisfactory accuracies of R2 ≥ 0.80 in predicting the bioyield force, apparent modulus and mean force. The highest average classification accuracy was obtained using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) with an average accuracy of more than 82%. The study showed that LDA, linear support vector machine, quadratic discriminant analysis and quadratic support vector machine obtained the correct classification of up to 100% for R5, whereas R1, R2, R3 and R4 gave classification accuracies in the range 83.75-91.85%, 85.6-90.25%, 85.75-90.85% and 77.35-87.15%, respectively. This indicates that R5 colour information was obviously different from R1-R4. The mean values of the HSV channel indicated the best performance to predict the ripening stages of papaya, compared to RGB, normalised RGB and L*a*b* channels, with an average classification accuracy of more than 80%. CONCLUSION: The study has shown the versatility of a machine vision system in predicting the quality changes in papaya. The results showed that the machine vision system can be used to predict the ripening stages as well as classifying the fruits into different ripening stages of papayas. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Physicochemical Changes and Antioxidant Activity of Juice, Skin, Pellicle and Seed of Pomegranate (cv. Mollar de Elche) at Different Stages of Ripening.

In the present work, we investigate how the degree of ripeness (low, low-medium, medium and medium-high) affects the physical and compositional changes, as well as antioxidant properties of pomegranate fruit (cv. Mollar de Elche). The skin, pellicle, seed and juice were analysed. The fruit mass increased and the fruit skin became reddish (higher a* and lower h*) as the fruit ripening progressed. The lowest concentrations of flavonoids and hydrolysable tannins were recorded in skin and pellicles at medium-high maturity stage, which explains the decrease in the total phenols and reducing power during ripening of pomegranate. On the contrary, the highest concentration of flavonoids (165 mg of quercetin equivalents per 100 mL of juice) was determined in the juice at the most advanced ripening stage, concomitant with the highest total phenols (1695 mg of gallic acid equivalents per 100 mL of juice). Higher DPPH scavenging activity and an increase in the reducing power of juice were also observed during ripening. The trend of the above-mentioned properties allowed describing the fruit development and maturity.

Quantification of flavonoids, minerals, and pigments present in "Nanicão" bananas during the ripening process.

Banana is one of the most consumed and popular fruits in all regions of the world, being cultivated mainly in tropical countries. It is not only a rich source of vitamins A, C, and B, calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and other vitamins and nutrients, but it also contains several types of antioxidants with high nutritional value. In this context, the current study aimed to quantify the content of ascorbic acid, flavonoids, pigments, and minerals present in "Nanicão" bananas during the ripening process. As demonstrated, the level of flavonoids was higher in ripe and overripe fruits, whereas the mineral composition was high only at ripening stage 4 (more yellow than green) a stage that should be prioritized when recommending fruit consumption to the population deficient in these minerals. Regarding pigments, there was a reduction in chlorophylls a and b and an increase in carotenoids and anthocyanins in peels and pulps. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Flavonoids are phenolic, bioactive compounds with proven antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and products of the plant's secondary metabolism. The degradation of chlorophylls and synthesis of carotenoids and anthocyanins, and as a consequence of the latter pigment, the increase in flavonoids in the pulp was evident during the monitoring of ripening, mainly in the fruit peels in relation to pigments. Minerals are essential elements, the main ones provided in balanced diets and important for dietary and nutritional health.

Structural variations of lignin and lignin-carbohydrate complexes from the fruit shells of Camellia oleifera during ripening.

Camellia oleifera fruit shell (CFS), a waste lignocellulosic biomass resulting from Camellia oleifera oil production industry, is abundantly available in Southern China. Herein, to understand the structural variations of CFS lignins and lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCC) during ripening, the native lignin and LCC fractions from CFS (harvested every seven days from October 1 to 30, 2022) were isolated and characterized systematically. The molecular weights of both MWL and DEL fractions steadily increased during ripening. CFS lignins contained abundance of ß-O-4' linkages (maximum of 58.6 per 100Ar in DEL-2), and had low S/G ratios (S/G < 0.6). Moreover, the amounts of ß-O-4' linkages in MWL, DEL, and LCC-AcOH fractions increased first and then decreased during ripening. The main lignin-carbohydrate linkages in the LCC-AcOH fractions were benzyl-ether (7.0-9.4 per 100Ar) and phenyl-glycoside (4.5-5.2 per 100Ar) bonds. Based on the quantitative results, the potential structural diagrams of lignins from different ripening stages of CFS were proposed. Additionally, the LCC-AcOH fractions exhibited pronounced antioxidant capacity and were promising as natural antioxidants. The properties and functions of lignin in plant cell walls, as well as its further appreciation, are crucial for the design and selection of feasible pretreatment strategies for the lignocellulosic materials.

Spatial and Compositional Variations in Fruit Characteristics of Papaya (Carica papaya cv. Tainung No. 2) during Ripening.

Papaya fruit (Carica papaya) has different degrees of ripening within each fruit, affecting its commercial market value. The fruit characteristics of "Tainung No. 2" Red papaya were investigated at the stem-end, middle, and calyx-end across 3 ripening stages and categorized based on fruit skin coloration: unripe at 16 weeks after anthesis (WAA), half-ripe at 18 WAA, and full-ripe at 20 WAA. The fruits maintained an elliptical shape during ripening with a ratio of 2.36 of the length to the width. The peel and pulp color changed from green to white to yellow during ripening, regardless of the three parts. In the pulp, soluble solid contents increased, and firmness decreased during ripening but did not differ among the three parts. Individual nutrient contents, including metabolites and minerals, changed dynamically between the ripening stages and fruit parts. Total carbohydrates and proteins, N, and K, were accumulated more at the stem-end during ripening; meanwhile, fructose, glucose, Mg, and Mn were accumulated more at the calyx-end. In the principal component analysis, ripening stages and fruit parts were distinctly determined by the first and second principal components, respectively. Understanding the nutrient and metabolite dynamics during ripening and their distribution within the fruit can help optimize cultivation practices, enhance fruit quality, and ultimately benefit both growers and consumers.

Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Anthocyanins and Non-Anthocyanin Flavonoids in Blackberry from Different Growth Stages.

The high nutritional value and unique flavor of blackberries make them a popular food choice among consumers. Anthocyanin content (AC) and non-anthocyanin flavonoid content (NAFC) are important functional components in blackberry. We tested the AC, NAFC, and antioxidant activities of two blackberry-Ningzhi 1 and Hull-during the following ripening stages: green-fruit stage (GFS), color-turning stage (CTS), reddening stage (RDS), and ripening stage (RPS). The results showed that NAFC decreased and AC increased gradually during the ripening stages. The NAFC of Hull blackberry was the highest during GFS (889.74 µg/g), while the AC of Ningzhi 1 blackberry was the highest during RPS (1027.08 µg/g). NAFC was the highest at the initial stage and gradually decreased with ripening. Anthocyanin accumulation mainly occurred during the later ripening stages. These results provide a reference for comparing the NAFC, AC, and antioxidant activity of Ningzhi 1 and Hull and their changes during different ripening stages.

Widely Targeted Metabolic Profiling Reveals Differences in Polyphenolic Metabolites during Rosa xanthina f. spontanea Fruit Development and Ripening.

Rose hips are rich in various nutrients and have long been used for food and medicinal purposes. Owing to the high phenolic content, rose hips can be used as natural antioxidants. In this study, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was used to conduct a widely targeted metabolomics analysis on the polyphenolic components of Rosa xanthina f. spontanea in three ripening stages: unripe, half-ripe and fully ripe fruit. A total of 531 polyphenol metabolites were detected, including 220 phenolic acids, 219 flavonoids, 50 tannins and 42 lignans and coumarins. There were 160 differential metabolites between unripe and half-ripe rose hips (61 downregulated and 99 upregulated) and 157 differential metabolites between half-ripe and fully ripe rose hips (107 downregulated and 50 upregulated). The results of our study not only greatly enrich the chemical composition database of rose hips but also provide metabolomics information on the changes in polyphenolic metabolism during fruit development for the first time, which will help select the optimal harvest time of rose hips to achieve better quality.

Sex- and sexual maturation-related aspects of the element accumulation in soft tissues of the bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam. collected off coasts of Sevastopol (southwestern Crimea, Black Sea).

Mussels are widely used to monitor trace element pollution, but the role of their sex and sexual maturation in the element accumulation was not comprehensively studied and the number of elements under consideration never exceeded three dozen. In this work, concentrations of 67 elements in different tissues of females and males of the Mediterranean mussel are determined. Statistically significant differences are obtained in the element composition of analogous tissues of mussel males and females and in gonads of the same sex at different sexual maturation stages. The significantly higher concentrations of some elements found in gonads of females (Mn, Zn, As) and males (P) at most of the sexual maturation stages suggest essentiality of these elements in the reproduction. Elements exhibit several accumulation patterns in gonads during the ripening, with the most general one being the accumulation after spawning. Indications of a new phenomenon of circulation of most elements in gonads over the reproductive cycle are obtained, with the element concentrations decreasing at the first two stages and increasing at the posterior stages. Principal component analysis shows that the differences in the element accumulation are mainly due to the element uptake pathways and sexual differentiation. The most important identified factors determining the decrease in concentrations of tissue elements are their redistribution over mussel's body, biomass dilution, sequestration, and release with gametes. Five detected non-overlapping clusters of the non-normalized element concentrations in the pooled mussel tissues are associated with macroelements, two groups of trace elements, and two groups of ultratrace elements.

Comparative Study of Fig Volatile Compounds Using Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry: Effects of Cultivars and Ripening Stages.

Aroma is one of the essential parameters that determine fruit quality. It is also an important feature of varietal characterization and so valuable for agro-biodiversity identification and preservation. In order to characterize changes in the aroma fingerprint through fig development, the main objective of the present research was to study the volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles of figs (Ficus carica L.) from three cultivars, Taamriwthe (TH), Azegzaw (AZ), and Averkane (AV), at three ripening stages (unripe, ripe, and fully ripe). Analyses was performed using Headspace Solid-phase Microextraction and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Results revealed the presence of 29 compounds that were grouped into different chemical classes. Aldehydes comprised the most abundant VOCs identified in all the studied figs, while alcohols, ketones, and terpenes comprised the minor compounds found in TH, AZ, and AV figs, respectively. Different aroma descriptors were identified throughout the ripening stages of figs; fruity and green aromas were dominant in all cultivars, while a fatty aroma scarcely occurred in figs. A gallery plot representation demonstrated that certain VOCs differentiate the studied cultivars and the different ripening stages of figs. Principal component analysis findings demonstrated characteristic VOCs of distinct ripening stages and cultivars, those VOCs can be used as fingerprints to distinguish different cultivars and/or ripening stages.

Metabolite and Elastase Activity Changes in Beach Rose (Rosa rugosa) Fruit and Seeds at Various Stages of Ripeness.

Rose hips are the fruits of the beach rose (Rosa rugosa). To determine the optimal harvest time and to obtain the maximum functional compounds, rose hips at various stages of ripeness (immature, early, mid, and late) were harvested, and the flesh tissue and seeds were separated. The rose hip flesh showed the highest total phenolic content at the mid-ripeness stage (8.45 ± 0.62 mg/g gallic acid equivalent concentration (dry weight)). The early-, mid-, and late-ripeness stages of rose hip flesh did not show significantly different 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl antioxidant capacities. The elastase inhibitory activity of the 95% ethanol extract from the rose hip seeds was highest at the mid-ripeness stage; however, the elastase inhibitory activity of the rose hip tissue was not significantly different from that of the seeds. Pathway analysis using MetaboAnalyst showed that sucrose, fructose, and glucose gradually increased as the fruit ripened. Ursolic acid was detected in the seeds but not in the flesh. Of the fatty acids, linoleic acid concentrations were highest in rose hip seeds, followed by linolenic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid. Fatty acids and ursolic acid might be the active compounds responsible for elastase inhibitory activity and can be utilized as a functional cosmetic material.

Ripening of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Part II: Regulation by its stem scar region.

The relationship between ripening behaviour and stem scar region of fruit in different tomato varieties (stored at 30.5 ± 1°C or 25 ± 1°C) was studied by blocking the stem scar region either completely or to different extent with high vacuum silicone grease. In 'Pusa Ruby' (a fast ripening variety) and 'Pusa Gaurav' (slow ripening variety), complete blockage of stem scar region of fruits at green mature stage showed 3-fold reduction in ripening index at 14 days after treatment (DAT) but with increased rottage. It was demonstrated in 'Pusa Ruby' and 'Pusa 120' that the extent of blockage of stem scar region has dependence on the rate of respiration and ripening suppression. The extent of climacteric rise was reduced significantly in the treated fruits. These suppressive effects of treatment were found to diminish with the advancement in the ripening stage of tomato fruit.

Elemental Composition and Some Nutritional Parameters of Sweet Pepper from Organic and Conventional Agriculture.

The increasing demand of organic agriculture (OA) is based on the consumer's belief that organic agricultural products are healthier, tastier and more nutritious. The effect of OA and conventional agriculture (CA) methods on the elemental compositions of green and red sweet peppers were studied. The highest concentrations of Ca, Cu, K and P occur in peppers from OA in both states of ripeness, with emphasis on Ca and K contents. Furthermore, the principal component analysis (PCA), points out to a clear separation, regarding concentrations, between peppers from OA and CA. The average fruit weight is higher in OA, 141 g versus 112 g in CA. Regarding productivity, CA reaches a value of 30.1 t/ha, 7% higher than the value observed for OA, i.e., 28 t/ha. Peppers from CA, exhibited greater protein content than those which originated from OA, regardless of the ripening stage, but not more ashes. Regarding nutritional ratios, the ripening stage and the production mode, can be important for an adequate choice regarding a more balanced Ca/P ratio, and the studied variety contained high Ca values ranging between 1009 and 1930 mg.kg-1. The PCA analysis also revealed that Mn and Fe are inversely correlated, confirming the importance of the Mn/Fe ratio evaluation in nutritional studies.

Variation in Ceratonia siliqua pod metabolome in context of its different geographical origin, ripening stage and roasting process.

Carob is a legume tree of a considerable commercial importance for the flavor and sweet industry. In this context, it is cultivated mostly for its pods, which are known for their nutritive value and multiple health benefits. However, metabolite patterns, underlying these properties are still mostly uncharacterized. In this study, the role of geographical origin, ontogenetic changes and thermal processing on the Ceratonia siliqua pod metabolome was assessed by mass spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomics. Thereby, a total of 70 fruits primary metabolites, represented mainly by carbohydrates, organic and amino acids were detected. Analysis of secondary bioactive metabolites assessed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-HR-MS) revealed in total 83 signals. The major signals, most significantly contributing in discrimination of C. siliqua specimens were assigned to tannins and flavonoids. PCA models derived from either UHPLC-MS or GC-MS proved to be powerful tools for discrimination of C. siliqua specimens.

Changes in phenolic profiles of red-colored pellicle walnut and hazelnut kernel during ripening.

In studies of secondary metabolites in nuts, many constituents in the kernel remain unidentified due to a high content of phenolic compounds in the pellicle. In the present study, we focused on the investigation of the phenolic and dicarboxylic acid profiles of walnut and hazelnut pellicle-less kernels. High-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-DAD-MSn) was used to carry out the determination of individual phenolics and dicarboxylic acids in brown and red-pellicle walnut and hazelnut. Results show that hexahydroxydiphenic acid (HHDP) di-galloyl hexose isomer, vanillic acid hexoside, quinic acid derivative and catechin are the main constituents of the phenolic profile of walnut, while galloylquinic derivative, caffeoyl hexoside and catechin are the main constituents of the hazelnut kernel. Even though both walnut and hazelnut kernels have a considerably lower content of phenolic compounds and dicarboxylic acids in comparison to the pellicles, when calculated as a percentage of the total mass, the kernel makes a significant contribution to the total phenolic content of the whole nut.

Metabolic profiling of Garcinia mangostana (mangosteen) based on ripening stages.

Metabolomics is an emerging research field based on exhaustive metabolite profiling that have been proven useful to facilitate the study of postharvest fruit development and ripening. Specifically, tracking changes to the metabolome as fruit ripens should provide important clues for understanding ripening mechanisms and identify bio-markers to improve post-harvest technology of fruits. This study conducted a time-course metabolome analysis in mangosteen, an economically important tropical fruit valued for its flavor. Mangosteen is a climacteric fruit that requires an important plant hormone ethylene to regulate ripening processes and rate. We first categorized mangosteen samples in different ripening stages based on color changes, an established indicator of ripening. Using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, small hydrophilic metabolites were profiled from non-ripened to fully ripened (ripening stages 0-6). These metabolites were then correlated with color changes to verify their involvement mangosteen ripening. Our results suggest that the increase of 2-aminoisobutyric acid, psicose, and several amino acids (phenylalanine, valine, isoleucine, serine, and tyrosine) showed a correlation with the progression of mangosteen ripening. This is the first report of the application of non-targeted metabolomics in mangosteen.

Evaluation of the chemical, sensory and volatile composition of sapota-do-Solimões pulp at different ripening stages.

The aim of this study was to evaluate sapota-do-Solimões (Quararibea cordata Vischer) during ripening, verifying physical, chemical and sensory parameters, bioactive and volatile compounds. The pulps were obtained from fruits from the city of Tefé, AM, Brazil and collected at three different ripening stages: unripe (U); ripe collected from the tree (R); and ripe collected from the ground (RG). The biometric and quality parameters, total carotenoids, total phenolic compounds, chemical composition, fatty acids and volatile profiles were analyzed. The sapota-do-Solimões fruits showed positive correlation with evolution of ripened stage of the variables water activity (0.977-0.996), pH (6.53-7.04), soluble solids (8.53-12.65%), total sugars (4.26-7.98%), reducing sugars (0.99-3.14%), non-reducing sugars (3.11-4.60%) and total carotenoids (0.67-1.24 µg/g). Longitudinal and transversal diameters and fruit mass were higher in RG compared with the other ripening stages. The lipids contents increased from 0.16% for U to 0.30% for RG. The palmitic (47.1-86.4), stearic (3.1-5.9), oleic (44.4-131.1) and vaccenic (25.3-37.7) increased while palmitoleic (16.4-10.0) and linoleic (6.6-3.5) decreased. A total of 86 volatile compounds were identified, of which 57 were found in U fruits, 54 in R fruits and 68 in RG fruits. The classes most relevant found were alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones, furans and terpenes. An increase in the terpenes (0.4-5.6%) from U fruit to RG fruit showed potentials odoriferous characteristics, as well the increased furans (2.3-20.9%) from U fruit to RG fruit that characterized a sweet and fruity aroma. Consumers didn't detect differences in sensory attributes of the analyzed R and RG fruits. The data showed that the chemical and volatile composition of the fruit was influenced by the ripening stage of the pulp. This is the first time that a study about ripening in sapota-do-Solimões has been reported.

Volatile molecular markers of VOO Thermo-oxidation: Effect of heating processes, macronutrients composition, and olive ripeness on the new emitted aldehydic compounds.

Heating operation has been applied to Chétoui extra-virgin olive oils (EVOOs) extracted from fruits with several ripening stages (RS). The studied samples, were subjected to microwave and conventional heating. Results showed that heated VOOs after 2.5 h and 7 min of conventional and microwave heating, respectively, gave rise to a drastically decrease of LOX products and allowed the detection of toxic new formed aldehydic volatiles (alkanal: nonanal, alkenals: (Z)-2-heptenal and (E)-2-decenal, and alkadienals: (E.E)-2.4-decadienal), which can be used as markers of VOO degradation. Their abundance in the VOO headspaces depends on their boiling points, the rate of their possible degradation to yield other compounds, on the heating processes and on the rate of macronutrients. The emission rate of the new synthesized volatiles during heating processes was mainly attributed to enzymatic oxidation of some fatty acids. Hexanal, (Z)-2-heptenal, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-nonenal, (E,E) and (E,Z)-2,4-decadienal, and (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, derived from linoleic acid, and heptanol, octanal, nonanal, decanal, (E) and (Z)-2-decenal, (E)-2-undecenal, and (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, are emitted after degradation of oleic acid. During thermo-oxidation, the ECN44 (LLO, and OLnO), and the ECN46 (OLO, and PLO + SLL) compounds decreased, whereas, the ECN48 (OOO, and PPO), and the ECN50 (SOO) compounds increased when temperature and heating time increased. The several variations of the studied biochemical compounds depend to the heating processes. Ripening stage of olive fruits can be used as a tool to monitor the emission rate of the aldehydic volatiles, but cannot be used for a chemometric discrimination.

The influence of ripening stage and region on the chemical compounds in mulberry fruits (Morus atropurpurea Roxb.) based on UPLC-QTOF-MS.

Mulberries (Morus atropurpurea Roxb.) are rich in beneficial nutrients and secondary metabolites. Dramatic climate differences between western and eastern China lead to differences among the fruiting habits of mulberries grown in these regions. In this study, Xinjiang and Jiangsu, two regions in western and eastern China, respectively, were selected as sites where mulberry fruits (MFs) at different ripening stages were sampled. Their individual components, including both targeted and non-targeted chemical compounds, were detected by rapid ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS). Multivariate statistical analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to compare MFs during ripening from these two regions. Potential biomarkers, which significantly contributed to the differentiation of the samples, were further identified or tentatively identified to determine the effects of ripening stages and regions on the chemical compounds in MFs. The results show that 43 compounds classified into nine different groups were identified in the MF samples from both the Xinjiang and Jiangsu regions. Among the compounds, all anthocyanins, carbohydrates and dihydroflavonols increased while phenolic acids and hydroxycoumarins decreased during ripening. Caffeoylquinic acids and some of anthocyanins could be regarded as important markers for MF ripening, and the accumulation of organic acids differentiated the samples from the two regions. Together, UPLC-QTOF-MS coupled with multivariate statistical analyses may be effective for metabolite profiling and identification of ripening degrees and cultivation regions.