Comprehensive Quality Analysis of Phyllanthus emblica L. Preserved Fruit Based on Multivariate Statistical Analysis

In order to explore the quality evaluation indicators of Phyllanthus emblica L. preserved fruit and establish an evaluation system, taking eight commercially available kinds of P. emblica L. preserved fruit as samples, this study measured and analyzed 20 quality indicators, including fuzzy mathematical sensory evaluation, color values (L^*, a^*, b^*, C^*, and h^* values), texture (hardness, adhesion, cohesion, elasticity, and chewiness), and physicochemical properties (moisture, total sugar, reducing sugar, total acid, ascorbic acid, total phenols, flavonoids, ABTS⁺, and DPPH radical scavenging rate). Correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis were used to analyze the quality indicators and screen out the key quality evaluation indicators of P. emblica L. preserved fruit. The results showed that there were varying degrees of variation in the quality indicators of the eight commercially available varieties, with a coefficient of variation ranging from 6.42% to 56.34%. Among the color parameters, a^* showed the largest change, there were significant differences in hardness, adhesion, and chewiness among the texture parameters, and there were also significant changes in the content of moisture, total sugar, total acid, ascorbic acid, and total phenols among the physicochemical parameters. Among the 20 quality indicators, there was a significant correlation (P<0.05) between 22 pairs of indicators, and a highly significant correlation (P<0.01) between 60 pairs of indicators. Sensory evaluation was highly positively correlated with moisture content, ascorbic acid content, and L^* (P<0.01), while hardness was highly negatively correlated with sensory evaluation (P<0.01). The principal component analysis of quality indicators extracted four principal components, with a cumulative contribution rate of 92.77%. Using partial least squares analysis, seven key quality indicators were obtained and validated using cluster analysis, and they could distinguish different qualities of P. emblica L. preserved fruit effectively. Therefore, based on multivariate statistical analysis, it was ultimately determined that moisture content, ascorbic acid content, DPPH radical scavenging rate, L^*, h^*, hardness, and chewiness were key quality indicators for evaluating the quality of P. emblica L. preserved fruit. The research results of this study could provide a theoretical basis and scientific basis for the quality evaluation and processing of P. emblica L. preserved fruit.