A Comparative Study of Ten Pear (Pyrus communis L.) Cultivars in Relation to the Content of Sugars, Organic Acids, and Polyphenol Compounds

Abstract

Traditional pear cultivars are increasingly in demand by consumers because of their excellent taste, the possibility of use in sustainable food production systems, convenience as raw materials for obtaining products of high nutritional quality, and perceived health benefits. In this study, individual sugars, organic acids, and polyphenols in the fruits of nine traditional and one commercial pear cultivar during two growing seasons were determined by HPLC. A significant influence of cultivars, growing years, and their interaction on the content of analyzed primary and secondary metabolites was determined. The commercial pear cultivar ‘Président Drouard’ and traditional cultivars ‘Dolokrahan’, ‘Budaljača’, and ‘Krakača’ had a lower content of all analyzed sugars. Overall, traditional pear cultivars had higher total polyphenols in the peel and pulp than ‘Président Drouard’, with the exception ‘Takiša’ and ‘Ahmetova’. High polyphenol content detected in ‘Budaljača’, ‘Dolokrahan’, and ‘Krakača’ shows the utilization value of traditional pear germplasm. The obtained data can serve as practical supporting data for the use of traditional pears in the neutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and food industries.

Antioxidants in Fruit Fractions of Mediterranean Ancient Pear Cultivars

“…Öztürk et al [10] found a content of chlorogenic acid from 21 to 1348.4 mg kg −1 in the peel; the highest values reported in this study were comparable to our results. Akagić et al [9] reported a content of chlorogenic acid from 2.27 to 359.96 mg kg −1 in the peel during two years of observations which is lower than our results. Liaudanskas et al [23] detected and quantified the quercetin 3-O-(6 -O-malonyl)-β-glucoside in the pear samples of different popular cultivars namely Conference, Concordia, Grabova, and Patten.…”

“…The wide range was dependent solely on varietal characteristics as environmental and agronomic conditions were the same for all cultivars. A great variation in the content of chlorogenic acid was also observed by Akagić et al [9], who studied Bosnian cultivars from a collection orchard. During two growing years, the chlorogenic acid in the flesh ranged from 0.46 to 14.94 mg kg −1 (first year) and from 0.10 to 9.69 mg kg −1 (second year), and the values were lower than our data.…”

“…The growing ecological awareness in the modern consumer has resulted in a greater demand for healthier foods. Recent studies carried out in Bosnia Herzegovina and Turkey have reported a significantly higher concentration of total phenolic compounds in autochthonous pears compared to commercial cultivars [9,10]. Phenolic acids, flavonoids, and glycosylated hydroquinone (mainly β-arbutin) are the main phenolic compounds in pear fruit, but considerable variations in quantitative composition depending on pedoclimatic, agronomic, and storage conditions have been recorded in different cultivars [11].…”

Comparative Analysis of Phenotypic and Molecular Data on Response to Main Pear Diseases and Pest Attack in a Germplasm Collection

“…They can be used in puddings, pies, tarts, and cakes, as well as caramelized and brandied [ 19 ]. The organoleptic qualities, taste, aroma, composition, and antioxidant properties of pears influence health-conscious customers’ fruit choices [ 20 , 21 ]. Pears are regarded as a hypoallergenic fruit and are high in fiber yet unlikely to have any negative side effects.…”

Distribution and Stability of Polyphenols in Juices Made from Traditional Apple Cultivars Grown in Bosnia and Herzegovina

“…In addition, they contribute to biodiversity preservation and cherishing of cultural-historical heritage. Various studies have shown that traditional B&H cultivars contain higher polyphenols content in comparison to commercial fruits [19,20].…”