Determination of Biochemical Composition in Peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) Accessions Characterized by Different Flesh Color and Textural Typologies

Abstract

The rising interest in beneficial health properties of polyphenol compounds in fruit initiated this investigation about biochemical composition in peach mesocarp/exocarp. Biochemical evaluation of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid were quantified through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in relation to three flesh colors (white, yellow and red) and four flesh typologies (melting, non-melting, slow softening and stony hard) within six commercial cultivars and eight breeding selections of peach/nectarine in 2007. While in 2008, quality and sensorial analyses were conducted on only three commercial cultivars (‘Big Top’, ‘Springcrest’ and ‘Ghiaccio 1’). The red flesh selection demonstrated the highest levels of phenolic compounds (in mesocarp/exocarp) and ascorbic acid. Total phenolic concentration was approximately three-fold higher in the exocarp than the mesocarp across all accessions. Breeding selections generally reported higher levels of phenolics than commercial cultivars. Flesh textural typologies justified firmness differences at harvest, but minimally addressed variations in quality and phenolic compounds. Flesh pigmentation explained variation in the biochemical composition, with the red flesh accession characterized by an abundancy of phenolic compounds and a high potential for elevated antioxidant activity. Sensorial analyses ranked the cultivar with high soluble solids concentration:titratable acidity (SSC:TA) and reduced firmness the highest overall. Red flesh is a highly desirable trait for breeding programs aiming to improve consumption of peaches selected for nutraceutical properties.

Optimizing Peach Tree Canopy Architecture for Efficient Light Use, Increased Productivity and Improved Fruit Quality

“…Fruits that are less firm (30-36 N) at harvest are known as "tree ripe", cannot be stored/shipped long and must be sold locally. However, FF values and their corresponding physiological maturity stage are influenced by the flesh texture typology, as some types such as "non-melting" or "stony hard", may delay softening or never become soft [10]. However, one critical consideration in respect to quality and maturity, is that fruit that are more mature will have improved quality.…”

Identifying sources of metabolomic diversity and reconfiguration in peach fruit: taking notes for quality fruit improvement

“…The type and content of volatile compounds, which contribute to fruit aroma and flavor, are also variety dependent [29]. The level of several bioactive compounds, minerals, vitamins, flavonoids, phenolic composition, antioxidant capacities, and metal chelating activity are also dependent on the peach variety studied [28,[30][31][32][33][34]. Analysis of the population structure of several different peach accessions indicated that genes associated with high polyphenol composition decreased during peach domestication and improvement, indicating breeding potential for obtaining peach fruit with enhanced bioactive polyphenols [16].…”

“…Some studies have separated the endocarp, mesocarp and exocarp parts during development of the fruit, showing the coordination and competition of different metabolic processes among these tissues [37,38,51]. On the other hand, although the majority of the metabolomic studies performed in mature peach fruit have focused on the mesocarp, which is the edible part of the fruit, some studies have separately analyzed the metabolic content of the mesocarp and exocarp of fruits from several different peach varieties [28,30,32]. These studies have shown that these different fruit tissues display differential metabolic and bioactive compounds, the contents of which are also dependent on the variety.…”

Determination of Post-Harvest Biochemical Composition, Enzymatic Activities, and Oxidative Browning in 14 Apple Cultivars

“…In recent years, the attention of breeders, producers, and consumers alike have shifted towards ‘functional foods’, such as fruits high in biologically active phenolic compounds that are beneficial for human health [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Phenolic compounds are produced by plants and are involved in determining color and taste in fruit [ 4 ].…”