Quality, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity of new flat-type peach and nectarine cultivars: a comparative study.

UNLABELLED: In this work, some organoleptic and nutritive parameters related to fruit quality (color, firmness, total soluble solids, and total acidity), the content of bioactive compounds (total phenolics and total carotenoids) as well as the total antioxidant activity (TAA) due to hydrophilic (H-TAA) and lipophilic (L-TAA) compounds have been determined in both skin and flesh of 10 flat peach and nectarine genotypes (7 peaches and 3 nectarines). Results showed that genotype plays an important role in determining the organoleptic and nutritive quality, as well as the concentration of bioactive compounds and the related TAA, since these parameters differed largely among cultivars. Overall data suggest that for commercial purposes and consumer's acceptability (based on color, firmness, acidity, and bioactive compounds), the flat nectarine "ASF-06-83" and the flat peaches "Sweet Cap" and "ASF-06-91" could be considered as the best cultivars. Additionally, it is suggested that the content of bioactive compounds should be included as an important factor in future breeding program to obtain new genotypes with enhanced bioactive compounds. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Genotype of flat peaches and nectarines plays an important role in determining the organoleptic and nutritive quality, as well as the content of bioactive compounds. Given the differences on bioactive compounds concentration and antioxidant activity among peaches and nectarines flat cultivars, these parameters should be included as an important factor in future breeding program to obtain new genotypes with enhanced bioactive compounds.