Polyphenol content in apricot fruits

Abstract

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) species is one of the most important Mediterranean fruits. The fruits are important in the diet of Asian and Mediterranean countries in which the apricot is used as fresh and dried fruit, being an important source of nutrients. Despite of the amount of genetic resources and diversity studies available into the species, there are a few studies focused on fruit quality. Among the different compounds of fruit quality, polyphenols are classified as the most abundant antioxidants in nature, being important as a source of health benefits as well as a potential source of natural products for the food industry. The important role of polyphenols in human nutrition, outline these compounds as the most relevant for defining fruit quality. In this study, the polyphenol content on fruits from different apricot varieties included elite cultivars and hybrids from the IVIA breeding program have been compared for identifying the genotypes with relevant contribution to fruit quality. The most important compounds obtained in terms of quantity were: phenolic acids and flavonoids. Results identified the PPV resistant cultivar ‘Goldrich’ as the best cultivar for increasing the content of antioxidants in the varieties of the breeding program.