Evaluation of peach and nectarine fruit quality and correlations between sensory and chemical attributes

Sensory attributes and chemical composition in peach and nectarine fruits of nine different cultivars were evaluated and compared. The cultivars investigated in the research were: 'Maria Marta', 'Romestar', '325 x A/8', '224 x A/13', 'V x S/4', 'Bea', 'Maria Aurelia', 'Venus' and 'Spring Red'. In sensory evaluation the 'Maria Aurelia' was the highest rated, and the '224 x A/13' was the lowest. The cultivars '325 x A/8', '224 x A/13', 'V x S/4' and 'Spring Red' were poor in sugars; however, the 'Spring Red' was rich in organic acids. Similarly, the 'Maria Aurelia' and 'Venus' fruits had higher contents of organic acids and were also rich in sugars. Furthermore, the relationships among sensory and chemical attributes of fruit quality were studied. The sensory evaluations of sweetness, taste, and aroma were well correlated with some chemically measured attributes of peach and nectarine quality: sweetness was influenced by citric acid, shikimic acid and sugars/organic acids ratio; aroma was correlated with total organic acids, sucrose, sorbitol and malic acid; taste was related to malic/citric acid ratio, total sugars, sucrose, sorbitol and malic acid. The results of the research indicate that sensory evaluation provides a good tool in the quick assessment of peach and nectarine fruit quality. (c) 2005 Society of Chemical Industry.