Phenolic and mineral profile of Balkan indigenous apple and pear cultivars

Abstract

The aim of this study was the determination of phenolic compounds, and mineral nutrients in the pulp and peel obtained from Balkan indigenous apple and pear cultivars. The phenolic composition, assessed by HPLC-DAD and spectrophotometric methods varied significantly between the cultivars for both peel and pulp. Among the apples, the Mekica cultivar had the highest total phenolic content while Secerlija and Zlatna Parmenka had the lowest. In the case of the pear samples, the maximum total phenolic content was found in Crna Takisa while the minimum content was recorded for Bela Arapka. In most of the investigated samples, chlorogenic acid in apples and arbutin in pears were the major detected polyphenolic compounds. With regard to the mineral analysis, K was the most abundant followed by P, Mg, Ca and S. Iron was the dominant microelement in apple peel and pulp samples, while in pear samples the principal microelement was B. The obtained results provide detailed information on the chemical composition of the tested apple and pear cultivars and thereby, could encourage their wider cultivation and consumption.