Phenolic Compounds and Chemical Characteristics of Pears (Pyrus Communis L.)

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the phenolic compounds and some chemical characteristics at flesh and peel in some pear cultivars. The fruit weight was varied from 45.9 to 479.9 g and flesh firmness was varied from 29.4 to 89.7 N. Soluble solids content was higher in the flesh than in the peel, while pH, titratable acidity and all phenolic compounds were generally higher in the peel than in the flesh. Quantitative differences were found in the phenolic compounds among the pear cultivars. Arbutin and chlorogenic acid were detected as major phenolic compounds in the peel and flesh, while rutin hydrate and rutin-tri-hydrate were detected as a minor in the peel and flesh. Catechin ranged from 40.0 to 543.8 mg kg⁻¹ in the flesh and 42.4 to 695.2 mg kg⁻¹ in the peel. Epicatechin content varied from 11.47 to 243.1 mg kg⁻¹ in the flesh and 12.6 to 315.4 mg kg⁻¹ in the peel. The ranges of vitamin C content were from 9.1 to 29.7 mg 100 g⁻¹ in the flesh and 9.5 to 35.9 mg 100 g⁻¹ in the peel. Pear peel indicated higher contents of phenolics than pear flesh, confirming the health benefit of the consumption of pears together with peel.

Keywords:

• Arbutin
• Chlorogenic acid
• Firmness
• HPLC
• Pear cultivar
• Vitamin C