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Apricot is among the most important fruits in Morocco. This study aimed to determine the main physical, physicochemical, and biochemical quality criteria of three principal apricot cultivars in Morocco, namely, “Maoui,” “Canino,” and “Delpatriarca.” Different physicochemical and biochemical methods have been improved and adapted for the assessment of the apricot’s quality. Fruit of “Canino” has shown a good organoleptic quality due to interesting biometrics, richness of carotenoids (up to 113.67 μg of β-carotene g−1 of fresh weight (FW)), and an important content of soluble solids (SS) that reached 17.20 °Bx. “Delpatriarca” is rich in organic acids (27.35 g/kg FW for total acids) while “Maoui” has high water content (83.77%) and a SS content of 16.03 °Bx. The association of the total acidity and soluble solids determination with the use of the HPLC for determining the organic acids was very practical and effective in determining the organoleptic quality of the fruit. High correlations were detected between several attributes. In addition, an important relationship between total carotenoids concentration and color parameters (L ∗ a ∗ b ∗ ) demonstrated that these parameters are good for apricot quality and ripening indices. The obtained results also revealed the presence of a high variability among the quality criteria of the three apricot cultivars. These characteristics could be useful for promoting the consumption of the “Maoui” as fresh fruits and the use of “Canino” and “Delpatriarca” for industry derivatives products. The results could also be useful for new apricot breeding program among different eco-geographical groups of the Mediterranean region.

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Date fruit is known to be the staple food in the Arab countries. It provides a lot of potential health benefits and can be the essential source of nutrients. The majority of Moroccan varieties are not characterized for their chemical, biochemical and quality properties. The aim of this work was to assess the chemical composition of 17 varieties of Moroccan date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and to determine their nutritive components. The analysis showed that the dates are rich in sugars (51.80-87.98%), they contain low concentration of proteins (1.09-2.80%) and lipids (0.16-0.39%). The predominant mineral is potassium (1055.26-1604.10 mg/100 g DW). Moreover, they contain high concentrations of malic acid (69.48-495.58 mg/100 g (DW)), oxalic acid (18.47-233.35 mg/100 g DW) and tartaric acid (115.70-484.168 mg/100 g DW). These results suggest that the date fruit are nutritious and can be an excellent source for human nutrition and health benefits.

In association with a desirable balance of sugars and organic acids, volatile compounds contribute to the important sensory attributes of apricots. This study assessed the biochemical, aromatic, and sensory qualities of ten Moroccan apricot clones at two maturity stages (M1: commercial stage and M2: consumption stage). Sucrose (1.84–7.09 g/100 g of fresh weight (FW)) and citric acid (0.56–2.25 g/100 g FW) were the main sugar and organic acid in fresh apricots, respectively. The principal identified volatile compounds classes were aldehydes, alcohols, and acetates. The major apricot volatile compounds, hexanal (15.43–696.35 μg/kg FW), 2-hexenal (9.04–404.72 μg/kg FW), β-linalool (8.49–880.50 μg/kg FW), and 1-hexanol (3.35–86.00 μg/kg FW), were previously reported to be major contributors to apricot flavor. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant impact of the ripening stage on the perception of sensory quality related to biochemical parameters. At the commercial stage, apricots were more firm and acidic, characterized by herbaceous odor and high citric acid level, while at the consumption stage, fruits were sweeter, having high reducing sugars (glucose and fructose) contents, and characterized by floral, fruity, and apricot flavors. Among suggested cultivars as suitable for consumption as fruits, red clones (“Cg 2” and “Mans 15”) and orange clones (“Marouch 16,” “Ab 5,” “Rtil 4” and “Marouch 4”) showed very interesting sensory attributes, aroma, and sugar-acid balance, expressing a good overall quality of apricot fruits.

Fresh dates of seventeen varieties and khalts from Southern Morocco were analysed for their colour, pigments content, and sensory profile. The results showed significant differences between the sensory profiles of the samples due to the variability of the genotype and their different origin. Fresh date varieties and khalts were a good source of β-carotene (0.49 - 10.86 µg of β-carotene /100 g FW). The results revealed that the date varieties and khalts were found to have an excellent functional composition and good sensory characteristics. Therefore, these varieties of Moroccan dates could be used for fresh consumption and in the processing industry, which will constitute a significant source of antioxidants.