Analysis of Apple Fruit (Malus × domestica Borkh.) Quality Attributes Obtained from Organic and Integrated Production Systems

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare total phenolic content (TPC), radical-scavenging activity (RSA), total anthocyanin content (TAC), sugar and polyphenolic profiles of two apple cultivars (‘Discovery’ and ‘Red Aroma Orelind’) from organic and integrated production systems in climatic conditions of Western Norway. Sixteen sugars and four sugar alcohols and 19 polyphenols were found in the peel, but less polyphenols were detected in the pulp. The peel of both apples and in both production systems had significantly higher TPC and RSA than the pulp. The peel from integrated apples had higher TPC than the peel from organic apples, while organic apples had higher TAC than the integrated. Sucrose and glucose levels were higher in organic apples; fructose was cultivar dependent while minor sugars were higher in integrated fruits. The most abundant polyphenolic compound in the peel of the tested cultivars was quercetin 3-O-galactoside, while chlorogenic acid was most abundant in the pulp. Regarding polyphenols, phloretin, phloridzin, protocatechuic acid, baicalein and naringenin were higher in organic apple, while quercetin 3-O-galactoside, kaempferol 3-O-glucoside, chlorogenic acid and syringic acid was higher in integrated fruits. In conclusion, organic ‘Discovery’ and integrated ‘Red Aroma Orelind’ had higher bioavailability of health related compounds from the peel and the pulp.

Phenolic Compounds as Phytochemical Tracers of Varietal Origin of Some Autochthonous Apple Cultivars Grown in Serbia

“…The overall TPC values ( Table S1, Supplementary Materials ) were higher in the peel (3.13–41.6 g GAE/kg fresh weight—FW) than in the mesocarp (0.11–4.51 g GAE/kg FW). A similar finding is described by multiple authors [ 20 , 22 , 23 ]. The highest TPC value in the peel was detected in the Kadumana cultivar (autochthonous variety), sampled in 2019 (41.6 g GAE/kg FW).…”

Polyphenolics and Chemical Profiles of Domestic Norwegian Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) Cultivars

“…The quantity and ratio of sugars in the fruit depend on cultivar/genotype, ripening time, soil and microclimatic conditions, orchard maintenance, and all kinds of biotic and abiotic stresses ( 5 ). Apples are recognized as an excellent source of carbohydrates, where glucose, fructose, and sucrose are the most abundant ( 6 , 7 ). Malic acid is the dominant organic acid in apple fruits, sometimes rich in up to 90% of the total organic acids, followed by citric, shikimic, fumaric, and quinic acid ( 8 , 9 ).…”

“…One of the largest groups of secondary plant metabolites in apple fruit are polyphenols that account for the fruit color, flavor, and taste of the fruit ( 17 ). The apple peel has several times higher phenolic content than apple pulp that can be partly transferred to the corresponding juice ( 7 , 18 , 19 ). The concentration of polyphenols is influenced by the genotype, all kinds of biotic and abiotic stresses, environmental factors (season, different latitudes, soil, light exposure), as well as agricultural techniques (conventional/integrated/organic cultivation, fertilization, irrigation) ( 20 ).…”

“…The concentration of polyphenols is influenced by the genotype, all kinds of biotic and abiotic stresses, environmental factors (season, different latitudes, soil, light exposure), as well as agricultural techniques (conventional/integrated/organic cultivation, fertilization, irrigation) ( 20 ). The most common phenolic compounds that could be quantified in apple fruits are flavan-3-ols (catechin, epicatechin), phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, protocatecuic acid), flavonoids (rutin, baicalein, and naringenin), flavonols (quercetin glycosides, kaempherol), dihydrochalcones (phloridzin, phloretin), and anthocyanins (cyanidin-3- O -galactoside) ( 7 , 21 ). Additionally, phenolic compounds, especially proanthocyanidins and phlorizin, contribute to the astringency and bitterness of apples, while chlorogenic acid is a non-bitter phenolic acid ( 22 ).…”

Genetic Identity and Diversity of Apple Accessions within a Candidate Collection for the Norwegian National Clonal Germplasm Repository

“…Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) is economically and culturally the most important temperate fruit crop in the world and it is well adapted to the temperate climate zone [1]. The conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources (PGR) in agriculture has received increasing attention over the last few decades and is one of the foci in the development of sustainable food production.…”