Fruit Quality Attributes of Organically Grown Norwegian Apples Are Affected by Cultivar and Location

Abstract

In this work, 12 apple cultivars grown organically in three regions of Norway (Telemark, Ullensvang, Viken) were analyzed in terms of fruit quality, with the aim of equating different growing regions under specific climatic conditions. Apples were analyzed for concentration levels of minerals, sugars, sugar alcohols, organic acids, total phenolic content (TPC), radical scavenging activity (RSA), and phenolic profiles. Discovery “Rose” from Telemark stored the highest level of minerals (24,094.5 mg/kg dry weight). Glucose, fructose, sucrose, and sorbitol were the major carbohydrates, whereas the predominant organic acids were quinic acid and malic acid. Cultivar Discovery from Ullensvang had the highest TPC (9.22 g/kg) and RSA (229.32 mmol TE/kg). Of the polyphenols quantified, chlorogenic acid and kaempferol-3-O-glucoside were the most abounded, accounting for 85.50%. Principal component analysis (PCA) shows that the Ullensvang region is the richest source of most carbohydrates, organic acids (quinic, shikimic, and galacturonic), and most polyphenols, whereas the highest content of minerals and maleic acid characterized Viken. Regardless of location, the Discovery cultivar had, on average, the highest sugar and polyphenol contents. The results obtained suggest that organic apples from Norway are a rich source of beneficial compounds that can have a positive impact on human health. In addition, these results may be useful for consumers in identifying apple cultivars with desirable characteristics and for the fruit industry in tracing back the origin of apples. The findings could also be of great interest for locations with similar climate and soil conditions worldwide.

Apple Growing in Norway—Ecologic Factors, Current Fertilization Practices and Fruit Quality: A Case Study

“…Apple production in Norway is conducted on 164 ha (11% of organic land) [8]. The most abundant element in eleven apples cultivars grown under organic production from Norway was potassium (K), followed by phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) [136]. According to Fotirić Aksić et al [41], who compared fruits from organic and integrated production, both 'Discovery' and 'Red Aroma Orelind', in both peel and flesh, scored higher levels of potassium in organic production compared to conventional (Table 7).…”

Profiling of Metabolites in Organically Grown Plums from Norway: Does Location or Cultivar Matter?

“…The procedure for preparing samples for elemental analysis is explained in detail in our previous paper [39].…”

“…For the organic acids analysis, the Dionex ICS 3000 DP LC system was coupled with a conductivity detector. The performance of the ion chromatography device and the determination conditions for the quantification of sugars, sugar alcohols, and organic acids are described in our previous work [39].…”

“…The quantification of major and trace elements was performed using inductively coupled plasma optical mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, Thermo Fischer Scientific, Cambridge, UK). The conditions for ICP-MS analysis were described in our previous study [39].…”

Partial Least Squares Analysis of the Relationship Among Organic Acid, Total Soluble Solids, Total Phenolic, and Total Flavonoids in Ficus carica

“…Organic acids are involved in photosynthesis and respiration in the metabolism of fruits, and in the metabolic process of synthesizing phenols, amino acids, esters, and aromatic substances, which soften blood vessels, promote the absorption of trace elements, and aid in the digestion of gastric juices. Based on the type of most abundant organic acid, fruits can be categorized into two main types: malic acid dominant (apple and cherry) (Zhou et al 2023;Natić et al 2024) and citric acid dominant (citrus) (Wang et al 2021). In addition, flavor is a key determinant of food quality and an important driver of consumer preference for fruits (Shu et al 2023).…”