Sugar Profile of Kernels as a Marker of Origin and Ripening Time of Peach (Prunus persicae L.).
Large amounts of fruit seeds, especially peach, are discarded annually in juice or conserve producing industries which is a potential waste of valuable resource and serious disposal problem. Regarding the fact that peach seeds can be obtained as a byproduct from processing companies their exploitation should be greater and, consequently more information of cultivars' kernels and their composition is required. A total of 25 samples of kernels from various peach germplasm (including commercial cultivars, perspective hybrids and vineyard peach accessions) differing in origin and ripening time were characterized by evaluation of their sugar composition. Twenty characteristic carbohydrates and sugar alcohols were determined and quantified using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC/PAD). Sucrose, glucose and fructose are the most important sugars in peach kernels similar to other representatives of the Rosaceae family. Also, high amounts of sugars in seeds of promising hybrids implies that through conventional breeding programs peach kernels with high sugar content can be obtained. In addition, by the means of several pattern recognition methods the variables that discriminate peach kernels arising from diverse germplasm and different stage of maturity were identified and successful models for further prediction were developed. Sugars such as ribose, trehalose, arabinose, galactitol, fructose, maltose, sorbitol, sucrose, iso-maltotriose were marked as most important for such discrimination.
Institute for Technology of Nuclear and other Mineral Raw Materials, Bulevar Franš d'Eperea 86, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia.
Marija
M
Stanojević
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, P.O. Box 51, 11158, Belgrade, Serbia. jvelicko@chem.bg.ac.rs.
Jelena
J
Trifković
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11080, Belgrade, Serbia.
Milica Fotirić
MF
Akšić
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11080, Belgrade, Serbia.
Vera
V
Rakonjac
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11080, Belgrade, Serbia.
Dragan
D
Nikolić
Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, Njegoševa 12, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia.
Sandra
S
Šegan
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, P.O. Box 51, 11158, Belgrade, Serbia.
Dušanka
D
Milojković-Opsenica
D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005511:Food Handling; D005632:Fructose / Q000032:analysis; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D005947:Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D000068239:Prunus persica / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013395:Sucrose / Q000032:analysis; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D014866:Waste Products
D002241:Carbohydrates; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D014866:Waste Products; D005632:Fructose; D013395:Sucrose; D005947:Glucose
Anion-exchange chromatography; Multivariate analysis; Peach kernel; Sugar composition