Physicochemical properties and sensory evaluation of early ripening peach and nectarine varieties

The present study was carried out to determine some physicochemical, composition and sensory attributes of early-ripening peach varieties: "Filina" (peach), "Gergana" (nectarine), and "Ufo-4" (flat peach). Fruit weight, shape and size, as well as color and firmness were evaluated. Image analysis was used to describe properties such as length, width, thickness, etc. Skin hue ranged from 33.45[+ or -]10.70 to 42.75[+ or -]29.87. Dry matter (%), ash content (%), total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, total sugar content, and protein content were employed to characterize the studied varieties. Results showed differences in all properties of the types. Ash content varied from 0.45[+ or -]0.04% to 0.96[+ or -]0.12% and pH from 3.95 to 4.46. "Gergana" had the lowest total soluble solids. A trained descriptive sensory panel evaluated the peach varieties in five categories with a total of twenty-five attributes. The fruit attributes were evaluated by a 15-point ascending scale. The panellists detected differences between varieties in each of the categories (aroma, texture, taste, internal and external appearance). These results offer and highlight new data in terms of early-ripening peach variety properties.