Composition and Physicochemical Properties of Unripe Korean Peaches According to Cultivars

For the investigation of a possibility as a useful functional material, 6 cultivars (Takinosawa Gold, Kawanakawase Hakuto, Madoka, Yumefuji, Nagasawa Hakuho, Hong Bak) of Prunus persica L. Batsch were studied at unripe stage to determine the physicochemical properties and chemical compositions. The cultivars were picked in late May, and all samples were analyzed for external properties, physicochemical properties, pH, Brix value, Hunter's color value, hardness, vitamin C, and reducing sugar. The size of the fruit from all six cultivars was compared, and it was determined that cultivars, fruit from Madoka was the largest, while that from Yumefuji was the smallest. Comparing fresh weight, the fruit from Yumefuji was lowest in moisture contents (89.13~89.96%), and that from Nagasawa Hakuho had significantly higher crude protein (1.02~1.62%). The contents of crude lipids (0.18~0.23%) and carbohydrates (8.00~9.35%) were not significantly different between cultivars and Madoka included higher crude ash contents (0.32~0.69%) than other cultivars. The pH of 6 cultivars from unripe peaches were significantly higher from Kawanakawase Hakuto, and the Brix value was also highest from Kawanakawase Hakuto, followed by Yumefuji, Madoka, Nagasawa Hakuho, Takinosawa Gold, and Hong Bak. In chromaticity, the L value, the indicator of brightness, was significantly higher in fruit from Nagasawa Hakuho. The a value, the indicator of redness, was the highest with Hong Bak and overall lower than -5. The b value, the indicator of yellowness, was the highest in fruit from Madoka and ranged from 16.51 to 18.33. In physical characteristics, the hardness of the unripe peaches was the highest in fruit from Hong Bak, and overall, white peaches have a higher hardness value than yellow peaches. The vitamin C content of the fruit didn't show any significant differences between cultivars, and the reducing sugar showed a higher percent than 6.34% in fruit from all cultivars. These results suggest that unripe peaches were commensurate with the development of natural pigment and as a functional foods.