COMPARISON OF BASIC CHEMICAL AND MINERAL COMPOSITION IN EDIBLE PARTS OF CHOSEN PEAR CULTIVARS PRODUCED IN PODKARPACKIE PROVINCE

Pears, besides apples, are also popular fruit species at the Polish fruit market. It is connected not only with their delicious taste but, among others, year-round availability at the market. The research objective was to determine and compare the basic chemical composition, i.e. dry matter, N-compounds (total), mineral elements (total), dietary fiber and easily hydrolyzed sugars (NFE), vitamin C as well as mineral content of: Mg, K, Na, Ca, Mn and Fe in the flesh and the peel of pears of the following cultivars: ‘Bonkreta Willimsa’, ‘Concorde’, ‘General Leclerc’, ‘Faworytka’, ‘Komisówka’, ‘Konferencja’ and ‘Lukasówka’ harvested in 2009 and 2010. In all the analyzed pear cultivars, nutrient concentration appeared to be higher in the fruit peel compared to the flesh. The pears from the ‘Concorde’cv (average 23% f.m. –dry matter, 0.5% f.m. – N-compounds, 19.1% f.m. – NFE) and ‘Lukasówka’ cv. (average 23.1% f.m. – dry matter., 0.5% f.m. – N-compounds, 19.2% f.m. – NEF). The highest fiber content was determinated in friuts ‘Faworytka’ (average peel – 7.2% f.m., flesh – 0.7% f.m..).Whereas the highest concentration of vitamin C was observed in the peel and flesh of ‘Concorde’ (8.0–7.8 mg 100-1 f.m.), ‘Faworytka’ (7.6–7.4 mg 100-1 f.m.) and ‘Lukasówka’ (8.4–8.0 mg 100-1 f.m.). While considering a mineral compound concentration, the richest were ‘Concorde’ cultivar pears (peel – 0.4% f.m.; flesh – 0. % f.m.). Out of the studied pear cultivars the lowest concentration of these elements was established in the ‘Conference’ and ‘Komisówka’ cultivars. There was determined the highest content of K in fruits of ‘Bonkreta Williamsa’, ‘Concorde’, ‘Komisówka and ‘Konferencja, Na – ‘Faworytka’ and ‘Lukasówka, Ca – ‘Concord’ and ‘Konferencja’, Mg – ‘Komisówka’, Mn – ‘Bonkreta Williamsa’ and ‘Concorde’ and Fe – ‘Concorde’. In most investigated pears, there was noted a higher concentrations of nutrients in fruit produced in 2009 year compared to 2010.