Quality parameters, biocompounds and antioxidant activity in fruits of nine quince (Cydonia oblonga Miller) accessions

Quality parameters, as well as bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity were determined in nine quince (Cydonia oblonga Miller) clones belonging to the quince gene bank of the University Miguel Hernández (Alicante, Spain). Significant differences were found among quince clones in fruit weight, firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity (TA), crude fiber and sensory attributes. Bioactive compound concentration and total antioxidant activity, in both hydrophilic (H-TAA) and lipophilic (L-TAA) extracts, were also found to be different in flesh and skin among quince clones. High correlations were found between total phenolics and H-TAA and total carotenoids and L-TAA, showing that phenolics and carotenoids are the main compounds responsible for hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activity, respectively. The quince clones with the highest content on bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in the edible portion were AM4, CTM8 and OM6. In addition, AM4 and OM6 accessions had low astringency levels and an equilibrated TSS/TA ratio, leading them also appropriated for fresh consumption. Thus, these accessions could be used, together with other having large fruits as ZM6 accession, to select new cultivars with high yield, and overall fruit quality attributes and specially having high content of bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity and health benefits.

► Differences occurred among quince clones in quality and sensory attributes.
► The clones AM4, CTM8 and OM6 showed the highest content of bioactive compounds.
► Phenolics are the main hydrophilic antioxidant compounds in quince clones.
► Carotenoids are the main lipophilic compounds with antioxidant activity in quince clones.