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Variability of the phenolic profiles in the fruits from old, recent and new apple cultivars cultivated in Belgium

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the utility of the phenolic pattern (1) to differentiate or associate between cultivars with a different or same genetic background respectively and (2) to assess some important quality traits (color, disease resistance, and browning) in apple fruit. A unique set of cultivars/candivars occurring in Belgium were selected for this survey. It was possible to segregate the studied apple cultivars/candivars into three clusters: red-flesh apple candivars, classic/new cultivars and candivars and heritage apple cultivars. It was found that the heritage apple varieties selected for their disease resistance and cultivated under organic agricultural practice demonstrate a remarkable different phenolic profile. Furthermore, it was found that the phenolic makeup of the peel could suggest the genetic relationships among the apple cultivars. In conclusion, the knowledge of the phenolic profile could be a useful instrument in breeding programs to identify apples with better quality traits, processing characteristics and health-benefiting effects.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Annemarie Auwerkerken (Better3Fruit, Rillaar), Tom Deckers and Jef Vercammen (PC Fruit, Kerkom, Belgium) for their insightful suggestions, to Marc Lateur (CRA-W, Gembloux, Belgium) for assistance in selecting cultivars. Special thanks are extended to Ann Gomand (‘PC Fruit’), Luc Goossens (‘Lombarts Calville), Bart Dequidt for the delivery of plant material.

Conflict of interest

The all authors declared that they have no conflict of interest in the submission of this manuscript.

Compliance with Ethics Requirements

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Business Unit Separation and Conversion Technology (SCT), Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium

    Domien De Paepe, Dirk Valkenborg, Bart Noten, Kelly Servaes, Ludo Diels & Stefan Voorspoels

  2. Technology and Food Sciences Unit (T&V), Product Quality and Innovation (PI), Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan 115/1, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium

    Domien De Paepe, Marc De Loose & Bart Van Droogenbroeck

  3. Business Unit Quality of the Environment (MRG), Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium

    Dirk Valkenborg

  4. Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt University, Agoralaan 1, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium

    Dirk Valkenborg

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  1. Domien De Paepe
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  2. Dirk Valkenborg
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Correspondence to Domien De Paepe.

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De Paepe, D., Valkenborg, D., Noten, B. et al. Variability of the phenolic profiles in the fruits from old, recent and new apple cultivars cultivated in Belgium. Metabolomics 11, 739–752 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-014-0730-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-014-0730-2

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