Sensory and Biological Activity of Medlar (Mespilus germanica) and Quince ‘Nivalis’ (Chaenomeles speciosa): A Comperative Study

Abstract

This research investigates the potential health benefits of extracts from the seeds, peels, and pulps of quince, medlar, and bletting medlar fruits. Our study reveals that the polyphenol content is higher in the skin than in the flesh of the fruits tested, with the highest concentration found in the skin of fresh medlar fruits (1148 mg GAE/100 gDM). The extracts from medlar and quince show the highest antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP tests), while the pulp of bletting medlars exhibits the highest inhibition ability against α-amylase (53.7% at a concentration of 10 mg/mL). The analysis of fatty acids in the tested samples indicates the presence of nine major fatty acids, with linoleic acid being the most abundant (716–1878 mg/100 g of biomass). Analysis of sterols in the tested material shows five main phytosterols, with β-sitosterol being the most commonly studied and recommended phytosterol. The highest amount of phytosterols is found in the lipid fraction of the quince seeds (1337.1 mg/100 g of biomass). Therefore, we suggest that fruit peel extracts can be utilised as a natural source of antioxidants and as an alternative treatment for carbohydrate uptake disorders. However, it is important to note that bletting medlar loses a significant amount of polyphenols and antioxidant activity after the bletting process. This article also describes the sensory analysis process, which is a valuable tool for evaluating the quality of food products. Our study evaluates the attributes and preferences of the fruits of quince, medlar, and bletting medlar using a nine-point hedonic scale. The results show that quince is the highest-rated fruit in terms of aroma, colour, and overall acceptability (7.3, 7.0, and 4.2, respectively) while bletting medlar is the least preferred fruit. The article concludes that sensory analysis can aid in the development of new products and recipes that meet consumer preferences. In general, the study suggests that both fruit peel extracts and sensory analysis are important tools for assessing product quality and developing products that meet consumers’ preferences.