The benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption have been always associated with the presence of vitamins and fiber. However, other compounds are important and many exert antioxidant function, especially the polyphenols and pigments. In this study, fleshes of seven peach cultivars were characterized, two from white flesh cultivars and five of yellow flesh, all from fruits at the point of consumption (fruits with yellow background color). It was evaluated the concentration of vitamin C, polyphenols, pigments and antioxidant capacity. The experimental design was completely randomized, consisting of seven treatments and three replications, with six fruits per plot. The vitamin C content ranged from 7.74 to 17.31mg of vitamin C 100g-1 flesh, the concentration of polyphenols ranged from 53.33 to 141.77mg of gallic acid 100g1 flesh, the chlorophyll 'A' content ranged from 11.59 to 44.61ug chlorophyll 'A' 100g-1 flesh, the chlorophyll 'B' content ranged from 69.69 to 411.37ug chlorophyll 'B' 100g-1 flesh; carotenoids ranged from 28.69 to 81.58ug-1 carotenoids 100g flesh; anthocyanins ranged from 85.13 to 336.05ug-1 antocyanins 100g flesh. The antioxidant activity ranged from 35.81 to 65.39mg of reduced DPPH- 100g-1 flesh. Significant positive correlation was found between vitamin C and antioxidant activity.
polyphenols; antioxidant activity; chlorophyll; Prunus persica
