Analysis of physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant activity, and key aroma compounds of five flat peach cultivars grown in Xinjiang

Flat peach is one of the famous and characteristic table fruits in Xinjiang, China, and has attracted an increasing favorite because of its high nutrition and superior flavor. To evaluate the sensory properties and nutritional value of flat peach, functional components, antioxidant capacity, and aromatic compounds of five flat peach cultivars were measured by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). The results indicated that sucrose, malic acid, and chlorogenic acid were the dominant sugars, organic acids, and phenolic compounds in flat peaches, respectively. The antioxidant activity ranged from 62 to 505.46 μmol TEs 100 g−1 FW. In addition, multivariate data analysis was used to discern differences in volatile compounds among different flat peach varieties, and 11 key aroma components were identified in combination with OAV analysis. These key aroma compounds interacted to present distinct green, fruity, floral, milk-like, sweet, and peach-like attributes and could be used as characteristic markers to distinguish the aroma of flat peach from other fruits. These results will provide a comprehensive chemical characterization of the edible quality, nutritional composition, and sensory properties of the five flat peach cultivars.