Introduction. Pescabivona is the name of an autochthonous peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batch] population of the central west of Sicily. In a previous work, this fruit was submitted to chemical analysis, while in this paper, sensory evaluation is considered. Materials and methods. Samples of four Pescabivona landraces were harvested throughout the harvest season. A trained panel outlined the sensory profiles and the data were processed by ANOVA and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). A correlation between sensory analysis and instrumental data was finally carried out. Results and discussion. The results demonstrated a high standard of quality for the four landraces studied, with some differences in aroma intensity and in some other parameters, with sweetness and aroma being highly correlated with overall liking. PCA did not clearly separate the different landraces as they have the same origin. Some correlations between sensory analysis and instrumental data were verified. The sensory liking was correlated with the main ripeness parameters, as well as with the pulp firmness. Conclusion. The data obtained contribute to outlining a complete fruit profile for product comparison and shelf-life monitoring. As previously verified for chemical parameters, the sensory evaluation indicates a substantial similarity among the landraces. The good agreement between sensory evaluation and composition makes sensory analysis a precious tool to assess quality of Pescabivona landraces.

Introduction. The high intra-specific variation insafou traits and the perishable nature of the fruit hampers commercialization. Knowledgeof the parameters that determine the acceptability of safou productsand the shelf life of fresh fruits is critical for marketing anduseful as a first step toward cultivar development. Materials andmethods. Safou fruits of different pulp colors, skin colors andstages of ripening were collected from clones. Physicochemical andorganoleptic analyses were performed on fresh and processed safoupulp, respectively, to elucidate parameters that could be used todetermine the acceptability of boiled and dried safou pulp, andthe shelf life of fresh fruits. Results and discussions. Our studydemonstrated that the pH and color of raw pulp could be used todetermine the acceptability of boiled and dried safou. Consumerspreferred products which were not acidic (sour), with a nice aroma.There was a negative correlation between the pH of raw pulp andthe acceptability of boiled and dried safou pulp. Likewise, there wasa positive correlation between the color of raw pulp and the acceptabilityof boiled and dried safou pulp. These parameters were used to predictthe taste of finished products. Polygalacturonase activity was higherin fully ripe and unripe fruits than in semi-ripe fruits. Polygalacturonaseactivity had a strong positive correlation with percentage lossof fully ripe fruit during storage and, as such, can also be usedto predict the postharvest loss of safou. Conclusion. The pH andcolor of raw (uncooked) pulp of safou can be used to determine thetaste and acceptability of boiled and dried pulp. Likewise, the activityof polygalacturonase in raw pulp can be used to predict its postharvest shelflife.