High potentiality of medicinal benefits of peach have increased its demand, however, supply of fresh fruit to meet the demand is challenging as it grows in specific climatic regions and in particular season. Preparation of varieties of processed peach products could be a good option to supply in lean season. Objective of the study was to assess the quality characteristics of peach snacks prepared from 11 different cultivars. We investigated the physicochemical (soluble solid, titratable acidity, hardness and dry yield), antioxidant (DPPH radical scavenging capacity and total phenolics content) and sensorial properties (color, flavor, texture, sweetness and overall acceptance) of peach snacks prepared from 11 peach cultivars. Peach snacks of different cultivars evaluated in this study showed substantial variations in antioxidant capacity, physicochemical and sensorial properties. Some of the samples showed higher physicochemical properties while the others contained better antioxidant capacity or sensory properties. Results of this study reveal that quality peach snacks having different properties could be prepared by drying thin slices of fresh fruits of different cultivars. However, supplementary studies on cost effective techniques of peach snacks preparation and variation in nutritive and medicinal properties of processed products could increase the application of the findings of this experiment.

 

Key words: Antioxidant, peach snack, physicochemical, sensory property.