Apricot cultivation plays a significant role in Italy’s agricultural landscape, with the country hosting a wide variety of traditional and international cultivars, and their cultivation, processing and transformation offer a wide margin for market expansion. Jam preparation is an ideal method to preserve apricots, and understanding their functional properties is crucial for achieving high-quality products. Vesuvian autochthonous cultivars, in particular, stand out for their unique organoleptic and nutraceutical traits, which are closely linked to the region’s pedo-climatic conditions. This study investigated two apricot cultivars, the Vesuvian ‘Pellecchiella’ and the international ‘Lady Cot’, to assess their physicochemical properties and evaluate the variation in bioactive components during the transformation process from fresh fruit to puree and jam. The two cultivars exhibited distinct phenotypic differences. The ‘Lady Cot’ produced larger fruits (61.04 g vs. 45.68 g for the ‘Pellecchiella’) with a redder epicarp coloration, making it more visually appealing for commercial purposes. Conversely, the ‘Pellecchiella’ showed higher total soluble solids (TSS) and lower titratable acidity (TA), resulting in a sweeter flavor profile that may be preferred by consumers. Specifically, the ‘Pellecchiella’ exhibited a significantly higher polyphenol content, with catechin and epicatechin levels higher by 338% and 167%, respectively. The study further analyzed the variation in nutraceutical components in the puree and jam (carotenoids, total polyphenols, and antioxidant activity by ABTS, DPPH and FRAP), throughout the processing stages. Both cultivars showed a reduction in these parameters during the transformation process. For instance, the total polyphenol content exhibited a similar reduction of approximately 61% in both cultivars. However, the ‘Pellecchiella’ retained higher values in the jam, reflecting its naturally higher initial levels in the fresh fruit, and showed higher Redness Index. Overall, the results highlight ‘Pellecchiella’ as a cultivar having superior nutraceutical properties and good bioactive compound retention during processing, making it a valuable choice for both fresh consumption and processed products. These findings have significant implications for the functional food sector, as they underscore the importance of cultivar selection and processing strategies to preserve valuable bioactive compounds. By leveraging the natural advantages of local cultivars like ‘Pellecchiella’, producers could develop premium jams or puree-based functional products aimed at health-conscious consumers.

Feijoa (Acca sellowiana Berg) is an emerging Mediterranean crop valued for its nutraceutical potential but still underexplored with respect to cultivar and harvest stage. This study investigated two cultivars, ‘Mammoth’ and ‘Apollo’, harvested one week apart (4 and 11 November), to assess morphological traits, phenolic composition, antioxidant activity, vitamin C, and iodine. Fruit morphology, firmness, and basic quality indices (TSS, TA, pH, TSS/TA) were determined, while phenolic compounds were profiled by UHPLC–Q-Orbitrap HRMS. Antioxidant activity was measured by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays; vitamin C by DCPIP titration; and iodine by iodometric analysis. ‘Apollo’ produced larger and firmer fruits, especially at the first harvest (105.6 g), while ‘Mammoth’ showed smaller and softer fruits. TSS remained stable (11 °Brix), whereas TA decreased and pH increased over time, raising the TSS/TA ratio and suggesting improved flavor balance at later harvests. Peel consistently contained higher bioactive levels than pulp, with catechin as the dominant phenolic compounds (up to 345 µg g⁻¹ dw in ‘Apollo’ peel). Antioxidant activity was markedly higher in peel, with ‘Mammoth’ showing stronger early FRAP values and ‘Apollo’ increasing at the later harvest. Vitamin C and iodine were about threefold higher in peel than pulp and increased over time, reaching maxima in late-harvest peel samples. Overall, cultivar and harvest stage significantly influenced fruit quality and nutraceutical value. Peel, particularly that of late-harvested ‘Apollo’, represents a promising resource for functional foods and the valorization of processing by-products.

Annurca’ apple is a traditional Italian cultivar, belonging to the germplasm of the Campania Region, appreciated for its distinctive sensory quality, flesh firmness, and characteristic postharvest reddening during the “melaio” stage. Biostimulants are increasingly used in apple production to improve fruit performance and postharvest quality while reducing conventional inputs. This study evaluated the effects of two biostimulant-based treatments and a 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-based formulation, on yield, fruit growth, commercial and organoleptic quality, and nutraceutical traits of ‘Annurca’ apple at harvest and during cold storage. Treatments SE (seaweed extract mix) and APH (animal protein hydrolysate) increased yield efficiency by about 26% compared with the control, while treatment 5-ALA produced the largest fruits at harvest (+9.9%), followed by APH and SE (+5.5%), resulting in a greater percentage of fruits in the highest commercial size classes. Treated fruits also showed reduced weight loss during storage, particularly with treatment 5-ALA, and higher dry matter content at harvest. Most postharvest quality traits were influenced primarily by storage duration rather than by treatments. Total phenolic content remained consistently higher in the peel than in the pulp throughout storage, confirming the peel as the main reservoir of bioactive compounds, whereas biostimulant effects on antioxidant capacity and phenolic content were limited and treatment-dependent. Similarly, procyanidin B2 was consistently more abundant in the peel than in the pulp throughout cold storage, confirming its preferential accumulation in the outer fruit tissues. Among the treatments, the 5-ALA-based formulation better preserved procyanidin B2 levels during storage, highlighting its potential to maintain the nutraceutical quality of the fruit. Overall, biostimulants, particularly treatment 5-ALA, improved yield, fruit size, and storage performance without altering the typical quality profile of ‘Annurca’ apple.