Combined practice of sulfuration and drying is widely applied for extending shelf life of fruits. The differences in fruit size are not taken into consideration during these applications and during fresh fruit consumption. In this study, effect of fruit size and drying methods (hot air-drying and sun drying) on the chemical composition of fresh and sulfurated apricot was investigated. Total drying times for sun drying and hot air-drying were 11 d and 51 h, respectively. A temperature gradient was applied during hot air-drying. The fruit size substantially affects the composition of both fresh and dried apricots. The results were subjected to principal component analysis. The small-sized fresh apricots discriminate themselves from large ones with higher amounts of phenolic compounds, whereas the large-sized fresh apricots contain more sugar and organic acids. Size classification and hot air-drying are advisable for high-quality dried apricot production.

Recently, the evaluation of antioxidant properties using voltammetric techniques based on electrooxidation has attracted considerable attention. In this study, the antioxidant capacity, total phenolic compounds, and β-carotene content of orange-fleshed fruits and vegetables, including carrots, persimmons, and pumpkins, were evaluated by standard and electrochemical methods. The antioxidant capacity, evaluated by the ABTS and DPPH measurements, and the total phenolic compounds were determined spectrophotometrically. The results were expressed as Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and gallic acid, respectively. The β-carotene contents of the samples were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Electrochemical measurements were performed with differential pulse voltammetry at a sensor formed by attaching single-walled carbon nanotubes onto the glassy carbon electrode surface. Trolox, gallic acid, and β-carotene were determined electrochemically with high sensitivity, repeatability, and low detection limits. Regression analysis was performed to correlate the results of the spectrophotometric assays and HPLC with those obtained electrochemically and satisfactory results were obtained.