Comparative study of commercial dried fruits on labeling information, physico-chemical parameters, antioxidant capacity and sensory profile

Manufacturers have been deeply involved in the development of dried fruits in last decade. Therefore, there is an increase in the range of dried fruit on the market right now. It is essential to highlight that there is not daily recommendation intake of dried fruit. The aim of the present study was to compare the labeling information, physico-chemical parameters, antioxidant capacity and sensory profile among: i) different dried fruits (apple, mango, pineapple, tomato, fig, coconut, banana and red cranberry) and, ii) different trademarks of each type of dried fruits (n=3). Depending on the type of fruit, the labelling information focused on “clean label trend” varies. The ingredient list depends on physico-chemical parameters such as water activity, humidity and sugar content. Among brands, significant differences (p-value < 0,05) of color coordinates, antioxidant capacity, organic acid profile, sugar profile, and sensory attributes (texture, fruit ID, basic tastes) were found. As to nutritional quality, it is essential to highlight a high content of sugars was found in all samples (>30 g/100 g). On the other hand, a high content of fiber was found (> 10 g/100g) in dried coconut, apple and tomato samples.