Valorization of a Local Italian Pear (Pyrus communis L. cv. ‘Petrucina’)

In recent decades, the food production chain has undergone transformations that have profoundly affected the way food is supplied, causing changes in the quality of the final products. Moreover, biodiversity is seriously threatened worldwide, and the valorization of local germplasm is a priority goal for most sectorial policies in Europe and elsewhere. Southern Italy and the Mediterranean basin present a vast heritage of fruit tree cultivars that is gradually being lost. Through this work, we aim to valorize a well-adapted local pear cultivar named Petrucina from the Salento area (southeastern Italy, Apulia region), which has never been studied before in detail. With this aim, the nutritional and nutraceutical features of pear flesh were characterized and compared with a reference pear cultivar that is widespread and well-known in Europe (cv. 'Conference'). Petrucina fruits have shown a peculiar aromatic compound profile, and a content of up to 398.3, 30.9, and 4.7 mg/100 g FW of malic acid, citric acid, and ascorbic acid, respectively, much higher than that of Conference fruits. Additionally, Petrucina flesh presents a more than triple total phenolic content and an antioxidant activity more than double that of Conference, making Petrucina a true functional food that deserves wide appreciation.