Abstract: In this experiment, fresh yellow peaches grown in warm and humid were processed into canned peaches. Sensory evaluation of fresh and canned peaches was performed in terms of color, aroma and flavor and physical attributes, and flesh color difference and texture properties were also determined on fresh fruits. It was found that the sensory quality of fresh and caned yellow peaches could be divided into five grades based on 19 quality indices. Out of these quality indices, seven were selected as key technical indices based on our data combined with market requirements for objective evaluation of the fresh and canned samples. The results showed that fruit hardness, elasticity, and adhesive force were all positively correlated with the quality of the cans. The percentage decrease in texture properties of fresh fruits after processing into cans was in the decreasing order of elasticity > adhesive force > hardness. Total color difference (DE*) value was positively correlated with flesh color. When the DE* value of fresh fruits was close to 50, that of canned products was at a higher level; when the value was changed by more than 10%, the color of the flesh was dark orange. The cultivar Jinlu No. 4 was found to be more suitable to be processed into cans, which exhibited average scores for overall quality, integrity, flesh color, aroma, texture and flavor of 1.63, 1.13, 0.88, 0.75, 0.75, and 1.50, respectively. Meanwhile, its average fruit weight was 183.16 g with a longitudinal diameter of 7.04 cm, a transverse diameter of 7.10 cm and a flesh thickness of 2.24 cm and the edible part and the stone accounted for 81.48%, and 6.31% of total fruit weight, respectively. The hardness, elasticity, adhesive force and DE* value were 16.6 g, 0.42 mm, 2.0 g and 56.39, respectively.

Key words: yellow peach, warm and humid region, canning, sensory quality, overall evaluation rating scale, color difference, texture properties