Identification of quality markers for the geographical and botanical differentiation of Mediterranean prickly pears based on conventional physicochemical parameters, volatile compounds, sugars and colour.

Seventy-four prickly pear samples grown in Mediterranean countries (Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain) and 43prickly pear samples, from 3 different Cypriot varieties (Yellow, Red and Spineless), were characterized anddifferentiated according to geographical and botanical origin. Prickly pear conventional quality parameters (pH,electrical conductivity, titratable acidity, moisture content, crude fat and protein, total carbohydrates and ash)were determined using official methods of analysis. Colour parameters were determined using HunterLabtristimulus colorimetry and individual sugars using UPLC-MS/MS. Volatile compounds were identified and semiquantifiedusing solid-phase microextraction in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were used to analyze theexperimental data. Results showed that the combination of physicochemical parameters and volatiles gave acorrect differentiation rate of 80.8% according to geographical origin while the combination of physicochemicalparameters gave a correct differentiation rate 95.3% according to botanical origin using the cross-validation method.