SUGAR CONTENT OF FRESH APPLES AND PEARS IN SOUTH-AFRICA

The individual sugar content, total solids, and total soluble solids of five apple and six pear cultivars harvested over three seasons in all of the main pome fruit production areas in South Africa were determined. Fructose was the main sugar component in all cultivars. The individual sugar composition did not differ significantly between apples and pears, except for sorbitol. Beurre Bosc and Winter Nelis pears, respectively, had much higher sucrose and glucose contents than other pear cultivars.