Phenolic profiling of peach (Prunus persica [L.] Batsch) fruit, twigs, and leaves using high-resolution...

A significant proportion of by-products, such as twigs and leaves, is generated during the pre- and post-harvest processes of peaches (Prunus persica [L.] Batsch); however, their phenolic composition remains poorly understood. This study analyzed phenolic compounds in peach fruit, twigs, and leaves using UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS² and evaluated their in vitro antioxidant capacities. A total of 63 compounds were identified, primarily flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids, five of which were reported for the first time in P. persica. Twigs and leaves contained 4.9- and 1.8-fold higher total phenolic contents, respectively, compared with the fruit. The most abundant phenolic compounds in the fruit, twigs, and leaves were 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, dihydrokaempferol, and kaempferol 3-O-glucoside, respectively. Antioxidant capacities showed a similar trend, with twigs exhibiting the highest levels. These findings suggest that peach by-products represent a promising source of phenolic compounds and may support future applications in the development of functional foods and pharmaceuticals.