Fresh strawberries from Austria (two locations), Poland and Serbia were compared in respect of their use for the production of nectars with high colour stability. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of provenance, cultivar ('Elsanta', 'Alba', 'Clery', 'Madeleine', 'Symphonie', 'Senga Sengana'), time of harvest (first, middle and last harvest of the plants) and degree of ripeness (ripe, fully ripe) on firmness, weight, respiration rate, total soluble solids, titrable acidity, pH-value, anthocyanin monomers (pelargonidin-3-O-glu, cyanidin-3-O-glu), flavonols (quercetin-3-O-glu, kaempferol-3-O-glu), l-ascorbic acid, protein content, enzyme activities (polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase) and colour stability. Strawberry nectars were made from each puree and the colour components were measured during storage. The cultivar as well as the stage of ripeness had a significant impact on the firmness and weight of the fruits. During harvest time the weight and the firmness of the fruits decreased. 'Senga Sengana' fruits were generally very small. A significant correlation of the firmness, total soluble solids, titrable acidity, as well as the content of l-ascorbic acid and anthocyanins on the colour stability of the nectars were measured. The specific enzyme activities had no significant effect on colour stability. Due to the different weather conditions during harvest time and at the different locations the data differed in a wide range. The colour stability of the nectars was significantly influenced by the degree of ripeness, harvest time, cultivar and the provenance. Fully ripe strawberries from the third harvest showed the best results. The colour of nectars from 'Senga Sengana' from Serbia were most stable. 'Elsanta' fruits, however, are generally not qualified for the production of nectars with high colour stability.
