## 4 Conclusions  
The comparative analysis of the 'Warrior' and 'Albion' parsnip cultivars revealed significant differences in color, firmness, soluble solid content, pH, water content, organic acid composition, and sugar content, largely influenced by their respective harvest periods and environmental conditions. 'Warrior' exhibited higher lightness, redness, and yellowness, along with greater firmness and water content, likely due to its winter harvest. In contrast, 'Albion', harvested in summer, showed higher SSC and organic acid content, particularly oxal acid, indicating a more acidic taste profile. Sucrose was the dominant sugar in both cultivars, with 'Warrior' showing a higher overall sugar content, suggesting a sweeter flavor. These findings highlight the importance of cultivar selection and harvest timing, which can significantly affect the color, texture, taste, and nutritional value of parsnips. 'Warrior''s' higher malic acid content suggests a more balanced flavor, while  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Cultivar** & **Part** & **Fructose (\%)** & **Glucose (\%)** & **Sucrose (\%)** & **Total Sum (\%)** \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{’Warrior’} & Cortex & 0.40 \(\pm\) 0.02 b & 0.34 \(\pm\) 0.01 c & 5.90 \(\pm\) 0.12 a & 6.66 \\  & Pith & 0.27 \(\pm\) 0.01 d & 0.23 \(\pm\) 0.01 e & 4.68 \(\pm\) 0.13 b & 5.18 \\  & Skin & 0.40 \(\pm\) 0.00 b & 0.42 \(\pm\) 0.01 b & 3.11 \(\pm\) 0.02 c & 3.93 \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{’Albion’} & Cortex & 0.22 \(\pm\) 0.01 e & 0.20 \(\pm\) 0.02 f & 3.25 \(\pm\) 0.09 c & 3.67 \\  & Pith & 0.44 \(\pm\) 0.02 a & 0.66 \(\pm\) 0.01 a & 1.99 \(\pm\) 0.10 d & 3.09 \\ \cline{1-1}  & Skin & 0.31 \(\pm\) 0.01 c & 0.29 \(\pm\) 0.00 d & 1.24 \(\pm\) 0.06 e & 1.84 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}  
* Results are the mean values \(\pm\) standard deviation from three measurements (\(n=3\)); means in the same column with superscript with different letters (a, b, c, d e and f) are significantly different at \(p<0.05\).  
\end{table}
Table 5: Individual sugar contents of parsnip (_Pastinaca sativa_) edible parts (cortex, pith, and skin).  
'Albion's' elevated oxalic acid may influence bitterness and health implications. Future research should explore the bioactive compounds in these cultivars, focusing on their health benefits and the role of environmental factors in determining crop quality. These findings highlight the importance of cultivar selection and harvest timing, which can significantly affect the color, texture, taste, and nutritional value of parsnips. 'Warrior's' higher malic acid content suggests a more balanced flavor, while 'Albion's' elevated oxalic acid may influence bitterness and health implications. Future research should explore the bioactive compounds present in these cultivars, assess their health benefits, and investigate how environmental factors such as soil type, nutrient availability, and climate conditions impact crop quality. By understanding these variables, we aim to optimize parsnip cultivation and improve their nutritional value and sensory characteristics.  
The following supporting information can be downloaded at [[https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app14199095/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app14199095/s1)]([https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app14199095/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app14199095/s1)), Figure S1: HPLC Chromatograms; Figure S2: HPLC Chromatograms.  
Conceptualization, Y.S.; methodology, H.S., Y.-J.-K. and Y.S.; formal analysis, H.S., Y.-J.-K. and Y.S.; writing--original draft preparation, H.S.; writing--review and editing, Y.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (RS-2023-00241911).  
Not applicable.  
The data presented in this study are available in article and Supplementary Materials.  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.