Optical properties of different kiwifruit cultivars (Actinidia deliciosa and Actinidia chinensis) and their correlation with internal quality

•Effect of four kiwifruit cultivars on μa and μs' of pulp and peel were investigated.•Peel’s μs' of used two kiwifruit species had different change trends with storage time.•Kiwifruit cultivar affected the correlation between pulp’s μa and internal quality.•The relationship between pulp’s μs' and internal quality did not change with cultivars.•The μa had greater potential than μs' in identifying kiwifruit cultivars.