The Composition of Strawberry Aroma Is Influenced by Cultivar, Maturity, and Storage Charles F
WORKSHOP The Composition of Strawberry Aroma Is Influenced by Cultivar, Maturity, and Storage Charles F. Forney1, Willy Kalt2, and Michael A. Jordan3 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre, 32 Main Street, Kentville, N.S., B4N 1J5, Canada Strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) fruit have a unique, they both may contribute to strawberry aroma (Dirinck et al., 1981; highly desirable flavor and are one of the most popular summer fruits. Schreier, 1980). Sugars, acids, and aroma volatiles contribute to the characteristic The volatile profile obtained from strawberry fruit is influenced by strawberry flavor, which is dependent on the proper balance of these the analytical methods used to characterize these compounds. Volatiles chemical constituents. While sugars and acids are responsible for the from whole, intact fruit can be collected using headspace techniques; sweetness and tartness of the fruit, aroma volatiles provide the unique, these samples can be analyzed directly or concentrated using adsor- fruity flavors that characterize a fresh strawberry. bent or cold traps. Volatiles are also collected from homogenized fruit The aroma of fresh strawberries is dependent on many factors. The or juice, using either headspace or solvent extraction techniques. large genetic variability in the nature of strawberry aroma results in Volatile samples are normally analyzed by gas liquid chromatography differences in flavor among cultivars. In addition, the aroma changes using a variety of methods of sample introduction, including liquid dramatically during fruit ripening after harvest; therefore, it is impor- injection, thermal desorption, and cold on-column injection. High tant to preserve and enhance the ripe fruit aroma during postharvest performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been used for some handling.
[Show full text]