76C-29 |
Postharvest, volatile and sensory changes in stored fresh-cut cantaloupe and their inbred parental lines |
J. C. BEAULIEU and J. M. Lea. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Southern Regional Research Center, Food Processing and Sensory Quality Unit, 1100 Robert E.Lee Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70179 Muskmelons are highly regarded for their flavor and sweetness, which often determine quality and consumer acceptance. Unfortunately, °Brix (SS) is often the only easily measured quality assessment of optimum harvest. Fresh-cut melons are rapidly gaining a large share of the produce market. Maintaining flavor and postharvest quality after processing and throughout distribution is a major challenge facing the fresh-cut fruit industry. Little work reports the relative contribution of volatile compounds to overall post-cutting quality. Analysis of two commercial varieties (‘Athena’ and ‘Sol Real’) and both their inbred parental lines may determine key hereditary linkages to pinpoint other quality parameters. Cantaloupes were grown commercially in 2000 and 2001 and fruit harvested (all 3/4-slip) in late Spring and early Fall. Fruit were uniformly peeled, sliced into 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm cubes and loose endocarp tissue was removed. Cubes (300 g) from numerous fruits were randomized per variety into 1L clam shell containers (n=3), stored at 4°C, and analyzed (°Brix, pH, subjective assessment, color, firmness, CO2 & C2H4 production, sugars, volatiles (SPME GC-MS) and trained sensory panels) after up to 14 days storage. In general, a lot of variation was noted for °Brix. Athena (A) and Sol Real (SR) had acceptable subjective quality through 14 days and their inbred male (M) and female (F) lines deteriorated faster, except SR-F. ‘Sweet’ and ‘Fruity’ often gradually increased then ultimately declined through storage, by day 10 to 12. Although the critical flavor compound (CFC) esters in many varieties continually increased, abrupt decreases were observed at or approximately concomitant with unacceptable subjective scores for some CFC’s. For example, benzyl acetate dropped off markedly in SR-M, Athena, Athena-M and Athena-F after 12 or 14 d storage, and some CFC’s were not detected by day 12 or 14 in some varieties.
Session 76C, Fruit & Vegetable Product: Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
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