Abstract
Roots from 8 advanced generation breeding lines of carrot (Daucus carota L.) repeatedly selected for high or low total soluble solids content, and 2 selections of Tmperator 58', one with high and one with low soluble solids, were evaluated for perceived sweetness and eating quality by taste panels. Most taste evaluations were made using the Quantitative Descriptive Analysis method. Two breeding lines, 5158 and 5164, had high levels of solids (
Small fruit are rich in several types of phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals. These compounds have health functional properties that may protect humans from cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Several of these phytochemicals, such as dietary fiber, anthocyanins, and polyphenolics, also contribute to small fruit quality. Other components contribute to appearance and taste. Nonvolatile organic acids contribute to the perceived sourness of small fruit and changes in levels can alter visual color by affecting cellular pH and anthocyanin structure. The soluble sugars glucose, fructose, and sucrose contribute directly to the perceived sweetness of the fruit and provide carbohydrates for other metabolic functions such as phenolic and ascorbic acid synthesis.
Cherry cultivars (Prunus avium L.) from the breeding program located at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Centre, Summerland, B.C., were profiled for their sensory characteristics. Judges scored six visual attributes, five flavor/texture attributes, and the degree of liking on 10-cm anchored line scales. There were significant differences (P ≤ 0.001) in external firmness, size, and color intensity as well as differences in flesh firmness, juiciness, sweetness, sourness, and intensity of cherry flavor among the cultivars. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed the relationships among the internal sensory attributes, including a calculated sum of perceived sweetness and sourness, and the analytical values (pH, soluble solids concentration, sugar: acid ratio). Factor scores located individual cultivars on the PCA plot and provided a graphic illustration of their sensory characteristics.
`Bing' sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) trees were treated with hydrogen cyanamide (CH2N2) or calcium ammonium nitrate (CaNH4NO3) during dormancy, or gibberellic acid (GA3) 26 days before harvest during three consecutive years. Fruit were evaluated at harvest for sensory taste quality using twenty trained panelists sampling for firmness, sweetness, tartness, and cherry flavor. Nondestructive instrumental firmness preceded destructive sensory firmness on the same untreated and GA3-treated cherries in one year when used as a supplementary evaluation. Sensory firmness was consistently higher in GA3 fruit and to a lesser extent in CH2N2 fruit than in CaNH4NO3 and untreated fruit. Instrumental firmness of GA3 fruit did not increase significantly compared with untreated fruit yet instrumental firmness of each treatment correlated relatively well with perceived sensory firmness. Sensory sweetness and cherry flavor scored very similarly, yet both attributes simultaneously varied between treatments across the years. Perceived sensory tartness of treated fruit was variable among years; yet, on average, was rated among treated and untreated fruit as similar. Under the assumption that elevated sensory firmness, sweetness, and cherry flavor intensity reflects improved sweet cherry quality, GA3 fruit were rated of higher quality than untreated fruit given their increased firmness and similar or occasionally elevated sweetness and cherry flavor intensity. CH2N2 fruit maintained quality similar to that of untreated fruit, despite often having marginally higher firmness, due to similar or reduced ratings for sweetness and cherry flavor intensity. Notwithstanding similar firmness between CaNH4NO3 and untreated cherries, sensory quality of CaNH4NO3-treated cherries was reduced due to their often-diminished levels of perceived sweetness and cherry flavor.
The aim of this study was to understand the flavor components of eating quality of several strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) genotypes grown in Florida over two harvest seasons. Five selections and one cultivar of the University of Florida Breeding program as well as two new cultivars from Australia (Rubygem and Sugarbaby) harvested on different dates from the same grower were evaluated by sensory evaluation. Festival, the main strawberry cultivar grown in Florida, had low ratings for flavor and sweetness in January and March. Selection FL 00-51 and ‘Rubygem’ had relatively high and consistent ratings for flavor and sweetness compared with the other selections. Genotypes with low flavor ratings were always judged as “not sweet enough” by the panelists, thus linking flavor to sweetness preference. Instrumental analysis confirmed that typically these selections had low soluble solids content (SSC) and/or high titratable acidity (TA), thus explaining their lack of sweetness. Volatile compounds that varied only quantitatively did not seem to influence the flavor rating except for ‘Sugarbaby’. This cultivar contained between seven and 40 times less total ester content than the other selections and was disliked by panelists despite its high sugar content and perceived sweetness. It was perceived as having an artificial peach- or blueberry-like flavor. A principal component analysis was performed with chemical parameters (SSC, TA, and volatile content) and selections over the two harvest seasons. Chemical composition was mainly influenced by harvest date, except for FL 00-51. This selection maintained high volatile content and SSC throughout the seasons, explaining consistently high flavor ratings.
-baked sweetpotato, respectively ( Fig. 4A and B ). The slightly higher amounts of glucose and fructose in ‘Evangeline’ compared with ‘Covington’ were apparently not detected by these consumers. A sensory study on perceived sweetness of tomatoes ( Solanum
perceived sweetness and sourness J. Food Sci. 75 S48 S54 Royal Horticultural Society 1995 The Royal Horticultural Society’s color chart. 3 rd Ed. Royal Hort. Soc., London, UK
, the perceived sweetness is the result of the ratio of sugars to acidity and ‘Valley Red’ has neither a high soluble solids level nor a high titratable acidity. ‘Valley Red’ fruit consistently ripens with its parent ‘Puget Reliance’ and slightly ahead
perceived to have excellent, sweet flavor, whereas those of ‘Heritage’ were scored as being bland but inoffensive. ‘Kokanee’s perceived sweetness would appear to be because of fruit with a higher pH and lower titratable acidity than ‘Heritage’ as its percent
maintaining the level of organic acids increases the perceived sweetness and increases preference ( Malundo et al., 1995 ). In broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L.), increases in sugar concentration have been suggested as a way to mask the bitter taste of sulfur