Review of the Aroma Chemistry of Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

Abstract

Pineapple (Ananas comosus), one of the most flavorful and popular tropical fruits consumed worldwide, is known to contain many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at varying concentrations. Much attention has been paid to understand which VOC plays a significant role in the sensory aroma notes of the fruit. Though, nearly 480 VOCs have been identified to date using different analytical techniques, only 40 compounds are reported to contribute to the unique flavor of pineapple. A consolidated database of the reported VOCs and key aroma compounds of pineapple is currently not available. This review discusses the available published data regarding the analytical methodologies, volatile profile of different varieties of pineapple at different maturities, and their characteristic aroma compounds. The output of this review is a subset of key pineapple aroma volatiles that can be targeted in analytical method development for utilization in varietal improvement or other research of pineapple.

Comparative key aroma compounds and sensory correlations of aromatic coconut water varieties: Insights from GC × GC-O-TOF-MS, E-nose, and sensory analysis

“…Molecular sensory science aims to investigate the flavor system of food at the molecular level and to qualitatively, quantitatively, and descriptively analyze the aroma components of food ( Gou et al, 2021 ). At present, molecular sensory science has been widely employed in the identification and characterization of key aroma compounds in various fruits, such as sweet orange, pineapple, pomegranate juice, and flat peach juice ( Feng et al, 2018 , George et al, 2023 , Lu et al, 2023 ). Recently, two-dimensional comprehensive gas chromatography–olfactometry–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-O-TOF-MS) has gained widespread usage in the analysis of key aroma compounds in food products ( Li et al, 2021 , Li et al, 2023 ).…”

Comparison of Phenolic and Volatile Compounds in MD2 Pineapple Peel and Core

“…[6]. Pineapple waste parts constitute the crown, core, peel, and stem, which have many industrial applications such as starches, proteins [22], fiber, phenolics [21], and flavorings [20,[25][26][27]. The chemical and biochemical properties of pineapple are often categorized based on the cultivar, maturity level, ripeness, and postharvest handling processes [28].…”

“…The characterization of aroma compounds in the pulp and core of Smooth Cayenne pineapple identified 44 volatile compounds, of which 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone (DMHF) was found to be the dominant aroma [39]. A recent review published by George et al [25] stated that pineapples have unique aroma chemistry profiles influenced by their respective maturity levels and different varieties. The findings involving various aroma compounds derived from various pineapple varieties and waste could lead to applications in the food flavoring and fragrance processing industries.…”