Strawberry Flavor: Diverse Chemical Compositions, a Seasonal Influence, and Effects on Sensory Perception

Abstract

Fresh strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa) are valued for their characteristic red color, juicy texture, distinct aroma, and sweet fruity flavor. In this study, genetic and environmentally induced variation is exploited to capture biochemically diverse strawberry fruit for metabolite profiling and consumer rating. Analyses identify fruit attributes influencing hedonics and sensory perception of strawberry fruit using a psychophysics approach. Sweetness intensity, flavor intensity, and texture liking are dependent on sugar concentrations, specific volatile compounds, and fruit firmness, respectively. Overall liking is most greatly influenced by sweetness and strawberry flavor intensity, which are undermined by environmental pressures that reduce sucrose and total volatile content. The volatile profiles among commercial strawberry varieties are complex and distinct, but a list of perceptually impactful compounds from the larger mixture is better defined. Particular esters, terpenes, and furans have the most significant fits to strawberry flavor intensity. In total, thirty-one volatile compounds are found to be significantly correlated to strawberry flavor intensity, only one of them negatively. Further analysis identifies individual volatile compounds that have an enhancing effect on perceived sweetness intensity of fruit independent of sugar content. These findings allow for consumer influence in the breeding of more desirable fruits and vegetables. Also, this approach garners insights into fruit metabolomics, flavor chemistry, and a paradigm for enhancing liking of natural or processed products.

Comparison of sensory and compositions of five selected persimmon cultivars (Diospyros kaki L.) and correlations between chemical components and processing characteristics

“…Soluble solid content has been regarded as an effective indicator of sweetness in fruit, with a total measurement of sucrose, glucose and fructose as the predominant soluble solids (Basson et al 2010). Previous reports also showed that the variation in sweetness intensity was well explained by sugar content (Schwieterman et al 2014). An approximately equal content (p > 0.05) of total sugar was observed in cultivars 'YueShi' and 'ChanSiWan' (Table 1), which explained their high similarity of taste (Fig.…”

“…These chemical compositions in persimmon fruit are closely related not only to its flavour and sensory quality, but also to the nutritional properties and beneficial health effects of the fruit. It is commonly known that the contents of individual sugars as well as the sugar/organic acid ratio directly correlate with the sweetness of persimmon fruit (Schwieterman et al 2014). The colour of persimmon fruit in different cultivars varies from Highlights Five persimmon cultivars showed different aroma and taste.…”

CO2-driven changes in energy and fermentative metabolism in harvested strawberries

“…Considerable effort is currently being expended on strawberry breeding programs in order to develop new cultivars with enhanced flavor and health-related compounds (Vandendriessche et al, 2013). Overall strawberry liking is mainly influenced by sweetness and flavor intensity, which are undermined by environmental pressures that reduce sucrose and the total volatile compounds content (Schwieterman et al, 2014). Indeed, sucrose was proposed to be the metabolite with the single most significant contribution to the overall linking.…”

Characterizing and improving the sensory and hedonic responses to polyphenol-rich aronia berry juice

“…Foamy or emulsified structures, such as ganache or sabayon sauces, can lower perceived sourness, bitterness and astringency in products made with unsweetened pressed lingonberry juice, which has natural bitter, sour and astringent characteristics (Sandell et al, 2015). Interdisciplinary collaborations between sensory, nutrition, and plant scientists are key to producing palatable products that appeal to health conscious consumers and grown with agricultural practices that are sustainable, as has been as shown in optimizing tomatoes (Bartoshuk & Klee, 2013) and strawberries (Schwieterman et al, 2014). …”