Apple flavor: linking sensory perception to volatile release and textural properties

In apples, consumers predominantly use visual, auditory and texture cues as quality/preference indicators and struggle to describe complex olfactory sensations. This study investigated apple cultivar differentiation using analytical and sensory techniques with the goal of achieving more relevant instrumental characterization. Sensory flavor/odor data were compared with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) measured using proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTRToF-MS) and sensory texture data were compared with mechanical-acoustic textural parameters obtained using a texture analyzer. Both techniques separated cultivars similarly. PTR-ToF-MS data separated cultivars into VOC families that correlated to specific sensory attributes (e.g., butanoate esters to lemon flavor/odor). Analytical and sensory firmness were positively correlated where the former differentiated crunchy from hard-not crunchy cultivars. Sweet taste did not correlate to soluble solids content but was positively correlated to fruity esters which could indicate a taste-aroma interaction. This study demonstrates the potential to predict sensory attributes of apples using analytical techniques.