Sensory Traits and Consumer's Perceived Quality of Traditional and Modern Fresh Market Tomato Varieties: A Study in Three European Countries.

Consumer dissatisfaction with the flavor quality of many modern fresh market tomato varieties has fostered breeders' interest in sensory quality improvement, and the demand for traditional varieties, which are generally associated with better flavor. To achieve further knowledge on the factors influencing the sensory quality and consumers' preferences and perception, European traditional and modern fresh market tomato varieties were grown and evaluated in France, Italy, and Spain. Different growing conditions were tested in France (soilless vs. soil) and in Spain (open field vs. greenhouse), while in Italy fruits were evaluated at two ripening stages. Fruit quality was assessed by integrating physicochemical analyses, sensory profiles, and consumer tests. In all three countries, overall modern varieties were perceived as having more intense "tomato flavor" and "overall flavor" than traditional ones. In France and Spain, consumers' preferences were more oriented towards modern varieties than traditional ones. Significant growing condition effects were found on sensory and physicochemical traits, while the effect on consumers' overall liking was not significant, largely depending on the genotype. A fair agreement between product configurations from descriptive analysis by trained assessors and Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) questions by consumers was observed. Penalty-lift analysis based on CATA allowed identifying positive and negative drivers of liking.

Multisite evaluation of phenotypic plasticity for specialized metabolites, some involved in carrot quality and disease resistance.

Renewed consumer demand motivates the nutritional and sensory quality improvement of fruits and vegetables. Specialized metabolites being largely involved in nutritional and sensory quality of carrot, a better knowledge of their phenotypic variability is required. A metabolomic approach was used to evaluate phenotypic plasticity level of carrot commercial varieties, over three years and a wide range of cropping environments spread over several geographical areas in France. Seven groups of metabolites have been quantified by HPLC or GC methods: sugars, carotenoids, terpenes, phenolic compounds, phenylpropanoids and polyacetylenes. A large variation in root metabolic profiles was observed, in relation with environment, variety and variety by environment interaction effects in decreasing order of importance. Our results show a clear diversity structuration based on metabolite content. Polyacetylenes, ß-pinene and α-carotene were identified mostly as relatively stable varietal markers, exhibiting static stability. Nevertheless, environment effect was substantial for a large part of carrot metabolic profile and various levels of phenotypic plasticity were observed depending on metabolites and varieties. A strong difference of environmental sensitivity between varieties was observed for several compounds, particularly myristicin, 6MM and D-germacrene, known to be involved in responses to biotic and abiotic stress. This work provides useful information about plasticity in the perspective of carrot breeding and production. A balance between constitutive content and environmental sensitivity for key metabolites should be reached for quality improvement in carrot and other vegetables.

Relationship between fruit density and quality parameters, levels of sugars, organic acids, bioactive compounds and volatiles of two nectarine cultivars, at harvest and after ripening.

In this study, fruits of two nectarine cultivars, harvested at commercial ripeness, were sorted into three density groups. Physicochemical parameters (mean weight, firmness, dry matter, soluble solids content, titratable acidity) and the levels of sugars, organic acids, vitamin C, polyphenols and volatiles were then determined at harvest and after ripening. A sensory ranking test was also performed on ripened nectarines to compare quality attributes (firmness, sweetness, acidity, and aroma). In both cultivars, ripened nectarines of higher density had significantly higher levels of dry matter, soluble solids content, sugars, ascorbic acid, polyphenols and volatiles. Among polyphenols, the levels of hydroxycinnamic acids were 30-40% significantly higher in nectarines of higher density. Among volatiles, levels of lactones, well-known key aroma compounds in nectarines, were also 2-3 times significantly higher in ripened fruits of higher density. Consistent with these results, nectarines of higher density were significantly ranked sweeter and more aromatic in both cultivars.