Development and Optimization Method for Determination of the Strawberries' Aroma Profile.

The strawberry (genus Fragaria) is a plant from the rose family (Rosaceae). As the fruits are likely to be picked mechanically, they are grown close to consumption centers. The aim of this work was to develop a suitable method for detecting as many molecules as possible in order to be able to distinguish between different strawberry cultivars and geographical origins in the future. Whole strawberries of the "Albion" cultivar, grown in the Jagodica Purgerica region of Zagreb, were used. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in SCAN mode was used to analyze the aroma profile and to determine the proportion of individual components. The samples were prepared and analyzed using the solid-phase microextraction method (SPME). The impact of SPME fiber selection and GC column type was investigated, as well as sample weight, ionic strength, agitation temperature, and sampling time. A higher ionic strength was achieved by adding a 20% NaCl solution to the sample. The aroma profile of the studied strawberry cultivar consisted of furanone, esters, aldehydes, and carboxylic acids. Optimal results were achieved by adjusting the ionic strength during 15 min of extraction and incubation. The individual compounds were identified using NIST, Wiley libraries, and the "area normalization" method.

Chemometric Valorization of Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) cv. 'Albion' for the Production of Functional Juice: The Impact of Physicochemical, Toxicological, Sensory, and Bioactive Value.

Strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch. cv. 'Albion') were harvested at two stages of ripeness (75% vs. 100%) and their physicochemical, sensory, toxicological, and bioactive properties were evaluated before and after processing into juice. The fresh fruits and their by-products were also evaluated. During processing into juice, the color change was higher in the fully ripe fruits, confirming the encouraging prospects for using the less ripe strawberries for processing. The analysis of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, As, Cd, Pb) was carried out, and in juice and by-product samples of 100% maturity, only Pb was higher than the MDK. Of the 566 pesticides analyzed, only cyprodinil was found in the by-products of the strawberries at 75% maturity, while pyrimethanil was detected in all samples. Fresh strawberries of both ripeness levels were rated similarly to the corresponding juices for all sensory attributes studied, indicating that sensory perception was not affected by processing. However, ripeness was found to be an important factor influencing most sensory attributes. The by-products were the materials with the highest levels of all bioactive compounds. Considering all quality parameters evaluated, the chemometric evaluation confirms the suitability of 75% ripe strawberries for processing into functional juice, which could be important for the juice industry.