VOLATILE PRODUCTION IN ´FUJI´ APPLES STORED UNDER DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERES MEASURED BY HEADSPACE/GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY AND ELECTRONIC NOSE

Volatile production, sensory acceptability and electronic nose responses were measured in ‘Fuji’ apples (Malus x domestica Borkh.) to evaluate the effects of different storage conditions, storage periods and days of shelf life.
Apples harvested at 185 days after full bloom were analysed after 5 and 7 months of cold storage in normal atmosphere (AIR: 21% O₂ + 0.03% CO₂) and in two controlled atmospheres (CA: 1% O₂ + 2% CO₂ and 3% O₂ + 2% CO₂). During post-storage ripening, apples were kept at 20ºC for 1, 5 and 10 days before analytical and sensory measurements were made.
Volatile production was measured by means of headspace/gas chromatography and electronic nose and the acceptability of apples by a semi-trained panel.
Sensor responses registered by 21 different metal oxide sensors of an electronic nose (EN) were used to classify apples using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The PCA model containing data from all fruits (at-harvest and after storage) showed that it was possible to identify fruits recently harvested and under different storage conditions.
Principal components 1 (PC1) and 2 (PC2) accounted for 63 and 30% of the total variability respectively.
On the other hand, a PCA involving volatile production, sensory acceptability and EN signals corresponding to all fruits allowed a better differentiation between fruits stored at 1% O₂ + 2% CO₂ and 3% O₂ + 2% CO₂, with an explained variance of 58% (two first PCs).

V International Postharvest Symposium

G. Echeverría, J. Graell, M.L. López, J. Brezmes, X. Correig

electronic nose responses, Malus x domestica, Principal Component Analysis, volatile compounds

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.682.196