Insights into the volatile flavor and quality profiles of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) during shelf-life via HS-GC-IMS, E-nose, and E-tongue

Gui-Li Huang; Tian-Tian Liu; Xiao-Mei Mao; Xin-Yao Quan; Si-Yao Sui; Jia-Jia Ma; Ling-Xiang Sun; Hao-Cong Li; Qian-Shuo Shao; Yu-Ning Wang

doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2023.100886

Insights into the volatile flavor and quality profiles of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) during shelf-life via HS-GC-IMS, E-nose, and E-tongue

Food Chem X. 2023 Sep 16:20:100886. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2023.100886. eCollection 2023 Dec 30.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Agricultural Product Storage and Processing Laboratory, Suzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Suzhou 215105, China.
² National Engineering Research Center of Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
³ School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Suzhou Chien-Shiung Institute of Technology, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215411, China.

Abstract

Loquat fruits are among the most popular Chinese fruits because of their unique taste and aroma. The quality profiles of these fruits during 18 days of shelf-life at 20 °C were elucidated by headspace gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS), E-nose, and E-tongue. During shelf-life period, the properties and variations of 43 (20 aldehydes, 7 esters, 6 ketones, 1 alcohol, and 1 furan) volatile flavored compounds were determined by GC-IMS, which showed that the contents of methyl 3-methyl butanoate, ethyl acetate, and dimethyl ketone gradually decrease with prolonged shelf-life time, while (E)-2-heptenal, heptanal, (E)-2-pentenal, 1-penten-3-one 3-pentanone and 2-pentylfuran increase. The PCA based on the signal intensity of GC-IMS and E-nose, revealed that loquat fruits are well distinguished at different shelf-life times. The taste profile alternates as the storage time increases, along with higher pH, and lower amounts of total soluble solids, vitamin C, and total phenolics. The visual plots of GC-IMS, E-nose, and E-tongue had good consistency, and they characterized the aroma characteristics of loquat fruits well during different shelf-life periods. The findings of this research provide a useful understanding of the flavors of loquat fruits during their prolonged shelf-life, and a potential research basis for advancements in the loquat industry.

Keywords: E-nose; E-tongue; GC-IMS; Loquat fruits; Quality profile; Volatile flavor.