Volatile composition of four southern highbush blueberry cultivars and effect of growing location and harvest date.

The volatile composition of four southern highbush blueberry cultivars ('Primadonna', 'Jewel', 'Snowchaser', and 'FL02-40') grown in two locations (Gainesville and Haines City, FL) and harvested multiple times was investigated. A total of 42 volatiles were identified, including 8 esters, 12 terpenoids, 11 aldehydes, 7 alcohols, and 4 ketones. Twelve of these volatiles are reported for the first time in highbush blueberries, with 10 being positively identified: (Z)-3-hexenal, (E,E)-2,4-hexadienal, (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal, (E,E)-2,4-nonedienal, methyl 2-methylbutanoate, butyl acetate, 2-methylbutyl acetate, and geranyl acetate. The dominant volatiles were aldehydes followed by terpenoids and esters, with distinct varietal profiles. 'Primadonna' was characterized by a large amount of esters and C-6 aldehydes. In contrast, fewer than 4 esters were found in 'FL02-40' and 'Snowchaser', respectively, but they produced more terpenoids than 'Primadonna' and 'Jewel'. Location and/or harvest date affected the production of volatiles in 'Primadonna', but not so much in the other cultivars.

[1]  D. Baloga,et al.  Dynamic headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of volatile flavor compounds from wild diploid blueberry species , 1995 .

[2]  O. Chortyk,et al.  Comparison of Volatile Compounds from Rabbiteye Blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) and Deerberry (V. stamineum) during Maturation , 1996 .

[3]  I. Martinussen,et al.  Volatile profiles of European blueberry: few major players, but complex aroma patterns , 2009 .

[4]  R. Yuan,et al.  Changes in volatile compounds and associated relationships with other ripening events in banana fruit , 2010 .

[5]  J. Luby,et al.  Genotypic and Environmental Variation in Antioxidant Activity, Total Phenolic Content, and Anthocyanin Content among Blueberry Cultivars , 2002 .

[6]  C. Harris,et al.  Seasonal Phytochemical Variation of Anti-Glycation Principles in Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) , 2008, Planta medica.

[7]  R. Horvat,et al.  GLC‐MS Analysis of Volatile Constituents in Rabbiteye Blueberries , 1983 .

[8]  P. Dirinck,et al.  Flavor quality of cultivated strawberries: the role of the sulfur compounds , 1981 .

[9]  G. Reineccius.  Flavor Formation in Fruits and Vegetables , 2005 .

[10]  E. Mehinagic,et al.  Characterization of odor-active volatiles in apples: influence of cultivars and maturity stage. , 2006, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[11]  E. V. Sydow,et al.  The aroma of bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.). : 1. Identification of volatile compounds. , 1969 .

[12]  C. Sanz,et al.  Evolution of Strawberry Alcohol Acyltransferase Activity during Fruit Development and Storage , 1996 .

[13]  M. Kolor,et al.  IDENTIFICATION OF THE MAJOR VOLATILE COMPONENTS OF BLUEBERRY , 1975 .

[14]  R. Horvat,et al.  Comparison of the Volatile Constituents from Rabbiteye Blueberries (Vaccinium ashei) During Ripening , 2006 .

[15]  F. R. Forsyth,et al.  Volatiles from Developing Fruit of Vaccinium angustifolium* Contribution No. 1361. , 1970 .

[16]  M. Ehlenfeldt,et al.  Instrumental and sensory quality characteristics of blueberry fruit from twelve cultivars , 2008 .

[17]  E. Honkanen,et al.  The aroma of blueberries , 1983 .

[18]  John R. Clark,et al.  Register of New Fruit and Nut Cultivars List 45 , 2010 .

[19]  John R. Clark,et al.  Antioxidant capacity and phenolic content in blueberries as affected by genotype and growing season , 2003 .

[20]  R. Prior,et al.  Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and phenolic and anthocyanin concentrations in fruit and leaf tissues of highbush blueberry. , 2000, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[21]  E. Honkanen,et al.  The aroma of some hybrids between high-bush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum, L.) and Bog Blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum, L.) , 1983 .

[22]  E. Baldwin,et al.  Odour and flavour thresholds for key aroma components in an orange juice matrix: terpenes and aldehydes , 2004 .

[23]  John R. Clark,et al.  Flavonol glycosides and antioxidant capacity of various blackberry and blueberry genotypes determined by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry , 2005 .

[24]  Erik von Sydow,et al.  The aroma of bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.). : 2. Evaluation of the press juice by sensory methods and by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry , 1970 .

[25]  Chad E. Finn,et al.  Flavour profiling of ‘Marion’ and thornless blackberries by instrumental and sensory analysis , 2010 .

[26]  E. Baldwin,et al.  Quantitative analysis of flavor parameters in six Florida tomato cultivars (Lycopersicon esculentum mill) , 1991 .