Texture diversity in melon (Cucumis melo L.): Sensory and physical assessments

• Published in: Postharvest biology and technology Vol. 159; p. 111024
• Main Authors: Farcuh, Macarena, Copes, Bill, Le-Navenec, Gaelle, Marroquin, Juan, Jaunet, Thierry, Chi-Ham, Cecilia, Cantu, Dario, Bradford, Kent J., Van Deynze, Allen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.01.2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Cucumis melo; Cucumis melo L; Food quality; Fruit quality; Fruits; Genetic diversity; Genotypes; Horticultural crops; Instrumental parameters; Parameters; Phenotypes; Phenotypic variations; Postharvest storage; Quality control; Room temperature; Sensory attributes; Sensory evaluation; Sensory properties; Temporal perception; Texture; Cucumis melo L; Postharvest storage; Sensory attributes; Texture; Instrumental parameters; Fruit quality
• ISSN: 0925-5214; 1873-2356
• DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2019.111024

•Sensory panelists detected differences in texture among 10 melon genotypes.•Instrumental assessments detected differences in texture among 10 melon genotypes.•Instrumental parameters can predict texture sensory attributes in melon genotypes.•Breeding programs targeting texture may be accelerated by instrumental methods. Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a commercially important horticultural crop worldwide that exhibits extensive phenotypic and genetic variation. Texture is one of the key attributes defining melon fruit quality and overall consumer preference. The aim of this research was two-fold: first, to characterize and compare differences in fruit sensory and instrumental textural properties among a diverse panel of melon fruit genotypes (to determine if each methodology is capable of discriminating among genotypes independently); and secondly, to assess the correlations between texture-related sensory attributes and instrumental parameters. During two production seasons, fruit from 10 melon genotypes with diverse textural characteristics were harvested at optimal commercial maturity and stored for six days at 5 °C plus one day at room temperature, then analyzed for textural instrumental and sensory properties. Both methodologies detected significant and reproducible differences in texture among the assayed melon genotypes. Furthermore, texture-related sensory attributes of firmness, crunchiness, and juiciness significantly correlated with several parameters obtained through the instrumental assessment of texture by using different probes of the texture analyzer instrument, independently. Our results indicate that texture-related attributes and overall fruit quality improvement could be accelerated significantly by the application of instrumental measurements to select for phenotypes that highly associate with consumer perception, decreasing costs and time investments.