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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #341523
Research Project: Quality, Shelf-life and Health Benefits for Fresh, Fresh-cut and Processed Products for Citrus and Other Tropical/Subtropical-grown Fruits and Vegetables

Location: Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research

Title: Differentiation of taste profiles by electronic tongue of full ripe tomato samples from different cultivars and harvest maturities

Author
item XU, SAI - South China Agricultural University
item LI, JIAN - China Agriculture University
item Baldwin, Elizabeth - Liz
item Plotto, Anne
item Rosskopf, Erin
item Hong, Jason
item Bai, Jinhe

Submitted to: Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/5/2017
Publication Date: 12/30/2017
Citation: Xu, S., Li, J., Baldwin, E.A., Plotto, A., Rosskopf, E.N., Hong, J.C., Bai, J. 2017. Differentiation of taste profiles by electronic-tongue of full ripe tomato samples from different cultivars and harvest maturities. Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society. 130:165-168.

Interpretive Summary: A simple and fast technique, the electronic tongue was used to determine the taste profile of tomato samples from different cultivars harvested at different maturities. The results corresponded with chemical analysis and consumer preference, for which such measurements are more time consuming, involve more training, sample preparation, and expense.

Technical Abstract: An electronic-tongue (e-tongue) was used to determine the “taste” profiles of full ripe tomato fruit samples from four cultivars, harvested at six different maturities. Generally, heirloom ‘Cherokee Purple’ had substantially higher total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA) than the other three commercial cultivars. ‘Cherokee Purple’, harvested mature green (MG) had significantly lower TSS and TA after ripening than all the other riper-harvested fruit. On the other hand, for the commercial cultivars, MG fruit developed the same levels of TSS and TA as did the riper-harvested fruit. E-tongue tests not only confirmed the differences detected by SSC/TA data, but also differentiated between the other three cultivars, and six harvest maturities.