Association of Refreshing Perception with Volatile Aroma Compounds, Organic Acids, and Soluble Solids in Freshly Consumed Cucumber Fruit

Authors: DU, XIAOFEN - Texas Woman'S University; ROUTRAY, JYOTISHREE - Texas Woman'S University; WILLIAMS, CIERRA - Texas Woman'S University; Weng, Yiqun

Submitted to: ACS Food Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2022
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Background: People love cucumber for its unique refreshing flavor. Refreshing is a multidimensional concept for the response to a food consumption experience, especially for drinks. The consumer has daily needs for refreshing; however, the perception of refreshing and the associated food sensory quality and molecule composition in cucumber are not known. Major findings: The present study has multiple objectives. (1) Use a consumer study to evaluate the refreshing perception of eight cucumber varieties. (2) Identify volatile aroma and nonvolatile taste compounds in cucumber with instrumental analysis. (3) Explore the potential correlation between refreshing perception and aroma- and taste-related compounds. A consumer study was performed with 103 people which suggested that cucumbers were perceived as refreshing in general. Instrument analysis identified 155 volatiles from cucumber flesh puree with aldehydes and alcohols being the most dominant chemicals. Cucumber variety differences in volatiles, organic acids, and soluble solids were significant. Statistical analysis found that refreshing perception was highly correlated with aldehydes, organic acid, and soluble solids. Who cares: The findings may bring in a new potential use of cucumber, especially when the food industry is interested in developing products perceived as refreshing with natural flavorings.

Technical Abstract: Refreshing is a multidimensional concept for the response to a food consumption experience, especially for drinks. The consumer has daily needs for refreshing; however, the perception of refreshing and the associated food sensory quality and molecule composition are underexplored. This study aimed to (1) use a consumer study to evaluate the refreshing perception of eight cucumber varieties, (2) identify volatile aroma and nonvolatile taste compounds in cucumber with instrumental analysis, and (3) explore the potential correlation between refreshing perception and aroma- and taste-related compounds using statistical analysis. The cucumber consumer study (n = 103) showed that cucumbers were perceived as refreshing in general (intensities 3.3–5.4, 0–10 line scale). The analysis of volatiles with solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) identified 155 volatiles. Aldehydes and alcohols were the most dominant, accounting for 25.5%–77.9% and 15.0%–58.1%, respectively. Soluble solids and three organic acids were quantified in the eight cucumber varieties using a refractometer and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. Cucumber variety differences in these variables (volatiles, organic acids, and soluble solids) were significant (p = 0.05). Compounds associated with refreshing perception were investigated using partial least-squares (PLS) regression, and refreshing perception was highly correlated with aldehydes (mainly C6 and C9 aldehydes), organic acid, and soluble solids. The findings would bring in a new potential use of cucumber, especially when the food industry is interested in developing products perceived as refreshing with natural flavorings.