Shelf-life evaluation of three new apple cultivars from the Summerland Apple Breeding Program - A confidential project report

Citation

Cliff, M.A., Stanich, K. and Singh, A. 2018. Shelf-life evaluation of three new apple cultivars from the Summerland Apple Breeding Program - A confidential project report. AAFC Agri-Innovation Program 17 pp. April 4 2018.

Résumé

This research evaluated the sensory characteristics of three new apple cultivars (SPA 1062, SPA 1079, SPA 1080) from the Summerland Apple Breeding Program (Summerland RDC) that had been held for 1, 2.5 and 5 months in refrigerated ambient air storage. A trained panel of 13 judges evaluated the fruit for four textural (crispness, hardness, juiciness, skin toughness, overall texture quality), and four taste/flavour (sweetness, tartness, fruity flavour, overall taste/flavour quality) attributes, on 100 unit unstructured line scales. They also identified the nature of the fruity flavour and off-flavour (if present) using check-all-that-apply (CATA) categories. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were discerned using the Fisher’s least significant difference test. Compositional (titratable acidity, soluble solids concentration) and instrumental textural (eight Mohr Digi-Test-2 parameters) determinations were also performed. ANOVA revealed that SPA 1062 declined in crispness, juiciness, overall textural quality and overall taste/flavour quality with increasing storage period. The CATA responses identified that the ‘fresh apple’ and ‘citrus’ notes decreased while the ‘cooked apple’ and ‘pear’ notes increased with increases in the storage period. In contrast, the textural characteristics and overall taste/flavour quality for SPA 1079 were stable between 1 and 2.5 months and declined prior to 5 months of storage. This cultivar had a high incidence of ‘tropical’ notes at all storage periods; it declined in ‘fresh apple’ and ‘stone fruit’ notes and increased in ‘cooked apple’ notes by 5 months of storage. In contrast, SPA 1080 maintained its textural characteristics and overall taste/flavour quality for the duration of the storage period, with little change in flavour notes over the storage period. The occurrence of rot in SPA 1079 (29%) and SPA 1080 (14%) may have accounted for the slightly higher incidence of ‘off flavours’ for these cultivars compared to SPA 1062. In short the shelf-life of SPA 1062, SPA 1079 and SPA 1080, in refrigerated air storage, was estimated to be between 1-2.5 months, 2.5-5 months, and ≥5 months, respectively. The work will assist the BC growers/packers with establishing an appropriate storage period for new apple cultivars, in refrigerated ambient air storage, when controlled atmosphere is either not available or desired.

Date de publication

2018-04-04

Profils d'auteurs