Sensory analysis and chemical characterization of strawberry fruits

The aim of this work was to carry out the chemical characterization and sensory analysis of strawberry fruits from cultivars Camp-dover, Dover, Camp-oso, Oso Grande, and Tudla-Milsei, grown in the southern region of Minas Gerais State. Soluble solids, titratable acidity, and the ratio between both characteristics were evaluated, in three replications. Sensory analysis was carried out by a panel of 34 non-trained assessors, recruited out of UNICENTRO students, professors, and employees. Assessors evaluated the samples for aroma and flavor using sorting-preference tests, with scores from 1 (less preferred) to 5 (most preferred). Appearance was assessed by means of a hedonic scale, from 1 (dislike very much) to 9 (like very much). Each assessor evaluated five samples of each cultivar for aroma and flavor. To evaluate external appearance, fruits were presented in polystyrene trays, covered with transparent film. Cultivars Camp-dover, Oso Grande, and Tudla-Milsei had the highest (p<0.05) contents of soluble solids (respectively 8.1, 7.8, and 7.6ºBrix); while for titratable acidity, the highest values were found in fruits of cultivars Tudla-Milsei, Oso Grande, and Dover (0.88, 0.80, and 0.60). For the soluble solids:titratable acidity ratio, cultivar Camp-dover (13.5) significantly exceeded all others. Fruits from cultivars Camp-dover and Oso Grande, for their good scores in aroma (3.70 and 2.80, respectively), flavor (3.82 and 3.52), and appearance (7.00 and 7.38) had the best acceptability. Considering the results all together, cultivars Camp-dover and Oso Grande stood out as promising options for strawberry growing, since their advantageous fruit characteristics are likely to favor commercialization.