Sensory Characteristics and Phenolic Profile of the First-Generation Interspecific Hybrid Strawberries

Abstract

The economic importance of the garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) to the food industry highlights the necessity of regionally adapted cultivars. Climate change in Nordic countries introduces new challenges with milder winters and increased precipitation. Strawberry breeding can contribute to the creation of plants adapted to these specific weather conditions. However, it can also be detrimental to sensory attributes, such as flavour and odour. New strawberry hybrids created by crossing F. chiloensis and F. virginiana, part of the NORDFRUIT breeding program and developed by Luke, had their phenolic and sensory profiles analysed. 20 phenolic compounds were identified, among these five anthocyanins and three flavonols were quantified. Three appearance, six odour, and seven flavour attributes were quantified for five hybrids and one commercial strawberry. Red colour correlated positively to pelargonidin-glucoside and negatively to cyanidin-glucoside. Strawberry hybrids had more intense total flavour, less intense red colour, more intense grainy mouthfeel, and higher number of seeds. Sweetness, sourness, and bitterness were also statistically different between samples. Machine learning algorithms showed good classification results with potential for future regression analyses. The hybrid strawberries had different sensory characteristics and phenolic profiles than commercial cultivars.