Fruits and Vegetables of Moderate Climate

Lars P. Christensen, Merete Edelenbos, Stine Kreutzmann 

Many factors affect the volatile composition of fruit and vegetables, e.g. genetics, maturity, growing conditions and postharvest handling. Furthermore, preparation of the fruits and vegetables for consumption and the method for isolation of volatile compounds may change the volatile profile and key aroma compounds compared to non-processed fruits and vegetables. 

The most difficult problem in flavour research is to interpret the results of the volatile analysis, which gives information on the identity and the quantity of the volatile compounds collected from a given product. Many volatile compounds are not flavour-active, i.e. they cannot be detected in the olfactory system, while others may even in trace amounts have significant effects on flavour owing to their low odour-threshold values that is defined as the minimum concentration needed to produce an olfactory response. Consequently, the most abundant volatiles are not necessarily the most important contributors to flavour. Much 

Volatile compounds formed by anabolic or catabolic pathways include fatty acid derivatives, terpenes and phenolics. In contrast, volatile compounds formed during tissue damage are typically formed through enzymatic degradation and/ or autoxidation reactions of primary and/or secondary metabolites and includes lipids, amino acids, glucosinolates, terpenoids and phenolics. 

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The flavour of fruits and vegetables is a very important aspect of quality. This review has focused on the most important aroma compounds in fruits and vegetables of moderate climate and demonstrated that a wide variety of volatile compounds are formed naturally in the products or after processing that influence the aroma and flavour of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. 

L. P. Christensen M. Edelenbos S. Kreutzmann, Fruits and Vegetables of Moderate Climate. In Flavours and Fragrances Chemistry, Bio processing and Sustainability R. G. Berger, Ed. Springer-Verlag Berlin, 2007 pp 135-187. 

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