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Elaboration of novel and comprehensive protocols toward determination of textural properties and other sensorial attributes of canning peach fruit

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Abstract

Peach (Prunus persica) products are destined for fresh consumption or are being consumed after processing in various forms. Despite its huge economic importance, no standardized protocols to define sensorial attributes and mechanical properties of canned peaches exist. Thus, the aim of the current study was dual and included the setting up of a list of sensorial descriptors and the elaboration of a toolkit to evaluate the textural properties of canned peaches using large deformation mechanical testing. A standardized vocabulary (“consensus language”) was initially developed toward the determination and quantification of 15 sensorial attributes through a descriptive quantitative analysis (QDA) approach. Textural properties were additionally evaluated with a TA-XT Plus texture analyzer by applying three discrete large deformation tests [(a) puncture test with a flat cylindrical probe; (b) texture profile analysis (TPA) with a flat compression plunger; and (c) Kramer shear test (KST) cell with a bladed fixture]; that is, a total of nine textural properties, namely, “puncture firmness” (individual halves), “Kramer” hardness (applied in a complex mixture of peach slices), “TPA” hardness (central section of halves), fracturability, consistency, cohesiveness, springiness, chewiness, and total hardness were assessed. We hereby present novel protocols that encompass the comprehensive determination of sensorial and textural properties. The established protocols, providing complementary information, are readily applicable to the canning industry in setting up qualitative tests to determine product shelf life as well as to assist on going breeding programs for the evaluation of new candidate clingstone cultivars destined for canning purposes.
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Elaboration of novel and comprehensive protocols toward
determination of textural properties and other sensorial
attributes of canning peach fruit
Marina Christofi
1
| Ioannis Mourtzinos
2
| Athina Lazaridou
2
|
Pavlina Drogoudi
3
| Petroula Tsitlakidou
2
| Costas G. Biliaderis
2
|
George A. Manganaris
1
1
Cyprus University of Technology,
Department of Agricultural Sciences,
Biotechnology & Food Science, Lemesos,
Cyprus
2
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of
Agriculture, Department of Food Science and
Technology, Thessaloniki, Greece
3
Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter,
Department of Deciduous Fruit Trees,
Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic
Resources, Naoussa, Greece
Correspondence
George A. Manganaris, Cyprus University of
Technology, Department of Agricultural
Sciences, Biotechnology & Food Science,
Lemesos, Cyprus.
Email: george.manganaris@cut.ac.cy
Abstract
Peach (Prunus persica) products are destined for fresh consumption or are being con-
sumed after processing in various forms. Despite its huge economic importance, no
standardized protocols to define sensorial attributes and mechanical properties of
canned peaches exist. Thus, the aim of the current study was dual and included the
setting up of a list of sensorial descriptors and the elaboration of a toolkit to evaluate
the textural properties of canned peaches using large deformation mechanical test-
ing. A standardized vocabulary (consensus language) was initially developed toward
the determination and quantification of 15 sensorial attributes through a descriptive
quantitative analysis (QDA) approach. Textural properties were additionally evaluated
with a TA-XT Plus texture analyzer by applying three discrete large deformation tests
[(a) puncture test with a flat cylindrical probe; (b) texture profile analysis (TPA) with a
flat compression plunger; and (c) Kramer shear test (KST) cell with a bladed fixture];
that is, a total of nine textural properties, namely, puncture firmness(individual hal-
ves), Kramerhardness (applied in a complex mixture of peach slices), TPAhard-
ness (central section of halves), fracturability, consistency, cohesiveness, springiness,
chewiness, and total hardness were assessed. We hereby present novel protocols
that encompass the comprehensive determination of sensorial and textural proper-
ties. The established protocols, providing complementary information, are readily
applicable to the canning industry in setting up qualitative tests to determine product
shelf life as well as to assist on going breeding programs for the evaluation of new
candidate clingstone cultivars destined for canning purposes.
KEYWORDS
aroma, clingstone, firmness, fruit processing, Prunus persica, quantitative descriptive analysis,
sensory evaluation, texture, texture profile analysis
1|INTRODUCTION
Peach (Prunus persica) is a widely-consumed commodity both as fresh
or after processing in various types of products (juice, canned, frozen,
Abbreviations: KST, Kramer shear test; QDA, quantitative descriptive analysis; SSC, soluble
solids content; TA, titratable acidity; TPA, texture profile analysis.
This article was published on AA publication on: 12 December 2020
Received: 30 July 2020 Revised: 30 November 2020 Accepted: 5 December 2020
DOI: 10.1111/jtxs.12577
J Texture Stud. 2020;112. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jtxs © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC. 1
or dehydrated fruit). Peach quality that is destined for fresh consump-
tion is mainly based on a set of features that encompass both external
characteristics (size, shape, color) and internal properties (taste, color,
texture, and aroma) that are perceived by the consumer. The determi-
nation of flesh firmness, titratable acidity (TA) and soluble solids con-
tent (SSC) are typical and easy-to-quantify quality parameters that
have been correlated with sensorial attributes and linked with con-
sumer acceptance (Legua, Hernández, Díaz-Mula, Valero, &
Serrano, 2011). Previous studies on sensory evaluation of fresh peach
fruit showed that appearance, aroma, flavor, sweetness, sourness, and
texture were the most commonly used quality indicators by the con-
sumers (Delgado, Crisosto, Heymann, & Crisosto, 2013). A linear rela-
tionship between SSC and consumer acceptance for peach fruit has
been established with values below 11% being considered as non-
acceptable (Crisosto & Crisosto, 2005). A combination of quality
parameters rather than a single parameter is generally recommended
to be used as determinants of the consumers' acceptance and prefer-
ence ratings.
Several sensorial attributes are directly connected with chemical
compounds present in peach. Sweet taste is mainly attributed to
sucrose that accounts for 4085% of the total soluble sugars content,
followed by glucose and fructose (1025%) and sorbitol (< 10%) (Cirilli,
Bassi, & Ciacciulli, 2016). Malic acid is the predominant organic acid of
peach fruit, contributing to the intensity of sourness (Crisosto &
Crisosto, 2005; Esti et al., 1997). Moreover, volatile esters that give the
characteristic aroma of peach, such as (E)-2-hexenyl acetate, (Z)-
3-hexenyl acetate and hexyl acetate, are compounds which have been
positively correlated with consumer preference responses (Eduardo,
Chietera, Bassi, Rossini, & Vecchietti, 2010). In addition, phytochemical
compounds, such as polyphenols and carotenoids further contribute
both to the flavor (astringency, bitter taste), nutritional quality and to
the overall appearance of the peach fruit, respectively (Drogoudi
et al., 2016; Legua et al., 2011; Reig, Iglesias, Gatius, & Alegre, 2013).
A key quality attribute of peach, either as fresh fruit or processed
product, is texture that is a sensory property directly linked to the per-
ception in the mouth during chewing (Harker, Redgwell, Hallett, Mur-
ray, & Carter, 2010; Szczesniak, 2002), being overall the most
significantly correlated attribute with the descriptive sensory attributes
(Contador, Díaz, Hernández, Shinya, & Infante, 2016). In addition, several
approaches have been elaborated as a suitable means for the assess-
ment of changes in textural parameters and cell wall modifications during
fruit processing (Ortiz et al., 2017). Further, to sensory evaluation of fruit
texture, instrumental texture measurements, such as large deformation
mechanical tests (compression and puncture tests) have been often used
in other horticultural commodities (Rolle et al., 2012). With these meth-
odological approaches, the deformation of a matter under stress is
assessed with the aim to establish relationships between mechanical
properties and related sensorial attributes of the tested product.
Although an extensive number of studies dealing with peach qual-
ity preference destined for fresh fruit consumption is available, this is
not the case when we are referring to peach products after
processing. Quality of canned fruits is seriously compromised by the
loss of their flesh firmness during pasteurization (Ribas-Agustí
et al., 2017), while vacuum pasteurization in an array of apple cultivars
unraveled varietal differences in textural properties following thermal
processing (Bourles, Mehinagic, Courthaudon, & Jourjon, 2009). The
peach canning industry largely expands its finished products in the
global market, having important economic implications for the main
peach producing countries. To our knowledge and despite its eco-
nomic importance, protocols that encompass the assessment of sen-
sorial properties of processed peach products through comprehensive
subjective and objective determinations do not exist. The present
study aimed to set up a list of descriptors for sensorial analysis of
canned peaches and to elaborate a toolkit to evaluate the textural
properties of such products. The relationship between sensorial and
instrumental measurements is additionally discussed.
2|MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1 |Fruit material
Peach fruit (Prunus persica) of the cultivar Androsswas used for the
needs of the current study. Androssis considered as a reference
clingstone peach cultivar for canning, being highly appreciated for its
agronomic attributes (high yield) and the superior qualitative physico-
chemical properties of the fruit, such as intense yellow flesh color,
high flesh firmness and a high aromatic profile after processing.
Fruit were harvested at commercial maturity stage based on back-
ground color. Fruit without defects and of uniform size (Grade A) were
selected with a hand-held size calibrator. Besides size, to ensure homo-
geneity of the entire batch of raw material, the maturity stage of all
fruits was determined non-destructively with the employment of a por-
table device (DA-meter, Turoni srl, Forli, Italy) which provides an index
that expresses the absorbance difference (index of absorbance differ-
ence, I
AD
) between two wavelengths (670 and 720 nm) near the absorp-
tion peak of chlorophyll a (A670A720nm). Such I
AD
measurements
correspond to chlorophyll concentration (ground color) below the skin
and provide an accurate estimate of fruit physiological maturity and
consumer acceptance (Minas, Blanco-Cipollone, & Sterle, 2021).
Fruit with similar maturity degree index values (I
AD
), were further
selected and subsequently segregated into two lots. One lot (30 fruit)
was used for direct analysis, as fresh product, and the other lot (40 kg
of fresh fruit) was subjected to canning process, prior to analysis.
2.2 |Canning process
The canning process took place at the premises of the Venus Growers
Cooperative Unit (Veria, Greece), a large fruit processing firm, and the
whole procedure is schematically depicted in Figure 1. Briefly, fresh
peaches were fed in the production line and were mechanically cut
and pitted (commercial cutters), followed by inspection for residual
stones and sorting of unpitted halves through an automatic color
sorting system. Clingstone peach halves were then peeled with caus-
tic soda solution and visually inspected/sorted for defects of the
2CHRISTOFI ET AL.
peeled halves. Subsequently, the halves were graded using sieves and
fed to the production lines according to size. Thereafter, a third visual
inspection/sorting took place prior to filling of cans with the peach
halves manually (8 halves/can, 450 g/can), and followed by addition
of enough packing medium to fill the interstitial spaces, using an auto-
matic vacuum filler. For comparative purposes regarding the sensorial
properties, the packing medium was either a light syrup (LS, of 15.4
Brix-pH = 3.56) or grape juice (GJ), as an alternative filling medium
with less caloric content, that is composed of diluted clarified concen-
trated grape juice (12.3
Brix-pH = 3.66).
The filled cans were thermally exhausted and then introduced in
an automatic closing machine for seaming. Thereafter, the hermeti-
cally sealed cans were pasteurized in boiling water (9798C, 22 min)
using a horizontal line pasteurizer (the can center reached 9192C),
allowing can rolling, and cooled down by cold water spraying for
10 min (4042C), and finally to room temperature (2530C). Sub-
sequently, all cans were stored at ambient conditions (25C) for
6 months before being analyzed for their sensorial and textural prop-
erties; this storage period is adequate to attain osmotic equilibrium
among all components present within the cans.
2.3 |Qualitative attributes of fresh fruit
Three replications of 10-fruit were used to determine flesh color, flesh
firmness (FF), soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA).
Flesh color was determined using a Minolta chromatometer (CR-410,
Konica Minolta, Tokyo, Japan) to indicate the coordinates L* (bright-
ness or lightness; 0 = black, 100 = white), a* (a* = greenness,
+a* = redness) and b* (b* = blueness, +b* = yellowness. Hue angle
([H][0
= red-purple, 90= yellow, 180= bluish-green, 270= blue])
and Chroma (degree of departure from gray to pure chromatic color)
were also calculated as tan
1
(b*/a*) and (a*
2
+b*
2
)
½
, respectively.
Flesh firmness was determined on two equatorial sides of each
fruit, after peel removal in small areas of the fruit surface, using a pen-
etrometer (Model FT-327, Effegi), fitted with an 8 mm plunger tip and
the results were expressed in Newtons (N). The SSC and TA were
determined in a filtered juice sample, obtained by maceration of flesh
from 10 destoned fruit. The SSC was measured using a digital refrac-
tometer (model PR-32α, Atago, Tokyo, Japan) and expressed as
Brix,
whereas measurements of TA were made by manual titration; that is,
5 ml of juice were titrated with a 0.1 M NaOH solution, with a phe-
nolphthalein solution being used to mark the pH end point of 8.2, and
results were expressed as percentage malic acid equivalents.
2.4 |Qualitative attributes of canned fruit
Canned products of the two packing media (LS and GJ) were washed
with deionized water and drained for 2 min prior to any analysis. Color
parameters (L, a, b, C, h) were measured on 24 halves per packing
medium as previously described. Subsequently, halves of three cans
per each packing medium were used to determine SSC and TA con-
tents. Canned peach halves were homogenized in a laboratory blender
(model: ES3, EZ600 black, Blendtec) at high speed for 2 min and the
resulting puree was centrifuged (model: 318 K, Sigma, Germany) at
3000g, for 10 min at 4C; the supernatant was then used to deter-
mine the SSC and TA contents as previously described.
FIGURE 1 Schematic illustration of processing steps for canning of peaches
CHRISTOFI ET AL.3
The textural properties of Androsshalves were determined
using a multipurpose texture analyzer TA-XT.plus (Stable Micro-
systems, Godalming, Surrey, UK), equipped with a 30 kg load cell and
three different probes that correspond to different assays, namely:
(a) puncture test; (b) texture profile analysis (TPA); and (c) Kramer
shear test (KST). For the latter measurement, the testing material was
in the form of 200 g of peach cuboid pieces with similar dimensions
(22 mm ×12 mm ×11 mm) derived from the halves using a stainless
steel multiple mold cutter. Prior to the initiation of each assay, calibra-
tion was carried out using a 5-kg weight and all measurements were
conducted under controlled temperature (23 ± 2C).
2.5 |Sensory analysis
Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) was used to characterize the
sensorial attributes (odor, appearance, texture, and taste) of canned
Androsspeach halves at the two packing media, that is, light syrup
(LS) and grape juice (GJ). The sensory analysis included the pre-
screening and training of panelists and the development of a consen-
sus vocabulary, appropriate for canned peach. Subsequently, two suc-
cessive assessment sessions took place according to the ISO
standards (ISO, 4120:2004; 6658:2005; 8589:2007; 5492:1991;
4121:2003). The sessions took place in a properly designated room
with individual booths for each panelist under controlled temperature
and humidity, with white light illumination.
Sampleswerecodedandservedinarandomizedordertothe
12-member trained sensory panel that was asked to evaluate the follow-
ing 15 sensorial attributes using a 10-point (intensity) evaluation scale:
peach aroma, peach color, color uniformity, brightness, residual peel,
blemished fruit pieces, hardness, difficulty in chewiness, sweetness, acid-
ity, bitterness, astringency, peach flavor, fruitiness, and off-flavor.
2.6 |Statistical analysis
Differences between textural and qualitative properties of two syrups
were tested by means of a Student's ttest using Graph pad Prism
8. Sensory data were subjected to statistical analysis with the employ-
ment of SenPAQ software (Qi statistics). Analysis of variance
(ANOVA) was performed on all panel data sets considering the sam-
ples, assessors, and their interactions as fixed variables. Significant dif-
ferences were established using the Tukey honestly significant
difference (HSD). All measurements were reported as means ± SD,
and considered significant when p< .05.
3|RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 |Qualitative attributes of fresh fruit
The quality attributes (color parameters, firmness, SSC, TA) of the
freshly harvested Androssfruit are presented in Table 1. Andross
fruit yellowish flesh color was characterized by high L* (80.65), b*
(78.51), and h* (79.52) values, and, respectively low a* values (14.55).
Drogoudi and Tsipouridis (2007) ranked Androssas the cultivar with
the most intense yellow flesh color (high b* and low a* values) and the
brightest intensity, as evidenced by the high L* values. Flesh firmness
was 30 N, SSC was 11.3% and TA was 0.46%. Such qualitative attri-
butes are considered appropriate for harvesting of fruit intended for
canning and are similar to those reported by previous studies
(Drogoudi & Tsipouridis, 2007; González-Buesa, Arias, Salvador,
Oria, & Ferrer-Mairal, 2011).
3.2 |Elaboration of protocols for determination of
textural properties
Three independent assays were developed to evaluate the texture of
canned peach halves, including: (a) puncture test for the determination
of firmness in the middle of individual peach halves; (b) texture profile
analysis (TPA) for the determination of hardness, fracturability, consis-
tency, cohesiveness, springiness, chewiness; and (c) bulk mechanical
behavior using the Kramer shear cell method to determine the hard-
ness and the total work of shearing. All three assays are schematically
presented in Figure 2 and the developed protocols are provided
below.
3.2.1 |Puncture test protocol
An adjusted puncture test analysis for canned peach halves was
developed (Figure 2a). The sample (halved peach) was placed on a flat
steel plate (heavy-duty platform [HDP/90]) and the tests were per-
formed with a 6 mm diameter probe (P/6). The probe penetrated into
the sample at a speed rate of 1 mm/s up to a depth of 15 mm and the
required penetration force for its rupture, defined as puncture firm-
ness, was calculated as the maximum force applied.
The puncture test is the most commonly used large deformation
mechanical test for firmness determination, applicable to a broad array
of horticultural commodities (Ciacciulli, Chiozzotto, Attanasio, Cirilli, &
Bassi, 2018; Fuentes-Pérez, Nogales-Delgado, Ayuso, & Bohoyo-
TABLE 1 Quality characteristics of harvested Androsspeach
fruit
Quality attributes
L* 80.65 ± 2.52
a* 14.55 ± 3.42
b* 78.51 ± 3.91
Chroma 79.90 ± 4.10
H* 79.52 ± 2.26
Flesh firmness (N) 29.64 ± 5.36
Soluble solids content (brix) 11.30 ± 0.38
Titratable acidity (%) 0.46 ± 0.02
Note: Values are means ± SD; N= 30 for color parameters and fresh
firmness and n= 3 for SSC, TA.
4CHRISTOFI ET AL.
Gil, 2014; Ruiz-Altisent, Lleó, & Riquelme, 2006), including canned
peach (Manganaris, Vasilakakis, Diamantidis, & Mignani, 2005). The
puncture test is primarily used to measure the required force to pene-
trate the fruit flesh at a fixed distance with a steady speed rate of the
moving probe. It is a straightforward assay, used for both fresh, and
processed fruit or vegetables and is often adopted compared to a com-
pression test due to the simplicity of conditions to replicate the test
(sample size and shape is predictable). The puncture test has been
described as a sensitive probe to evaluate the internal structure of the
tested product since the responses are related to tissue structural
integrity (Ribas-Agustí et al., 2017). However, this assay alone does not
encompass the entire profile of textural properties of canned peach
products and needs to be coupled with other protocols to probe all tex-
tural attributes in a more holistic and comprehensive manner.
3.2.2 |TPA protocol
The TPA or the Two Bite Test,is a double compression test that
mimics the mouth's biting action. This technique is being used
extensively to quantify multiple textural parameters of processed food
products (Jaworska, Berna
s, Biernacka, & Maciejaszek, 2010; Trejo
Araya et al., 2009). In the case of peach, there have been a few prelim-
inary studies where TPA analysis was employed for thermally or mini-
mally processed peach products (Denoya et al., 2016; Zhang
et al., 2012; Zhang, Yao, Zhang, & Hu, 2014).
Our approach encompassed an extensive set of preliminary
experiments toward optimization and standardization of a protocol
for TPA test applicable to canning peach fruit. Conditions such as
sample size and shape, the speed rate of the probe and the degree of
deformation were examined. Initially, the sample was made repeatable
in size and shape for each measurement using customized cutting
devices to obtain uniform tissue segments from each peach halve.
The different test conditions explored were test speed (0.5, 0.8,
1.0 mm/s), and degree of deformation (75, 80, 85%). The selection of
the TPA test parameters was based on: (a) very good repeatability
between measurements (using a set of measurements to achieve
coefficients of variation [CV] below 20% for all measured parameters);
and (b) avoiding a complete rupture of the tested samples during the
two compression cycles.
FIGURE 2 Principal assays and
probes used in texture analysis of canned
peach fruit: (a) Puncture test using a flat
cylinder steel probe (;6 mm); (b) TPA
using a flat compression steel platen (;
75 mm); and (c) Kramer shear test cell
with fixed 5-steel blades. A single
measurement of a sample is shown in a
force-deformation curve next to each
assay; the point of maximum force
(N) related to the texture parameter of
hardnessfor all three tests is indicated
CHRISTOFI ET AL.5
For the TPA tests, uniform cylindrical pieces (15 mm
height ×30 mm diameter) were obtained from the halved peaches by
cutting perpendicularly to the outer surface of the fruit with a cork
cutter-like device. Subsequently, the sample (outer face up) was
placed on the flat steel HDP/90 Heavy Duty Platform and the tests
were performed with a 75 (P/75) mm diameter flat plunger that
entirely covered the surface area of the sample. The compression
force at a deformation speed rate of 0.8 mm/s, up to a maximum
deformation of 80% of the original height, was then applied. Two
cycles of compression took place at 5 s interval to simulate the human
chewing action and the TPA parameters, hardness, fracturability, con-
sistency, cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness, were evaluated
(Figure 2b); the expression of each TPA parameter and the mathemat-
ical equations used for their determination from the deformation pro-
file are provided in Table 2 and Figure 2b.
3.2.3 |KST protocol
Canned peach samples were additionally tested with a bulkfirmness
test which is designated to evaluate simultaneously the mechanical
responses of a number of pieces of specific weight with the employ-
ment of a multi-bladed device (Kramer shear test cell, KST)
(Figure 2c). This device is commonly used to analyze the bulk textural
features of multiparticle products, such as cereals (Chaunier,
Courcoux, Della Valle, & Lourdin, 2005; Kerr, Ward, Mcwatters, &
Resurreccion, 2001) and to evaluate the texture of both raw ingredi-
ents and finished food products (Ayour et al., 2017; Walter, Truong, &
Espinel, 2002), yet with limited exploitation to horticultural commodi-
ties (Canet, Alvarez, Luna, & Fernández, 2004; Sousa, Canet, Alvarez, &
Fernández, 2007). KST has been employed on some thermally
processed commodities, such as pasteurized apricots (Ribas-Agustí
et al., 2017) and diced tomatoes (Rao & Barringer, 2006). To the best
of our knowledge, this large deformation mechanical testing has never
been applied for canned peach halves.
In the present study, sample preparation involved chopping of
canned peach halves into pieces (22 mm length ×12 mm
width ×11 mm height) and placing them into the Kramer cell to cover
its entire space uniformly (i.e., restricting any gaps in the cell) to
improve reproducibility of the measurements. The steps of the
established protocol are as follow. Canned peach halves were
removed from the can, washed, drained and weighed out into equal
portions. Three to four canned peach halves (200 g) were sliced into
smaller pieces using a hand-held potato cutter and placed across the
bottom of a five-bladed Kramer shear cell which was secured and
screwed in the heavy-duty platform before filling. Prior to testing, a
calibration procedure was performed to assure that the blades start
always at the same distance from the bottom of the cell. Thereafter,
the weighed sample was evenly distributed to fill the shear cell by
50% of its capacity; this volume level was kept constant in order to
minimize variation between analyses. The cell blades were then driven
into the sample at a crosshead speed of 3 mm/s and a total distance
of 85 mm. The maximum force (Kramer hardness) and total area
under the shearing curve (work of shearingor total hardness)
were obtained and used as indicators of textural properties.
3.3 |Textural properties and other qualitative
attributes of canned fruit
Table 3 presents cumulative results of all textural properties [puncture
firmness, Kramerhardness, TPAhardness, consistency, cohesive-
ness, springiness, chewiness, and total hardness] determined for
Androsscanned fruit in the two packing media (LS and GJ) by
employing the abovementioned tests. The puncture firmness of
Androssfruit in LS was 3.18 N, significantly lower (p< .01) to GJ
(4.04 N). TPA analysis allowed the simultaneous determination of
hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, consistency, and chewiness. In
general, the experimental values were similar for both packing media;
only a slight increment (p< .05) of cohesiveness for the GJ samples
was noted. The GJ samples exhibited higher Kramer hardness values
(133 N), yet not statistically significant compared to the LS values
(110 N). The total work of shearing or total hardness(N.mm) repre-
sents the energy required for cutting the canned peach samples; no
TABLE 2 Textural parameters and calculations used in TPA analysis of canned peaches
Parameter Expression Calculation
a
Units
Hardness The maximum peak force during the first compression
cycle
Force 1(f
1
)N
Fracturability The force at the first significant break in the TPA curve Force 2 (f
2
)N
Consistency The total positive force area of the double
compression
Area (1:3) + area (4:6) N
.
mm
Cohesiveness The ratio of the positive force area during the second
compression to that during the first compression
Area (4:6)/area (1:3) -
Springiness The ratio of the distance beginning from the start of
the second peak and ending to its maximum force to
the distance beginning from the start of the first
peak and ending to its maximum force
Distance (4:5) (D2)/distance (1:2) (D1) -
Chewiness The product of hardness x cohesiveness x springiness Hardness x cohesiveness x springiness N
a
Each calculation (symbol) of texture parameter expression is illustrated in Figure 2b.
6CHRISTOFI ET AL.
significant differences among LS and GS samples were noted, pointing
that fruit tissue structure, following osmotic equilibrium in the two
media tested, is the main determinant of the textural responses
recorded than the packing medium employed.
Overall, a comprehensive toolkit of textural analysis has been
developed and applied for first time to canned peach fruit products.
This toolkit allows the determination of textural parameters as
assessed with the employment of three large deformation assays
(Puncture, TPA, and KST). In the current study, although differences
among the examined samples were evident using the common punc-
ture test (in this assay, both compression and shear forces are
involved), this was not the case when more delicate and comprehen-
sive texture analyses were employed (TPA, KST).
The basic color parameters were identical for samples packed in
both media, showing high L* and b*, and low a* values (Table 3).
Hue angle (H*) was 90in both cases, typical for yellow fleshed
products. Androsshalves that were filled with LS registered signif-
icantly higher SSC values (p< .001) compared with halvesfilled
with GJ, while TA appeared unaffected by the packing medium
used. The three significantly different properties (cohesiveness
*p< .05; puncture firmness **p< .01; SSC ***p< .001) found
between the two packing media of Androsscanned fruit are illus-
tratedinFigure3.
3.4 |Sensory analysis
There has been an accumulating interest in several studies regarding
sensory evaluation of foodstuff to assess product's quality attributes
related to consumer preference and acceptability. In particular,
descriptive sensory analysis is extensively used to characterize attri-
butes of an array of fresh horticultural commodities (Aprea
et al., 2012; Causse, Saliba-Colombani, Lesschaeve, & Buret, 2001;
Jaeger, Rossiter, Wismer, & Harker, 2003; Oliver, Cicerale, Pang, &
Keast, 2018; Péneau, Brockhoff, Escher, & Nuessli, 2007). Apart from
the fresh product, several studies have focused on sensory evaluation
of processed fruit as well (Bett-Garber, Watson, Lea, Champagne, &
Lamikanra, 2010; Bonneau et al., 2018; Haug, King, Heymann, &
Crisosto, 2013; Lieb, Esquivel, Cubero Castillo, Carle, &
Steingass, 2018). A range of sensory descriptors for canned peach
fruit has been identified by an early preliminary study that challenged
accepted interpretations in the field of quality evaluation (Manganaris
et al., 2005).
However, as for textural studies, no standardized protocols on
descriptive sensory profile of canned peach fruit exist that is a long-
due request by the canning industry. The key steps of a sensory analy-
sis plan generally include the following principles: setting specific anal-
ysis goals; define the product type; design the tests; select an
appropriate group of panelists; assess and analyze the results
TABLE 3 Color parameters (L*, a*, b*, Chroma, and H*), soluble
solids content, titratable acidity, and textural properties of Andross
canned fruit in LS and GJ samples, obtained by three different large
deformation tests: Puncture, TPA, and KST
Packing medium
Quality attribute Light syrup (LS) Grape juice syrup (GJ)
L* 54.90 ± 2.63 54.74 ± 2.37
a* 0.17 ± 1.40 0.60 ± 1.68
b* 45.62 ± 3.02 45.15 ± 4.25
Chroma 45.64 ± 3.02 45.19 ± 4.22
H* 90.29 ± 1.77 90.95 ± 2.25
SSC (brix) 15.40 ± 0.17
*
12.27 ± 0.34
*
TA (%) 0.36 ± 0.01 0.34 ± 0.02
Puncture firmness (N) 3.18 ± 0.58
**
4.04 ± 0.54
**
TPA hardness (N) 28.73 ± 9.94 24.71 ± 10.38
Springiness 0.20 ± 0.03 0.20 ± 0.03
Cohesiveness 0.09 ± 0.01
***
0.10 ± 0.01
***
Consistency (N.mm) 170.5 ± 42.9 146.8 ± 66.5
Chewiness (N) 0.49 ± 0.18 0.44 ± 0.16
Kramer hardness (N) 110.3 ± 27.4 133.4 ± 20.4
Total hardness (N.mm) 2,980 ± 382 3,120 ± 456
Note: Results are presented as mean ± SD;n= 24 for color parameters,
n= 3 for SSC and TA, and n= 6 for KST and n= 9 for Puncture and TPA
tests. Means followed by asterisk(s) within a row are significantly
different.
*p< .001; **p< .01; ***p< .05.
FIGURE 3 Box-and-whisker plots represent the intrinsic
variability of the three instrumental properties (cohesiveness,
puncture firmness, SSC) that showed significant differences between
the two packing media of Androsscanned fruit in GJ and
LS. Individual data points of each attribute are shown in dots. The
mean values of the boxplots of each characteristic are connected with
a straight line
CHRISTOFI ET AL.7
(Lawless & Heymann, 2010). We hereby present a customized sensory
analysis protocol that was developed to assess a range of attributes
for canned peaches. Based on the aforementioned principles, the pil-
lars of our approach encompassed the screening and training of the
panelists, the development of a standardized vocabulary, the sample
evaluation for the processed peach products packed with two differ-
ent liquid media and data interpretation.
3.4.1 |Pre-screening and training of panelists
A panel of 20 judges were pre-screened for sensory acuity and trained
based on their ability to discriminate differences between canned
peach products, describe basic flavors/tastes and distinguish different
levels of intensity of a given attribute by following the ISO standards
6658(2005) and 4120(2004). Initially, the panelists were introduced
to the principles of sensory evaluation followed by training on basic
flavors/tastes with the aim to create memory and become familiar
with each taste individually, as well as to recognize and describe the
examined taste. According to the methodology of triangle test, nine
basic attributes of flavors, along with corresponding aqueous refer-
ence solutions, were used to train the panel. The samples were pre-
pared and served in plastic glasses (20 ml) as follows: bitterness
(caffeine; 0.2 g/L), acidity (citric acid; 0.2 g/L), sweetness (sucrose;
6 g/L), salty (cooking salt; 1.3 g/L), umami (monosodium glutamate;
0.3 g/L), astringency (tannic acid; 0.5 g/L), metallic (iron III sulfate
heptahydrate; 0.01 g/L), fruity (isoamyl acetate; 20 mg/L) and green
flavor (z-Hex-3-en-1-ol; 0.4 ml/L). Each specific flavor was presented
to the panelist to select the sample perceived as different every time;
one of three samples was the taste of interest. The panelists were
considered as reliably performing when they had succeeded to iden-
tify the odd sample in the triangle test by providing 100% correct
answers upon repetition of the test.
Based on the ranking test, the panelists were subsequently
trained and assessed in their ability to describe and distinguish graded
levels of intensity of the aforementioned flavors. A series of samples
(four samples of graded intensity of the same attribute) in specific ran-
dom order were presented to each panelist in plastic water glasses
(20 ml per sample) to ensure that evaluations are not affected by the
order the samples are presented. The concentrations of all reference
standards (compounds) used to assess the sensory attributes are pres-
ented in Table 4. The success of the test was determined based on
the ability of the panelist not to invert more than one adjacent pair; if
this was not the case, the panelist was eliminated from the specific
type of analysis.
3.4.2 |Development of standardized vocabulary
The final sensory panel constituted of 12 trained panelists who were
asked to evaluate commercial canned peaches over two training ses-
sions within 1 day (morning and afternoon session), lasting 2 h each.
In the first session, the panelists were asked to describe the sensory
perception in respect to smell, visual features, taste, and hardness of
commercial canned peaches and write down any perceived character-
istic as well as all the descriptive terms that were relevant to product
physical and sensorial properties. A sensory vocabulary of 15 sensorial
attributes was thus developed and used to describe the canned sam-
ples for odor (1 attribute), appearance (5 attributes), texture (2 attri-
butes) and taste/flavor (7 attributes). A complete list of all sensorial
attributes, definitions, and reference standards used in the training
sessions are summarized in Table 5.
A short period of resting and cleansing of the oral cavity of each
panelist with mineral water and a toasted bread sample was taking
place between successive assessments of the basic tastes and rank-
ings. During the second session, each sensory attribute was scaled on
a 10-points intensity evaluation scale; a structured rating scale,
anchored at the ends by the terms lowor noneon the left and
veryon the right, was presented and the two extreme ends of the
scale were discussed and adopted among the panelists. For evalua-
tion, the cans of peach halves were opened on that day and the refer-
ence standards were freshly prepared each time of performing the
sensory session.
3.4.3 |Evaluation of the samples
Two successive evaluation sessions were carried out to assess the
intensity of all 15 sensory attributes of canned peach in each filling
medium as previously indicated. All sensory evaluations were per-
formed in a designated area with 12 individual booths under con-
trolled illumination and temperature (ISO 8589:2007); samples (halves
of canned fruit) were served to the panelists in an encoded (three-
digit code) transparent plastic bowl, whereas the reference standards
TABLE 4 Concentrations of
reference standards (compounds)
employed in evaluation of sensory
attributes
Material Description of flavor/taste Concentrations
Caffeine (g/L) Bitterness 0.15 0.22 0.34 0.51
Citric acid (g/L) Acidity 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.50
Sucrose (g/L) Sweetness 4.50 9.00 14.0 25.0
Cooking salt (g/L) Salty 0.84 1.20 2.00 2.50
Monosodium glutamate (g/L) Umami 0.21 0.30 0.39 0.50
Isoamyl acetate (mg/L) Fruity 5.00 10.0 20.0 40.0
Hexyl acetate (mg/L) Green 0.50 5.00 20.0 50.0
8CHRISTOFI ET AL.
were presented by name. The panelists were asked to evaluate and
score the intensity of attributes for each sample with reference to
standards on a graded scale in the following order: odor was examined
first by sniffing the sample, then, appearance was assessed, followed
by texture (testing by hand and oral) as instructed in the training ses-
sion. Lastly, the taste/flavor attributes were evaluated.
The organoleptic profile of all sensorial attributes of Andross
canned peach samples in LS and GJ packing media are summarized in
TABLE 5 List of sensory attributes, definitions and reference standards used in the training sessions of the sensory panel
Attributes Definitions
a
Reference standards (intensity)
a
Odor Peach aroma Intensity of characteristic aroma of commercial
canned peach (none to very)
None: Mineral water
Very: Freshly prepared commercial canned peach
was blended to puree
Appearance Peach color Based on color scale given, define the color of peach
halve (greenish yellow to dark orange)
A color scale was constructed and given
Color uniformity Based on scale given, define the degree of color
uniformity (nonuniform to uniform)
Images were taken and given as an example of the
two ends
Brightness Based on scale given, define the glossy surface
showing bright reflection (less shiny to very shiny)
Images were taken and given as an example of the
two ends
Residual peel The skin remaining after peeling with caustic soda
(none to very)
Blemished fruit Something spoils the appearance of peach halve
which is otherwise esthetically perfect (none to
very)
Images were taken and given as an example of the
two ends
Texture Hardness Force required to compress and deform 75% of the
halve center, using your thumb (low to very hard)
Low: Cream cheese
Moderate: Soft pitted canned olive
Very hard: Raw peanut
Difficulty in
chewiness
The degree of difficulty observed during chewing of
peach halve (low to very)
Try the appropriate piece of area (as shown in
additional part) and evaluate the samples based on
the chewing time (<3 s: Low and > 12 s: Very)
Taste Sweetness Taste characteristic of sucrose (low to very) Low: Freshly prepared canned peach puree with
sucrose (4.5 g/L)
Very: Freshly prepared canned peach puree with
sucrose (30 g/L)
Acidity Taste characteristic of citric fruits (low to very) Low: Freshly prepared canned peach puree with
50% more water
Very: Freshly prepared canned peach puree with
citric acid (0.5 g/L)
Bitterness Taste characteristic of caffeic acid (none to very) None: Mineral water
Very: Freshly prepared aqueous solution with
caffeine (0.5 g/L)
Astringency Sensation of dryness on the palate or muscle
contraction (squeeze lips) caused by some
substances like tannins (none to very)
None: Mineral water
Very: Freshly prepared canned peach puree with
tannic acid (0.5 g/L)
Peach flavor Typical flavor of commercial canned peach (low to
very)
Low: Freshly prepared canned peach puree with
50% more water
Very: Freshly prepared canned peach was blended
with peach nectar
Fruitiness The characteristic fruity note associated with fruits
besides peach (low to very)
Low: Freshly prepared aqueous solution with
isoamyl acetate (5.0 mg/L)
Very: Freshly prepared aqueous solution with
isoamyl acetate (40 mg/L)
Off-flavor Intensity of atypical flavor perceived in your mouth
after chewing and is often associated with
deterioration of the product such as overcooked
(none to very) aIf yes please specify
None: Commercial canned peach
Very: Commercial canned peach halve was baked in
oven for 20 min (180C)
a
Definitions and reference standards of sensory attributes as adapted from literature information: Bonneau et al. (2018), Cardoso and Bolini (2008),
Gunness, Kravchuk, Nottingham, D'arcy, and Gidley (2009), Apostolopoulos and Brennan (1994), ISO 5492:1992 (E/F)Glossary of terms relating to
sensory analysis.
CHRISTOFI ET AL.9
Figure 4. The sensory panelists showed fairly good repeatability and
consistency in their scores. For both samples, four attributes related
with brightness, bitterness, astringency, and off-flavor were signifi-
cantly different between the two canned samples tested. Conversely,
there were no significant differences between the two products regard-
ing all other remaining attributes, including peach aroma, color, color
uniformity, residual peel, blemished, hardness, chewiness, sweetness,
acidity, fruitiness, and peach flavor. Overall, both samples were charac-
terized by a similar pattern of scoring with slight differences.
Among the examined attributes, the sensory descriptors of color
uniformity and texture were the highest rated for LS peaches, followed
by their GJ counterparts. Zero scores were noticed in both samples in
terms of residual peel, astringency, and off-flavor for LS and residual
peel and blemished fruit for GJ. Regarding the taste profile, LS and GJ
samples were high in the descriptors of sweetness (5.85.6), fruitiness
(6.15.9) and peach flavor (6.45.8), whereas rather low intensities in
acidity (1.11.6), bitterness (0.10.9), off-flavor (0.01.0) and astrin-
gency (0.00.7), were registered. A similar trend was observed for the
appearance profile, with higher scores being recorded for color
(5.45.3), color uniformity (7.06.6) and brightness (5.76.6), as well as
for the lower scores in residual peel (0.0) and blemished fruit (0.10.0).
The texture (6.97.0) and peach aroma, odor (6.56.2) attributes were
also scored with relatively high intensities by the panelists.
4|CONCLUSIONS
In the current study, mechanical tests were coupled with sensorial
analysis toward the provision of a comprehensive toolkit to assess
qualitative attributes and textural properties of canned peach fruit. In
particular, through an array of large deformation tests, nine textural
attributes can be evaluated, that is, puncture firmness(on individual
halves), Kramerhardness (applied in a complex mixture of peach
slices), TPAhardness (using the central section of halves),
fracturability, consistency, cohesiveness, springiness, chewiness, and
total hardness. Furthermore, with a descriptive sensorial qualitative
analysis, as elaborated in the present work, 15 different attributes,
related to odor, appearance, texture, and taste can be determined.
Using the former objective tests, canned peach products can be dif-
ferentiated on the basis of textural parameters, whereas for the latter,
evaluation is based on several sensorial attributes related to consumer
preferences and therefore permits discrimination among samples of
varying quality. Overall, both approaches provide complementary
information on important quality parameters of canned peach prod-
ucts and can be adopted by both breeders and the canning industry to
select new clingstone peach cultivars suitable for canning. Moreover,
the proposed analytical toolkit would be valuable to establish appro-
priate thermal processing protocols aiming at desirable end-product
quality characteristics as well as to monitor the shelf life of these
processed fruit products.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies
in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The first author
(MC) was a recipient of a mobility grant at Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki under the scheme of a 3-month scientific mission, funded
by the COST action (CA15136). We also acknowledge the support of
Mr. Theodoulidis, CEO of Venus Growers, for providing the study
material and technical assistance in fruit processing. Special thanks to
Prof. Mauromoustakos for assisting in data analysis.
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Marina Christofi: Formal analysis; methodology; visualization; writing-
original draft; writing-review and editing. Ioannis Mourtzinos: Meth-
odology; writing-review and editing. Athina Lazaridou: Methodology;
writing-review and editing. Pavlina Drogoudi: Methodology; writing-
review and editing. Petroula Tsitlakidou: Methodology. Costas G
Biliaderis: Methodology; supervision; writing-original draft; writing-
review and editing. George A. Manganaris: Conceptualization; super-
vision; writing-original draft; writing-review and editing.
ETHICAL STATEMENTS
Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they do not have any
conflict of interest.
Ethical review: This study does not involve any human or animal
testing.
Informed consent: Written informed consent was obtained from all
study participants.
ORCID
Marina Christofi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5285-3983
Ioannis Mourtzinos https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5688-7136
FIGURE 4 Sensory profile of Androsscanned peach fruit in
light syrup (LS_Andross) and grape juice (GJ_Andross). The data are
obtained from 15 examined attributes as scored by the sensory panel.
For each sensory attribute the perceived mean intensity increases
outward from the center point. Attributes with asterisk (*) indicate
statistically different (p< .05) between two syrups. Abbreviations
such as (O) is for odor, (A) for appearance, (Tex) for texture, and (Tas)
for taste
10 CHRISTOFI ET AL.
Athina Lazaridou https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3641-788X
Costas G. Biliaderis https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9641-6278
George A. Manganaris https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5849-6104
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different varieties. Gaoya Wuli Xuebao/Chinese Journal of High Pressure
Physics,28, 232238.
How to cite this article: Christofi M, Mourtzinos I,
Lazaridou A, et al. Elaboration of novel and comprehensive
protocols toward determination of textural properties and
other sensorial attributes of canning peach fruit. J Texture
Stud. 2020;112. https://doi.org/10.1111/jtxs.12577
12 CHRISTOFI ET AL.
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... Panel discussions were conducted to investigate the sensory characteristics of wine coffee. This wine coffee lexicon is based on the sensory attributes outlined in the SCAA cupping protocols (Christofi et al., 2021). Before the discussion started, panellists were asked to answer the questionnaires and do the cupping for three coffee-wine samples. ...
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... For each cultivar, fruit of uniform size and without any visual defects were selected using a hand-held fruit size calibrator (Grade A). To assure homogeneity in fruit maturity of the samples per cultivar, a hand-held DA-meter (Sinteleia, Bologna, Italy) was employed, as elsewhere described (Christofi et al., 2021b), and ca. 40 kg per cultivar were kept for further studies. ...
... The rest of the fruits were subjected to canning following the typical processing protocol of industrial conditions as described elsewhere in detail (Christofi et al., 2021b). Canned peach halves were processed both in light syrup (LS, initial of ~20.0 • Brix) and grape juice syrup (GJ, initial of ~16.0 • Brix); the latter is used as an alternative filling medium of canned fruit products with a less caloric content. ...
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... It then obtains the relevant texture parameters via secondary compression and the texture model [13,14] and overcomes the shortcomings of the subjectivity of traditional sensory evaluation [13]. TPA is commonly employed in the investigation of fruit texture features [15], including apple [16], pear [17], peach [18], and jujube [19]. The TPA method was used to determine and analyze the textural indexes of date fruits of three varieties at six fruit ripening periods, and the results showed that the textural indexes varied greatly at different ripening periods, while different varieties would not affect the trend of change [20,21]. ...
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... It then obtains the relevant texture parameters via secondary compression and texture model [32,33]. TPA is commonly employed in the investigation of fruit texture features [34], including apple [35,36], pear [37], peach [38,39] and jujube [40,41] et al. As Xinjiang province's largest main producing area of HZ fruits, the full evaluation of fruit texture quality has yet to be accomplished, and there are few related reports. ...
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A superior variant of dried jujube in China is ‘Huizao’ (HZ) jujube. Nonetheless, detailed evaluations of the texture quality of HZ fruits have been the subject of few studies. Texture is a significant indicator of the sensory and processed quality of a fruit. Here, we differentiate and characterize the texture quality of HZ fruits from the four primary producing regions in southern Xinjiang, as well as develop a system for assessing the texture quality of HZ fruits. Furthermore, five texture indices of HZ fruits from 109 plantations were exhaustively evaluated utilizing principal component analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and hierarchical clustering analysis. Consequently, by the 10th, 30th, 70th, and 90th percentiles, each index was classified into five grades—lower, medium, high, and higher. Correlation investigation indicated strong relationships between the springiness, chewiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and hardness of HZ fruits. Springiness, hardness, and adhesiveness are essential indicators that influence the texture of HZ fruits. We used clustering analysis to separate the six texture indices into three major categories (hard factor, stick-elastic factor, and adhesive factor), with indices representing hardness, springiness, and adhesiveness, respectively. Furthermore, according to the factor molecules, the texture quality of HZ fruits in the four production areas was evaluated as Bazhou (1.24) > Hotan (0.773) > Kashi (-0.577) > Aksu (-0.852). RDA analysis of six texture quality parameters and 24 climate conditions identified higher mean temperature (TEM) and lower relative humidity (RHU) as the primary factors contributing to the improved texture quality of HZ fruits in Xinjiang. This study identified the texture quality characteristics of HZ fruits in four major producing areas of Southern Xinjiang, and it offered a theoretical foundation for optimizing the dominant producing areas and regional production of HZ varieties in Xinjiang.
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