Makes Scents to Me: Why More Aromatic Blueberries Taste Better
They may be called aromatic blueberries, but they don’t just smell nice — they taste good. University of Florida scientists now know why: These fruits contain just the right genetic combination to produce the chemistry required for a pleasant blueberry flavor.
Blueberry breeders have long known that the fruit they help grow, classified as “aromatic,” comes with naturally occurring chemical components that make the fruit taste different, says Patricio Muñoz, UF/IFAS Associate Professor of horticultural sciences.
“These metabolites are in a category we call ‘volatile organic compounds,’ because they explode with fruit flavor when you crunch the fruit in your mouth,” he sys.
To find where the flavor starts, scientists must find the right genes that control these compounds.
The new study combines information from UF sensory panels with biochemical and molecular information. Through the research, scientists identified potential candidate genes that control the production of terpenes in some types of blueberries.
To reach their findings, scientists selected two groups of blueberry varieties. In the first group were a few traditional blueberry varieties; in the second group, researchers selected aromatic varieties.
Then, researchers conducted a taste-testing panel, asking participants whether they could detect any special traits in the blueberries, and if so, to describe them. They also asked the tasters if they liked the fruit.
The results: Consumers correctly detected the special aromatic blueberries, and they described them, using different words such as “floral,” “fruity,” “blueberry (flavor),” “strong,” and more. Most tasters liked the blueberries.
“Once we analyzed the data of the panel, we saw consumers like these aromatic blueberry varieties more than the non-aromatics,” Muñoz adds. “Once we had this information, we tried to understand where this characteristic originated.”
That’s when scientists put molecular marker information together with data on volatile organic compounds. Researchers discovered the aromatic varieties contained more of the terpenes, which provide aroma related to floral, sweet, citrus and fresh.
“Now we know why these blueberry varieties make the fruit aromatic,” Muñoz concludes. “We now have the capacity to use these compounds to formally classify varieties as aromatics. We can predict consumer liking and preference for these varieties.”
Visit ScienceDirect.com to read the recently published study in detail.
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