During the last decade there has been a continuous rise in consumption of fresh easy-to-peel mandarins. However, mandarins are much more perishable than other citrus fruit, mainly due to rapid deterioration in sensory acceptability after harvest. In the current review we discuss the biochemical components involved in forming the unique flavor of mandarins, and how postharvest storage operations influence taste and aroma and consequently consumer sensory acceptability. What we perceive as mandarin flavor is actually the combination of basic taste, aroma and mouth-feel. The taste of mandarins is principally governed by the levels of sugars and acids in the juice sacs and the relative ratios among them, whereas the aroma of mandarins is derived from a mixture of different aroma volatiles, including alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, terpenes/hydrocarbons and esters. During postharvest storage and marketing there is a gradual decrease in mandarin sensory acceptability, which has been attributed to decreases in acidity and typical mandarin flavor, paralleling an accumulation of off-flavor. Biochemical analysis of volatile and non-volatile constituents in mandarin juice demonstrated that these changes in sensory acceptability were concomitant with decreases in acidity and content of terpenes and aldehydes, which provide green, piney and citrus aroma on the one hand, and increases in ethanol fermentation metabolism products and esters on the other, which are likely to cause 'overripe' and off-flavors. Overall, we demonstrate the vast importance of the genetic background, maturity stage at harvest, commercial postharvest operation treatments, including curing, degreening and waxing, and storage duration on mandarin sensory quality.

The results showed that after harvest there was a progressive decrease in sensory quality of 'Mor' mandarins. It is proposed that observed decreases in contents of sesqui- and monoterpenes and short-chain oxygenated fatty acids may contribute to the decrease in mandarin flavour, whereas increases in the contents of ethanol fermentation metabolites and derivates of fatty acid and amino acid catabolism are most likely involved in causing the enhanced sensation of off-flavours.

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Morels are edible mushrooms appreciated worldwide for their savory flavor. Morels have been in use in traditional medicine for centuries, due to their health-related benefits, and current research demonstrated their anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory bioactivities, in addition to immunostimulatory and anti-tumor properties. In spite of the high demand for morels and their increasing economic importance, their cultivation is limited, and they are either used as wild harvested or fermented in culture, for consumption as a functional food and for food-flavoring. Morel's health benefits were attributed mainly to polysaccharides as the active compounds, and to various phytochemicals, mainly phenolic compounds, tocopherols, ascorbic acid and vitamin D. Morel's nutritional composition was reported, including sugar, amino acid, fatty and organic acid and mineral profile. Information regarding Morel's flavor is limited, and while some of their taste attributes have been described, including the role of umami taste, details about their volatile aroma profile are scarce, and it was reported to include eight carbon volatiles, the main aroma volatiles typical to most mushrooms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review presenting morels' nutritional and phytochemical composition, health benefits and flavor, and we will review the available information in current literature regarding these aspects in light of morels phenotypic plasticity.

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We examined sensory quality, total soluble solids (TSS) and acidity levels, and aroma volatiles compositions of 'Or' and 'Odem' mandarins grafted on sour orange (SO), Volkamer lemon (Volka), and US-812 rootstocks; 'Valencia' oranges grafted on SO, Volka, and ×639 rootstocks; and a new pummelo × grapefruit hybrid cv. 'Redson' grafted on SO, Volka, and macrophylla rootstocks. TSS and acidity levels of all species were lower in juice of fruits on Volka than on SO. Sensory quality evaluations revealed that 'Odem' mandarins and 'Redson' fruits grown on SO were preferred to those on Volka but the rootstocks had no notable effects on flavor perception of 'Or' mandarins and 'Valencia' oranges. Chromatographic analysis revealed that contents of aroma volatiles, especially terpenes, in homogenized segments of 'Odem' and 'Redson' but not of 'Or' and 'Valencia' were significantly lower on Volka than on SO. Overall, the effects of rootstocks on citrus fruit flavor depended on specific rootstock/scion interactions. Furthermore, the flavor of some varieties grown on Volka was inferior to that on SO because of lower TSS and acidity levels and lower aroma volatiles contents.

BACKGROUND: A headspace solid-phase microextraction method with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to profile the aroma volatiles of mature fruiting bodies of Morchella importuna grown in Israel.

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