Taste Panel Perception of Sweetness and Sweetness Acceptability Compared to High Pressure Liquid Chromatography Analysis of Sucrose and Total Sugars Among Three Phenotypes (su, se, and sh2) at Varying Maturities of Fresh Sweet Corn

Abstract

<jats:p>Increased value of fresh sweet corn (<jats:italic>Zea mays</jats:italic>) during the last decade has lead to increased interest into the characteristics that increase marketability. Sweetness was examined over three phenotypes (<jats:italic>su, se,</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>sh<jats:sub>2</jats:sub></jats:italic>) to determine if there was an optimum phenotype or cultivar within a phenotype. Each phenotype was isolated to prevent cross-pollinization. Cultivars were grown on sandy loam soil located at the Clemson University Coastal Research and Education Center (Charleston, S.C.). Early, mature, and late harvest dates were also evaluated to determine the optimal harvest date(s) for maximum flavor. High performance liquid chromatography was used to determine sucrose, fructose, glucose, and total sugars. Panelists' evaluation of sweetness and its acceptability significantly correlated with the high performance liquid chromatography analysis for sucrose and total sugars (sweetness, R = 0.70 and 0.61; acceptability, R = 0.64 and 0.55). Sucrose correlated with the total sugars (R = 0.95). As maturity increased, the ability of the taste panel to identify differences in phenotypes also increased. Although sucrose and total sugar levels were different between <jats:italic>se</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>sh<jats:sub>2</jats:sub></jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>su</jats:italic>, taste panelists indicated no difference between <jats:italic>se</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>sh<jats:sub>2</jats:sub></jats:italic>. <jats:italic>Sh<jats:sub>2</jats:sub></jats:italic> cultivars were considered sweet and acceptable on all harvest dates, but <jats:italic>su</jats:italic> was only acceptable to panelists at early maturity.</jats:p>

Chemical components of kernel quality in sh2 sweet corn genotypes (Zea mays L. saccharata Sturt.) as affected by harvest date

“…Regardless of the sugar loss at later harvesting dates, all examined genotypes have maintained a satisfying kernel sugar content that was at least two times higher than in standard su1 sweet corn (Wong et al, 1994;Hale et al, 2005).…”

“…Compared to the standard sweet corn, sh2 genotypes are characterized by slow kernel water loss, and consequently, extended harvest period (Marshall and Tracy, 2003;Szymanek et al, 2015). Kernel sugars specify flavour, which is one of the primary component of fresh quality associated with consumer preference (Azanza et al, 1996;Hale et al, 2005). Endosperm soluble sugars reach maximum concentration around 18-20 days after pollination (DAP).…”

Reducing post‐harvest losses and improving quality in sweet corn (Zea mays L.): challenges and solutions for less food waste and improved food security

“…Table 2 represents a summary of the most common characteristics evaluated in sweet corn panels. Some taste panel scores have been based on descriptors but most of them consist of a rating scale with anchors such as ‘none’ to ‘very intense’ or ‘lacks sweetness’ to ‘sweet acceptable’ (Azanza et al, 1996; Hale et al, 2005; Shao & Li, 2011).…”

“…In a sweetness comparison of three sweet corn mutants su, se and sh2 (scale from 0 to 15), sh2 showed the highest panel scores (10.1/10.9) and su the lowest (3.7–6.8). Moreover, this perception of sweetness score differed by 3.1, 1.4 and 0.8 for su, se and sh2, respectively, between early and late maturity harvested cobs, indicating that maturity level can have an impact in sweetness perception and post‐harvest quality (Hale et al, 2005).…”

Factors affecting carotenoids in zeaxanthin-biofortified sweet-corn (Zea mays L.)

“…phytoglycogen (Gonzales et al 1976;Hale et al 2005b). The sh2 mutation is characterized by having more than three times the sucrose content of the su sweet-corn, and lower amounts of the starch component phytoglycogen compared to su and se genotypes (Ferguson et al 1979;Wong et al 1994).…”