Differentiation of Strawberry Varieties Through Purge-and-Trap HRGC-MS, HRGC-FTIR and Principal Component Analysis

The aroma composition of three different Fragaria anannassa cultivars (Selva, Chandler, and Osso Grande) is studied by purge-and-trap HRGC and the components identified by HRGC-MS and HRGC-FTIR. The chromatographic aroma profiles from four different maturation stages in each variety are compared and the similarities accessed by principal component analysis (PCA). The contents in n-hexanal and hex-2(Z)-enal are characteristic features of the green stage in the three varieties where the content differences in methyl, ethyl, and butyl acetates act as typifying variables among varieties. Ethyl acetate acts as an important differentiation variable for the Selva variety. In the mature stage, the three cultivars may be distinguished from each other through their relative contents of methyl and ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (Selva), methyl 2-methylbutyrate, methyl butyrate (Chandler), methyl and ethyl butyrates, and methyl caproate (Osso Grande).