Textural properties of different melon (Cucumis melo L.) fruit types: Sensory and physical-chemical evaluation

Abstract

Melon fruit properties are extremely different within the species and texture is one of the quality features that most influences its acceptance. The aim of this study was the comparison of melon textural traits, evaluating the linear correlations between both perceived and instrumentally determined texture of a distinctive group of genotypes representing wide species variability. Three landrace cultivars (the Korean ‘Songwhan charmi PI-161375’, the Indian ‘Calcuta PI-124112’, and the Iraqi ‘Irak C-1012’) and three elite cultivars (the Spanish ‘Piel de Sapo T111’, the French ‘Védrantais’, and the American ‘Dulce’), grown under the same conditions in the same place, were analyzed, together with four Spanish major commercial varieties (‘Piel de Sapo’, ‘Amarillo’, ‘Galia’ and ‘Cantaloupe’). Measurements of pH, Soluble Solids Content (SSC), weight losses, puncture tests (6 mm and 10 mm probes), texture profile analysis (TPA), and sensory analysis were performed in 38 fruits. Results showed wide parameter range depending on each particular type of melon. Significant differences were reported for five of six sensory descriptors: hardness (1.52–4.91), initial juiciness (1.77–7.45), crunchiness (0.29–4.58), mealiness (0.41–6.37) and chewiness (2.91–5.27); and for seven of nine physical-chemical parameters: hardness (921.3–4519.0), fracturability (587.4–4280.7), cohesiveness (0.027– 0.061), adhesiveness (−15.7 to −105.0), pH (5.21–6.53), SSC (4.8–14.0) and weight losses (18.0–66.0). Puncture tests parameters were good predictors of sensory hardness, crunchiness and chewiness, while TPA gave further information about initial juiciness, fibrousness and mealiness. Discriminant analysis showed that initial juiciness and mealiness were the most discriminant variables while any instrumental parameter showed particular discriminate ability between samples. These results prove the usefulness of sensory analysis to reflect melon textural traits, when compared to single physical-chemical approach, and could be extended to the middle-late stages of variety development breeding programs.