Wang Yuanmo, Zhu Qingzhen, Liu Songzhong, Jiao Leizi, Dong Daming
School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
Research Center of Intelligent Equipment, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China.
Foods. 2024 Feb 19;13(4):620. doi: 10.3390/foods13040620.
Determination of Occidental pear () ripening is difficult because the appearance of Occidental pears does not change significantly during the ripening process. Occidental pears at different ripening stages release different volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can be used to determine fruit ripeness non-destructively and rapidly. In this study, VOCs were detected using proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS). Notably, data were acquired within 1 min. Occidental pears harvested at five separate times were divided into three ripening stages: unripe, ripe, and overripe. The results showed that the composition of VOCs differed depending on the ripening stage. In particular, the concentrations of esters and terpenes significantly increased during the overripe stage. Three ripening stages were clearly discriminated by heatmap clustering and principal component analysis (PCA). This study provided a rapid and non-destructive method to evaluate the ripening stages of Occidental pears. The result can help fruit farmers to decide the optimum harvest time and hence reduce their economic losses.
西洋梨成熟度的判定较为困难，因为西洋梨在成熟过程中外观变化并不显著。处于不同成熟阶段的西洋梨会释放出不同的挥发性有机化合物（VOCs），这些化合物可用于无损且快速地判定果实成熟度。在本研究中，使用质子转移反应质谱法（PTR-MS）检测VOCs。值得注意的是，数据在1分钟内即可获取。在五个不同时间采收的西洋梨被分为三个成熟阶段：未成熟、成熟和过熟。结果表明，VOCs的组成因成熟阶段而异。特别是，酯类和萜类化合物的浓度在过熟阶段显著增加。通过热图聚类和主成分分析（PCA）能够清晰地区分三个成熟阶段。本研究提供了一种快速且无损的方法来评估西洋梨的成熟阶段。该结果有助于果农确定最佳采收时间，从而减少经济损失。
