The influence of cultivar on sensory profiles of fresh and processed strawberry fruits grown in Croatia

Sensory analysis was performed on fresh fruits, purees and low-calorie jams prepared in laboratory conditions and under vacuum in three strawberry cultivars, Honeoye, Clery and NF 421, grown in Croatia. The purpose of this study was to characterize and compare the sensory quality of three different strawberry cultivars in fresh and processed strawberries. Quantitative descriptive analysis was used to establish sensory profiles. The results of investigation were presented by means of multivariate modelling methods, such as principal component analysis (PCA), which established that analysed sensory attributes can clearly be connected to different cultivars in fresh samples, purees and in all examined jams. The results established during this study on sensory profiles of fresh strawberries and their purees and jams represent a great contribution to the characterization of sensory profiles of these nutritionally high-valued products. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.