Investigating the in-vitro and in-vivo flavour release from 21 fresh-cut apples

In-vitro and in-vivo flavour release from 21 different apple cultivars was studied using proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) with a focus on the relationship between texture and volatile organic compound (VOC) emission. Generally, firm-juicy cultivars had a shorter time to first swallow (T-swal) and a higher number of swallows (N-swal), while softer-mealy cultivars had a longer T-swal and a lower N-swal. Firm-juicy cultivars containing high VOC concentrations had a short time to maximum intensity (T-max) owing to a shorter T-swal and a higher N-swal as juice was released during mastication. Swallowing increased VOC flow through the nasal cavity. These results differ from previous flavour release studies with gel/gel-like model systems as juiciness/release of fluids is not a factor in such matrices. The current study, therefore, highlights the benefits of using in-vivo analysis to gain a better understanding of flavour release in real food products. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.