VOLATILE COMPOSITION AND INTERACTION INFLUENCE FLAVOR PROPERTIES OF MANGO ( MANGIFERA INDICA

The effects of volatile hydrocarbons on the flavor properties of mango (Mangifera indica L.) were investigated. A fractional factorial design in an incomplete block representing seven hydrocarbon flavor volatiles (a-pinene, p-pinene, caryophyllene, limonene, myrcene, p-cymene, and terpinolene), at three concentrations each, identified 108 treatments. Mango homogenate was processed in a rotary evaporator to reduce volatile concentration. Volatile composition of homogenate before and after processing was analyzed. Treatments were prepared by adding food-grade volatile compounds to 250 ml processed homogenate to achieve preselected concentra tions. Treatments were evaluated for eleven flavor properties using descriptive analysis. Total volatile concentration was successfully lowered in processed mango samples (Pr<0.05), significantly decreasing scores for sweet, peachy, sweet pota to, and banana while increasing rating for sour, bitter, and or ange peel when compared with unprocessed homogenate (Pr<0.05). Perception of pine/turpentine, grassy, and biting were unaffected by processing. Regression analysis indicated that the volatiles studied did not affect peachy flavor, but con tributed to intensities for pine/turpentine, grassy, and orange peel. This study demonstrated that mango flavor properties re sulted from the interaction of volatile compounds. In addition, results indicated that varying the concentrations of a finite number of volatiles can result in diverse flavor perceptions. Mango (Mangifera indica L.), an economically important fruit in the tropical and subtropical regions where it is culti vated (Ackerman and Torline, 1984; Gholap et al, 1986; Adedeji et al., 1992), is gaining popularity as a specialty fruit in the U.S. and temperate countries of Europe (Engel and Tressl, 1983; MacLeod and Pieris, 1984; Mitcham and Mc Donald, 1992; Anonymous, 1994). Its popularity has been at tributed to its unique aroma and flavor (Engel and Tressl, 'South Atlantic Area, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Mention of a trademark or proprietary product is for identifica tion only and does not imply a guarantee or warranty of the product by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. All programs and services of the U.S. De partment of Agriculture are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis without re gard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, or handicap. 1983; Ackerman and Torline, 1984; MacLeod and Snyder, 1985; Gholap et al., 1986; Marin and Cano, 1992) which vary markedly among the different cultivars known (Lakshminarayana, 1980). Volatile compounds contributing to mango flavor have been extensively studied. Flavor diversity in fresh mangoes has been attributed to the considerable variation in volatile composition among different cultivars. Using various proce dures for the isolation and identification of flavor volatiles, over 150 compounds have been identified (MacLeod and de Troconis, 1982; Engel and Tressl, 1983; Ackerman and Torline, 1984; MacLeod and Pieris, 1984; Idstein and Shreier, 1985; MacLeod and Snyder, 1985; Sakho et al., 1985; Bartley and Schwede, 1987; Adedeji et al., 1992; Koulibaly et al., 1992; Malundo et al., 1997), not all of which are expected to be sig nificant to characteristic mango flavor (Powers, 1981; Kays, 1991). Bartley and Schewede (1987) suggested that a gas chromatogram from a headspace sampling procedure will more closely reflect the true flavor profile of mango than one generated through other methods. Using a rapid headspace method which involved minimal sample manipulation, Malundo etal. (1997) identified 13 vol atile compounds in the headspace of Tommy Atkins'. Consis tent with earlier investigations, 9 of the headspace volatiles identified were classified as terpene hydrocarbons-3-carene, a-pinene, (i-pinene, myrcene, limonene, p-cymene, terpi nolene, a-copaene, and caryophyllene. Previous studies have designated these terpenes as major volatile components in mango cultivars (Gholap and Bandyopadhyay, 1977; Kouliba ly et al., 1992; MacLeod and de Troconis, 1982; Engel and Tressl, 1983; MacLeod and Pieris, 1984; MacLeod and Sny der, 1985; Bartley and Schwede, 1987). Investigators have de scribed the characteristic odors of individual volatiles independent of each other (Gholap and Bandyopadhyay, 1977; MacLeod and de Troconis, 1982; MacLeod and Pieris, 1984; MacLeod and Snyder, 1985); however, the effects of vol atile interaction on mango flavor have not been studied. The simultaneous sensing of two or more flavor compounds at any given concentration will more likely result in a sensation that may not reflect or be indicative of the characteristic odor/fla vor of each individual component (Powers, 1981). This study was conducted to determine the effects of volatile hydrocar bon composition and interaction on the flavor properties of