Aromatic profile of Feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana) fruit in protected cultivation, at harvest and after cold storage

This study aimed to characterize the aromatic profile of the flesh and peel (periderm/epidermis) of feijoa fruit, of cultivars Alcântara and Nonante, in response to Protected Environment Cultivation with plastic cover (PEC) and cold storage. A completely randomized design was used for each cultivar, with a two-factor scheme consisting of two cultivation systems (Protected Environment Cultivation with plastic cover (PEC) and Direct Sunlight without plastic cover (DS)) and two different maturity stages (at harvest, and after storage (14 days at 4 ± 0.1 °C/94±2% of relative humidity RH, followed by two days at 20±2 °C/60±5% RH). The aromatic volatiles found in a higher relative percentage, in both cultivars, were: in the flesh, esters (methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl acetate, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate) and aldehyde ((E)-2-hexenal); and in the peel, the same ester compounds found in flesh (except for ethyl hexanoate), as well as terpenes (humulene, β-caryophyllene, ledene, α-terpineol, α-cubenene, and α-bourbonene). Besides these, alcohols (linalool, 3-octanol) and ketones (3-octanone) also comprised aromatic profile of the peel. Ester compounds contribute differently to the aromatic profile of the cultivars. In general, aldehydes (mainly ((E)-2-hexenal) and terpenes have a greater relative contribution in the cultivars Alcântara and Nonante, respectively. In general, plants under PEC had increased content of terpenes and reduced esters, which causes a more pronounced herbaceous aroma in these fruit. The cold storage of Alcântara and Nonante cultivars favors the development of the characteristic aroma of these fruit when ripe, particularly due to reduced content of some compounds presenting herbaceous characteristics and increased content of fruity/sweet compounds in the aromatic profile.