A10-48-3 and A7-32-10, two strawberry selections with well-balanced nutritional and organoleptic quality

In the last few years organoleptic and nutritional traits have become the major breeding targets in most strawberry breeding programs all over the world. Furthermore, the joint improvement of the nutritional value and the sensory key parameters of strawberry might increase the consumption rate of this fruit, which in turn will have a positive effect on consumer's health and a positive economic impact on the producing areas. New cultivars and strawberry selections bred in Huelva (southwestern Spain) have been characterized in relation to their organoleptic and nutritional properties. Key metabolites associated to the strawberry flavor (sucrose, fructose, glucose, malic and citric acid and 20 main volatile compounds) as well as specific phytochemicals (nine phenolic compounds plus vitamin C) with relevant antioxidant capacities have been analyzed by high resolution gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HRGC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Data were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson correlations to discriminate those strawberry selections that, besides good agronomic performances, produce fruits with high contents of key flavor components and health-promoting phytochemicals. PCA clearly distinguish selections A10-48-3 and A7-32-10 as having significantly different metabolic profiles and displaying the highest contents of sugars, organic acids, ethyl esters, mesifurane, terpineol, quercetin and vitamin C.