The aroma of strawberry (Fragaria ananassa): Characterisation of some cultivars and influence of freezing

The volatiles of six strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch) cultivars, both fresh and deep-frozen, were isolated by direct dichloromethane extraction. Sixty compounds were identified and quantified by GC—MS. Characterisation of cultivars was achieved by applying principal component analysis to the chromatographic data. Great differences were observed. Maxim and Directeur Paul Wallbaum are rather low in volatiles while Gariguette and Tioga are rich in mesifurane (2,5-dimethyl-4-methoxy-2,3-dihydrofuran-3-one), furaneol' (2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-2,3-dihydrofuran-3-one) and nerolidol. Esters are the major compounds in Senga Sengana and Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury. This last cultivar is also chara…