VOLATILE FLAVOR COMPOUNDS AFFECTING CONSUMER ACCEPTABILITY OF KIWIFRUIT

Sensory research on kiwifruit has shown that specific sugars and acids , and volatile flavor compounds have causative effects an ''sweet'' an d ''acid'' aroma and flavor attributes. New Zealand consumers (n = 162 ) assessed the perceived flavor intensity and acceptability of three v olatile flavor compounds (ethyl butanoate, E-2-hexenal and hexanal) at varying levels in a model base solution. Increasing levels of ethyl b utanoate positively affected all the acceptability attributes (''overa ll liking,'' ''liking of aroma,'' ''liking of flavor'') as well as inc reased the perceived intensity of ''kiwifruit aroma'' and ''kiwifruit flavor.'' Increasing levels of E-2-hexenal negatively affected all the acceptability attributes but increased the perceived intensity of ''k iwifruit aroma'' and ''acid flavor''. An increase in hexanal increased perceived intensity of ''kiwifruit aroma.'' Ethyl butanoate and E-2-h exenel at the levels tested had the most prominent effects on consumer perceived intensity and acceptability of the ''kiwifruit flavor.''