Volatile composition of the fruit and juice of some blueberry cultivars grown in Italy

The fruit volatile compositions of 6 Italian blueberry cultivars (Berkeley, Bluehaven, Bluette, Lateblue, Jersen and Tophat) and the corresponding jui ces have been evaluated. The volatile substances, extracted and concentrate d from the samples with a microwave-resin technique, were analysed by GC/MS -SIM. The results pointed out that the fresh fruit of each cultivar had all the v olatile compounds characteristic of the blueberry aroma. Linalool was the c omponent with the highest concentration; while the terpenic fraction was pr evalent on the alcoholic-aldehyde one (in all the cultivars). In the Bluett e cultivar, the total concentration of the two fractions was higher than th e other ones. The volatile composition of juices depends on the type of cultivar and of t echnological treatment. The Berkeley, Bluehaven and Jersen cultivars are mo re suitable for the preparation of juice.