Mandarins (or tangerines) are mainly consumed as fresh fruits due to the ease of peeling and desirable flavor. Sweetness, acidity, and flavor of mandarin are the most important criteria for consumer preference. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of harvest date on sensory and chemical components of four mandarin cultivars (Murcott, 411, Temple, and 'LB8-9' Sugar Belle®). Volatiles were extracted from the headspace of juice samples with solid phase microextraction (SPME) and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The optimum harvest window for eating quality of 411 was late January to mid-February (soluble solids content [SSC]/titratable acidity [TA]: 11.3 to 14.0), Sugar Belle® fruits were best tasted when harvested from mid- to end of January (SSC/TA: 14.1 to 16.1), and February was the best month for harvesting Murcott (SSC/TA: 13.10 to 18.0) and Temple (SSC/TA:10.3 to 12.50). Sensory perception of sweetness, ripeness, and juiciness increased as SSC/TA increased while sourness and bitterness decreased. Pumpkin flavor, an indicator of overripe fruit, was mainly noticed late in the season. Tangerine flavor tended to decrease, whereas fruity-noncitrus flavor tended to increase with fruit maturity. Monoterpenes were the most abundant volatiles and tended to decrease with fruit maturity, whereas alcohols, esters, and aldehydes increase. Aldehydes, esters, and alcohols were positively correlated with sweetness, ripeness, juiciness, and fruity characteristics, and negatively with sourness and bitterness. On the other hand, monoterpenes were positively correlated with bitterness and tangerine flavor, and negatively correlated with sweetness and fruity-noncitrus flavor. The highest number of esters was found in Temple, whereas Murcott and 411 were high in aldehydes.

中文翻译：

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果实成熟度对四种柑橘杂种挥发物及感官特征的影响

柑橘（或橘子）主要作为新鲜水果食用，因为它易于去皮且味道好。柑橘的甜度、酸度和风味是消费者偏好的最重要标准。本研究的目的是评估收获日期对四种柑橘品种（Murcott、411、Temple 和 'LB8-9' Sugar Belle®）感官和化学成分的影响。使用固相微萃取 (SPME) 从果汁样品的顶部空间提取挥发物，并使用气相色谱-质谱 (GC-MS) 进行分析。411 食用品质的最佳收获期是 1 月下旬至 2 月中旬（可溶性固形物含量 [SSC]/可滴定酸度 [TA]：11.3 至 14.0），Sugar Belle® 果实在 1 月中下旬收获时口感最佳一月（SSC/TA：14.1 到 16.1），二月是收获默科特（SSC/TA：13.10 至 18.0）和坦普尔（SSC/TA：10.3 至 12.50）的最佳月份。随着 SSC/TA 的增加，甜味、成熟度和多汁度的感官感知增加，而酸味和苦味降低。南瓜味是水果过熟的标志，主要在季节后期被注意到。随着果实的成熟，柑橘风味趋于降低，而果味-非柑橘风味趋于增加。单萜是最丰富的挥发物，随着果实的成熟而减少，而醇类、酯类和醛类则增加。醛类、酯类和醇类与甜度、成熟度、多汁性和果味特征呈正相关，与酸味和苦味呈负相关。另一方面，单萜与苦味和柑橘味呈正相关，并且与甜度和果味-非柑橘味呈负相关。在 Temple 中发现了最多的酯类，而 Murcott 和 411 中的醛类含量很高。