Influence of cultivar and osmotic dehydration time on aroma profiles of muskmelon (Cucumis melo, cv reticulatus Naud.) spheres Original Research Article

Among several factors affecting the osmotic dehydration process, the raw material characteristics play a fundamental role. As aroma is one of the major determinants of fruit quality, the influence was studied of both the cultivar and the processing time of dewatering–impregnation–soaking (DIS) on the aroma profiles of muskmelon spheres, in order to optimise the technique as a pre-treatment to further processing. Muskmelon cultivar Mirado and Rony, manually cut into 28 mm diameter spheres, were subjected to osmotic dehydration at 25°C for 1, 2, 4 and 6 h in a 60% (wt/wt) sucrose syrup. Both muskmelon cultivars showed higher uptake of soluble solids when compared with other fruit and there was a higher water loss in cultivar Mirado than cultivar Rony during the whole process. The aroma profile of melon cultivar Rony was less modified by DIS, indicating a better suitability for this type of pre-treatment. `Positiveʹ aroma compounds did not decrease in cultivar Rony, and `negativeʹ ones significantly increased only after 6 h of DIS. Possible differences in tissue structure could account for the different behaviour of the two cultivars.