Pineapple fruit: morphological characteristics, chemical composition and sensory analysis of red Spanish and Smooth Cayenne cultivars

Some physical (weight, size, shape, texture and colour), physico-chemical (pH, titratable acidity and soluble solids), chemical (soluble sugars and organic acids) and biochemical (total dietary fibre, peroxidase activity and soluble protein) characteristics and sensorial attributes (appearance, flavour, odour, colour, firmness and acceptability) of pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) fruit were studied, in order to assess nutritional properties and consumer acceptability of the local Red Spanish and imported Smooth Cayenne cultivars. Significant differences (P≤0.05) were found between size, shape and colour of the cultivars, and also between other objective (lightness, green colour, total acidity, soluble solids, total dietary fibre, peroxidase activity, fructose and glucose) and subjective (colour) measurements. Values of texture, fibre content and soluble solids to acid ratio were lower in the Red Spanish cultivar, while peroxidase activity and soluble protein were higher. Taste panelists preferred the appearance, colour and firmness of the Red Spanish pineapple slices.