Elsevier

Scientia Horticulturae

Volume 160, 27 August 2013, Pages 313-319
Scientia Horticulturae

Impact of different advanced ripening stages on berry texture properties of ‘Red Globe’ and ‘Crimson Seedless’ table grape cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2013.06.017Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Riper berries were associated with higher values of the skin thickness.

  • Hardness and gumminess decreased during ripening and were affected by the berry size.

  • Berry cohesiveness increased independently from the berry size during the ripening process.

  • Berry cohesiveness can be proposed as a ripeness indicator for table grapes.

  • Low peduncle detachment resistance in riper berries negatively affects the grape quality.

Abstract

The impact of different ripening stages on berry texture properties of sorted ‘Red Globe’ and ‘Crimson Seedless’ table grapes was evaluated. Density sorting at different harvest dates was utilised to obtain homogeneous samples for each ripening stage. At the same ripening stage, ‘Red Globe’ berries were more firm, cohesive, springy, chewy and resilient but less hard and gummy than ‘Crimson Seedless’. Particularly for cv. Red Globe, the choice of the ripening stage at harvest could be a determinant for the berry quality because riper berries were associated with higher skin thickness values (+25%). The berry hardness and gumminess of ‘Crimson Seedless’ decreased significantly during ripening (−50%), and these parameters were most influenced by the berry size. Conversely, berry cohesiveness can be used as a ripeness predictor of table grapes because the changes during the ripening process were independent of berry size. The peduncle detachment resistance of the berry in the Crimson Seedless grapes decreased to values lower than 3.4 N, negatively affecting the quality attributes of the berry.

Introduction

Table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the most cultivated and consumed fruits (fresh and raisin) worldwide. According to the annual statistics published by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), the production intended for direct fresh consumption increased during the last five years. Although many table grape varieties are known and have been classified using genetic and ampelographic methods (OIV, 2009), not all varieties possess the same diffusion and commercial importance. ‘Red Globe’ and ‘Crimson Seedless’ are among the most cultivated, most commercially important and most studied cultivars, as evidenced by the numerous scientific studies that have been conducted on these varieties. Briefly, recent studies on these varieties have considered several aspects that influence berry quality, such as cultural practices (Human and Bindon, 2008, Lurie et al., 2010, Peppi et al., 2008), colour characteristics (Bahar et al., 2012, Lurie et al., 2010, Peppi et al., 2008), chemical parameters, phenolic composition and their evolution during ripening (Crupi et al., 2012, Jayasena and Cameron, 2008, Muñoz-Robredo et al., 2011, Singh Brar et al., 2008), antioxidant activities (Baiano and Terracone, 2011, Lutz et al., 2011, Molina-Quijada et al., 2010), protein content and enzymatic activities (Fortea et al., 2009, López-Miranda et al., 2011), post-harvest storage conditions (Jayasena and Cameron, 2009, Sabir and Sabir, 2013), and packaging atmosphere and materials (Candir et al., 2012, Conte et al., 2012, Neves et al., 2008, Ustun et al., 2012). However, information regarding the instrumental texture properties of ‘Red Globe’ and ‘Crimson Seedless’ berries remains unknown for fresh consumption. The berries’ mechanical properties are considered the most important factors that affect the eating quality (Rolle et al., 2012a).

As defined by ISO 5492:2009, which states that “all mechanical, geometrical, surface and body attributes of a product perceptible by means of kinaesthesis and somesthesis receptors, and (where appropriate) visual and auditory receptors from the first bite to final swallowing”, the textural properties of table grapes are important attributes for consumer acceptance. Historically, researchers have used many terms, such as fleshy, firm, crisp, tough, tender, melting and soft, to describe the berry/pulp consistency; these descriptions were summarised by Sato et al. (1997). The second edition of the OIV descriptor list for grape varieties and Vitis species with the Code OIV no. 235 – ‘Berry: Firmness of flesh’ classifies table grape cultivars into the following three groups compared to reference cultivars: soft, slightly firm and very firm (OIV, 2009). Additional sensory descriptors, such as skin friability, skin thickness and flesh firmness, have been proposed to characterise commercial table grape cultivars (Cliff et al., 1996). Alternatively, instrumental texture variables, such as berry firmness, are considered a measurement of freshness (Vargas et al., 2001). More recently, texture profile analysis (TPA) has provided instrumental parameters that have been proposed as physical markers to characterise and compare table grape varieties (Rolle et al., 2011a) and as useful variables to monitor their post-harvest shelf-life during storage (Deng et al., 2005). Although instrumental measurements are often preferred to sensory evaluations in the food industry because the instrumental measurements are more objective and can be more easily used to compare data from different sources, scientific contributions on direct relationships between sensory and mechanical properties for table and wine grapes are still scarce (Le Moigne et al., 2008, Sato and Yamada, 2003).

To expand the existing knowledge regarding the instrumental mechanical properties of table grapes, especially for ‘Red Globe’ and ‘Crimson Seedless’, this study was designed to accomplish the following aims: (i) characterise these cultivars with respect to the mechanical properties of the berries harvested at different stages of ripening and density sorted by flotation, (ii) evaluate the skin thickness and hardness, the pedicel detachment resistance and whole-berry texture parameters during ripening, and (iii) investigate the relationship between texture variables and berry size.

Section snippets

Grape samples

Vitis vinifera L. cultivar ‘Red Globe’ and ‘Crimson Seedless’ table grapes were collected from a commercial vineyard located in the northwestern region of the Bari province (Apulia Region, Southern Italy, 41°9′0″N 16°24′0″E, 230 m a.s.l.). The vines, which were grafted onto the ‘140 Ru’ rootstock and planted at 2.4 m × 2.4 m, were trained to the tendone system ‘Puglia type’. At the time of the winter pruning, the vines were cane-pruned, leaving 4 canes of 10/12 buds each for cv. Red Globe and 6

Berry size and technological maturity parameters

According to OIV resolution VITI 1/2008 (OIV, 2008b) and UE Commission Regulation 543/2011, table grapes are considered to be ripe at SSC  16 °Brix or when the SSC (expressed as g/L)/TA (expressed as g/L tartaric acid) ratio is higher than 20; in the particular case of seedless varieties, ripeness is considered at SSC  14 °Brix. As reported in Table 1, both ‘Red Globe’ and ‘Crimson Seedless’ grapes reached the maturity requirements at all of the different ripening stages in this trial.

As

Discussion

Because no biological process occurs simultaneously within all plant organs, grapes within the same cluster do not ripen homogeneously (Río Segade et al., 2013). Moreover, the vine location within the vineyard and the cluster position on the vine can accentuate differences in the ripening rate. The latter is known to be primarily influenced by variables related to exposure, microclimatic conditions, cluster rank and soil characteristics. Therefore, heterogeneous ripening is one of the major

Conclusions

The physico-mechanical characteristics of ‘Red Globe’ and ‘Crimson Seedless’ table grapes were defined in this study. With specific respect to ‘Crimson Seedless’, the instrumental texture variables pattern showed that the ripening stage was an important factor affecting the mechanical parameters of the pedicel and whole berry. Therefore, at harvest, knowledge of the berry texture characteristics associated with the corresponding chemical composition can be of great interest in the global

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    These authors contributed equally to the study.

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