Flavor development in peach fruit treated with 1-methylcyclopropene during shelf storage.

The objective of this study was to investigate flavor development, and subsequent consumer acceptance, in peach fruit treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) during the room-temperature storage. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) showed that 12 compounds were significantly affected by 1-MCP. Of these, linalyl acetate and sucrose contribute positively to consumer acceptance, while benzaldehyde and histidine have negative effects. 1-MCP treatment inhibits the emission of aroma during the early storage of peach fruit but not during later storage period, and extends the time required for peaches to reach maximum consumer acceptance from 2 to 4 days. This shift may be due to increased levels of positive flavor compounds (linalyl acetate and sucrose) and decreased levels of negative flavor compounds (benzaldehyde and histidine) later in the storage period.