ARS | Publication request: Development of flavor lexicon for fresh pressed and processed blueberry juice

Submitted to: Journal of Sensory Studies
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: January 18, 2013
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Citation: Bett Garber, K.L., Lea, J.M. 2013. Development of flavor lexicon for fresh pressed and processed blueberry juice. Journal of Sensory Studies. 28:161-170.

Interpretive Summary: Blueberry juice is an excellent source of nutrients; such as, vitamin C, manganese, and antioxidants. To investigate the effect that juice processing has on flavor, a flavor lexicon was needed. This manuscript describes the development of this lexicon by a highly trained descriptive sensory panel. It characterized the differences between fresh pressed blueberry juice and commercially processed blueberry juice. Twenty-two aroma and flavor attributes were identified, along with ten taste and mouth feel attributes. Suggestions for sensory references for training a descriptive sensory panel were incorporated with the sensory attributes.

Technical Abstract: A lexicon with thirty-two aroma/flavor, taste, and mouth feel attributes were developed for blueberry juice. Commercial frozen blueberries were thawed and hand pressed to make three juices (P1, P2 or P3), which were compared to four bottled juices (B1, B2, B3 or B4). Fresh pressed juices had significantly (P=0.05) higher scores in blueberry, strawberry, floral, sweet aroma, and sweet taste except for one of the bottled juices (B4), which was also high in sweet taste. In comparison, the four bottled juices were significantly (P=0.05) higher in cranberry, molasses/dark corn syrup, canned tomato, fermented, processed berry juice, sour aroma, and pungency aroma. In addition, all three hand-pressed juices (P1, P2 and P3), plus B4, were significantly lower than B1, B2, and B3 in wine-like, bitter taste, sour taste, astringent, metallic, tongue numbing, and throat burn attributes. Positive correlations occurred between fresh juice attributes, as well as, between processed juice attributes.