Benzoic acid naturally exists in a variety of plants and fermented foods, and jujube contains natural benzoic acid. This study scrutinises the content of benzoic acid in diverse jujube cultivars, and its modulation by variables such as harvest timing, product types, and drying techniques. The methodology encompasses tracking the progressive augmentation of benzoic acid throughout the maturation process of jujube, with the apex content being 144.4 mg kg⁻¹ in the Junzao cultivar. It further investigates the substantial fluctuations in benzoic acid content in jujube powder under disparate processing conditions, with the zenith content observed in drum-dried jujube powder at 127.6 mg kg⁻¹, and an unexpectedly elevated level of 66.2 mg kg⁻¹ in freeze-dried jujube powder. As long as it is not consumed excessively, it will not cause harm to the human body. The conclusion drawn from this research posits can be employed to resolve consumer grievances, or as a benchmark for testing services for product quality control.

Understanding the chemical drivers of consumer preference is essential for improving cherry tomato quality. This study investigated eight cherry tomato varieties by integrating consumer preference testing, trained sensory evaluation, physicochemical analysis and volatile profiling. Based on consumer preference scores, red-fruited varieties were classified as the high-preference group, while others as the low-preference group. Correlation and multivariate analysis identified a* value moisture content, total soluble solids and four C6-C9 aldehydes ((E)-2,4-decadienal, decanal, (E)-2-octenal and 2-hexenal) as key chemical indicators positively correlated with consumer preference. High-preference varieties exhibited elevated levels of these indicators, demonstrating a synergistic relationship between visual, nutritional and volatile attributes. These findings lay the foundation for optimizing cherry tomato flavor by linking key chemical markers to sensory attributes, emphasizing the value of integrating sensory perception with chemical profiling for consumer-oriented breeding and quality evaluation.

Nondestructive discrimination of moldy pear core based on the recurrence plots of vibration acoustic signals and deep convolutional neural networks

Newhall navel oranges show distinct quality differences across major producing regions in China but their specific quality characteristics remain unclear. This study compared their sensory, nutritional, and flavor properties, and investigated environmental effects and related underlying mechanisms. The results showed that Newhall navel oranges from Xinfeng, Jiangxi Province, achieved the highest overall sensory score, characterized by high sucrose content, richer aroma, and greater consumer preference. In contrast, those from Zigui, Hubei Province, exhibited higher acidity alongside greater levels of functional components (ascorbic acid, hesperidin, β-carotene). Further analysis identified (E)-2-hexenal, ethyl butanoate, octanal-D, hexanal-D, ethyl acetate, and pentan-2-one as differential aroma markers across producing regions. Hesperidin and ascorbic acid were significantly positively correlated with altitude but negatively correlated with temperature and light time, whereas sucrose content showed a negative correlatedion with altitude. Variations in the fruit quality of Newhall navel oranges were significantly correlated with climatic conditions: higher altitude and lower temperature may be associated with elevated ascorbic acid contents, while greater precipitation may correlate with reduced sugar concentrations. This study provides indirect evidence for the influence of geographical regions and environmental factors on the quality differences of Newhall navel oranges.