Pear aroma quality is predominantly governed by volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are critically influenced by postharvest storage conditions. This study tracked VOCs, soluble solids content (SSC), and texture dynamics in Nanguoli, Jingbaili, and Korla pears during 105-day cold storage and a 15-day shelf life. A total of 301 VOCs were identified, with esters increasing dramatically (25.96- to 113.55-fold) after 75-day cold storage, especially in soft-fleshed cultivars. Texture declined in these cultivars during shelf life, whereas Korla pears maintained exceptional firmness (> 90% retention) and stable texture parameters. Multivariate analysis revealed a strong negative correlation ( r 1. These compounds may help clarify the mechanistic basis of texture deterioration and inform strategies for postharvest quality preservation in future studies. • Esters content in pears increased 26–114 fold during 75-day cold storage. • Soft-fleshed pears had more esters, crisp-fleshed pears retained firmness. • Ester accumulation strongly correlated with texture degradation ( r < −0.8). • 85 key VOCs discriminated pear texture types via OPLS-DA model. • VOCs profiles and texture changes were cultivar-dependent during storage.
Gao et al. (Wed,) studied this question.