Sensory Profiles, Volatile Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Organically Grown Almonds (Prunus dulcis Mill. DA Webb)

Consumers currently consider organic foods superior to conventional ones. They regard them as more environmentally friendly and healthier. The sensory and volatile properties, as well as the antioxidant content of the Italian organic almond of the “Tuono” cultivar, were evaluated in this study. The following methods were used: sensory analysis, determination of total antioxidant capacity and the HS-SPME sampling technique followed by GC/MS analysis for the analysis of volatile compounds. Our findings highlighted the enhanced sensory quality of the organic sample in comparison to the conventional one. The presence of almond aroma, marzipan/benzaldehyde, tobacco, floral notes, sweetness, and crunchiness was exhibited by the analysed organic samples. The floral attribute is especially prominent, with its concentration being roughly four times higher in organic almonds than in conventional ones (4.96 vs. 1.25). There was no statistically significant difference in total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity between organic and conventional almonds. Significant differences were found between the organic and conventional systems for the volatile profile. Organic almonds were characterised by a higher presence of butanol in comparison to conventional (5.2 vs. 1.3, respectively) and limonene (3 vs. 1.5, respectively), both of which are associated with fruity aromas. Higher levels (expressed as %) of 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, isobutyric acid, 2-heptanone, 3-heptanone, octanoic acid, and pinacol were also found in organic almonds. The possibility of producing almonds of superior sensory quality through organic systems could be considered a key factor in the potential contribution to maintaining the sustainability of agroecosystems.