Qualitative Aspects of Pear Flavor

Fire blight is th major disease affecting pear production in Ontario. Pear varieties which have been bied for resistance to this disease all lack the flavor quality of Bartlet pears. This study is the first in a series designed to generate information required to develop a fire blight resistant pear possessing acceptable flavor when processed. Sensory evaluation was utilized to select Bartlett, Magness, and Kieffer pears as the highly, intermediate, and poorly flavored varieties to be used for all subsequent analyses. Ultraviolet spectroscopy, liquid and gas chromatography confirmed distinct qualitative and quantitative differences in volatile flavor constituents. Production of flavor constituents by maturing Bartlett pear was also examined. Flavor compounds were synthesized when Bartlett pear puree was incubated with C 18 ‐unsaturated fatty acids. A synthesis of some flavor constituents also occurred when a Kieffer pear puree was incubated with Bartlett pear enzymes.