The American persimmon, Diospyros virginiana L., is a deciduous fruit tree in the family Ebenaceae. It is endemic to North America and grows in wild populations ranging from Connecticut to Florida, and west to Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. The American persimmon fruit has an astringent flavor when unripe but loses its astringency upon ripening and develops a sweet, pleasant flavor. The ripe fruits have an attractive aroma profile that has be described as reminiscent of apricot and citrus with nuances of honey, floral, and coconut. American persimmon fruits are mostly consumed fresh or are used as jams or jellies, or baked desserts such as pie fillings. Although some volatiles present in American persimmon fruit have been previously investigated, the odorants responsible for its distinctive aroma profile have not been reported. In the current study, 44 odorants were identified in ripe fruits by the application of solvent assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), employing gas-chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O). Flavor dilution (FD) factors were assigned to each of the identified odorants. Some notable odorants included ethyl butanoate (fruity), linalool (floral, citrus), γ-octalactone (coconut), δ-dodecalactone (coconut), 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (caramel), octanal (citrus), nonanal (citrus), 3-(methylsulfanyl)propanal (potato), bornyl acetate (earthy, fruity), (2E,6Z)-nona-2,6-dienal (green), -damascenone (cooked apple), and β-ionone (floral, violets). As a result of this study, a group of odorants was identified that contribute to the aroma profile of the ripe fruit. This study lays the groundwork for future quantitative studies aimed at deciphering the natural aroma variation in wild populations of American persimmon fruit and aid in the development of superior flavored cultivars.

Identification of odorants in American persimmon fruit, Diospyros virginiana L.

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