Application of a sorting procedure to greenhouse-grown cucumbers and tomatoes

Sorting method, a simple procedure to evaluate sensory differences in cucumbers and tomatoes, requiring minimal training and labour, was applied to cucumbers and tomatoes grown under natural and artificial light in Finland and natural light in Spain, and evaluated after set storage times of up to 22d. Descriptive sensory profiling was also performed on the same samples. Sorting data were analysed using multidimensional scaling (MDS), while principal component analysis (PCA) was used to interpret profiling data. For both cucumbers and tomatoes, similar trends were observed by use of either sorting or descriptive sensory analysis. Differences between sources and storage times were found for all samples at all sampling times. Natural light-grown cucumbers were rated higher for odour and taste intensity than those grown in artificial light. Both consistency and intensity of red colour contributed significantly to differences between Finnish and Spanish tomatoes. Sorting was less time consuming and labour demanding, yet it resulted in the positioning of samples equivalent to the more complex profiling method. Thus, sorting appears to be a viable alternative to profiling when sensory similarities and differences, rather than accurate sensory profiles, are required. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.