Research Progress in Taste Characteristics of Fruits and Fruit Products and Methods for Their Regulation

The taste of fruits is an important attribute of fruit quality. The taste substances in fruits stimulate the taste buds to produce taste sensations, which are transmitted through the gustatory nerves into the neural center, finally entering the cerebral cortex. The major taste substances in fruits are soluble sugars, organic acids, polyphenols, alkaloids, and other bitter substances. These taste substances altogether contribute to the unique taste of fruits. Taste regulation of fruit products such as canned fruits, dried fruit products, liquid fruit products, jams and preserved fruits has received increasing attention, and there are a growing number of studies on methods for the regulation of fruit product taste. Many methods including electronic tongue technology, molecular sensory science, and quantitative descriptive analysis have been applied for studying the taste of fruits. This article provides an overview of taste substances in fruits and fruit products and methods for their taste regulation, and introduces commonly used methods in fruit taste research, aiming to provide theoretical guidance for research in the field of fruit taste.