Recently, the Agro-product Quality and Safety Testing Technology Innovation Team at the Institute of Quality Standards and Testing Technology for Agro-Products of CAAS has made considerable progress in the effect of forchlorfenuron application on the safety and flavor quality of oriental melon. Relevant results were published in  Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety  ,     Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry   and   Foods  .  

Oriental melon ( Cucumis melo var. ) is widely cultivated in China. In order to improve fruit sets and increase fruit size, forchlorfenuron is widely used as a plant growth regulator in melon planting. In this study, a MALDI-MSI method was developed for the first time to characterize the time-dependent permeation and degradation sites of forchlorfenuron in oriental melon. Most forchlorfenuron was detected in the exocarp and mesocarp regions of oriental melon and decreased within two days after application. Based on the human sensory analysis, the results found that the high-dose forchlorfenuron application decreased the overall aroma and increased the bitterness of melon. Cucurbitacin B and arvenin I, as the key contributors to the bitter taste, were identified in oriental melon fruits by taste activity values (TAV; the ratio of concentration to taste threshold). This study can provide a novel idea and robust scientific basis to evaluate the influence of forchlorfenuron on the flavor quality of oriental melon, and it can broaden the research area of the effect of pesticide residue on quality, safety, and nutrition.

Figure 1: The Key Contributors to the Bitter Taste in Oriental Melon after Forchlorfenuron Application

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Science and Technology Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Link: 

1.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651321008125?via%3Dihub

2. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jafc.3c00380

3. https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/6/1272

4. https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/15/2858

By Wang Qi

(wangqi02@caas.cn)