Introduction. The aims of our study were to evaluate the genetic diversityin flavor attributes of and preferences for fresh pomegranate arils. Materials andmethods. Experiments were conducted with fresh arils extracted from 18 distinctpomegranate varieties within the Israel Pomegranate Breeding Collection of the ARO.Consumer flavor acceptance tests were conducted at a commercial supermarket branch, anddescriptive flavor analysis tests were conducted by a trained sensory panel. Resultsand discussion. Consumer flavor acceptance tests revealed wide diversity in theflavor preferences for various pomegranate varieties. Further descriptive flavor analysistests revealed that arils from highly preferred varieties were characterized by highsweetness, moderate to low acidity levels, rich red wine and pomegranate fruity odors, lowbitterness and astringency, and soft seeds. In contrast, arils from the least preferredvarieties were either too sour or bitter, had low red wine and pomegranate fruity odors,or had very hard seeds. Furthermore, all “sour” varieties tested (acid content ≥ 1.8%)received low sensory preference scores, whereas “sweet-sour” and “sweet” varieties (acidcontents 0.7–1.8% and £ 0.7%, respectively) achieved variable flavor preference scores.Overall, it is suggested that pomegranate flavor preference derives mainly from highsweetness, low to moderate acidity, rich red wine and pomegranate fruity odors, and softseeds.

Introduction. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of sugar and citric, malic, succinic and ascorbic acid levels on melon flavor perception, and to infer about consumers’ preferences based on instrumentally measured characteristics. Materials and methods. Fully ripened melons belonging to the ‘Branco’ (Brazilian), ‘Pele de Sapo’ (Spanish) and winter ‘Tendral’ (Portuguese) melon cultivars were analyzed using five fruits with three replicates for each treatment. Quality parameters (weight, height, diameter, solid shape, volume, internal appearance, texture and flavor), sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose), total soluble solids content, sweetness, organic acids (citric, malic, succinic and ascorbic) and sourness were measured. Results and discussion. Flavor was the most important parameter for the consumers’ decision, regarding the different melon cultivars studied. It was also detected that it correlated well with sweetness (thus, with sucrose content) and sourness. The obtained data supports that sugars and organic acids enhance human perception of specific flavor notes in melon.