Abstract: Sensory and chemical characteristics of organically and conventionally grown pac choi (often called bok choy) were identified and quantified during 18 days of shelf life storage. Sensory and instrumental data were correlated using partial least squares regression. Pac choi was grown in early autumn at the Research and Extension Center owned by Kansas State University located in Olathe, Kansas. Samples were refrigerated at 4°C and evaluated at 1, 4, 9, and 18 days after storage. Sensory analysis was conducted by a trained descriptive panel and compounds were identified and quantified using a gas chromatograph / mass spectrometer. Most of the decrease in the quality of pac choi during refrigerated storage is related to a decrease of textural attributes such as crispness and moistness as well as the increase in off-flavors such as stale/refrigerator and moldy. However, differences generally were small. Most of the flavor characteristics remained constant or varied slightly. Volatiles such as heptanal, octanal, benzeneacetaldehyde, 1-octanol, and (E)-2-nonen-1-ol generally were higher in organic pac choi, but those differences did not translate into sensory differences as none were found between the organic and conventionally grown leaves at any point in the shelf life. © Academic Press Inc.
Reference: Talavera-Bianchi, M., Chambers, D. H., Chambers, E., Adhikari, K., & Carey, E. E. (2011). Sensory and chemical properties of organically and conventionally grown pac choi (Brassica rapa var. Mei Qing Choi) change little during 18 days of refrigerated storage. LWT - Food Science & Technology, 44(6), 1538-1545. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2010.12.020