Effect of magnetic field-assisted thawing on the flavor characteristics of blueberries

The effects of magnetic field on the flavor of thawed blueberries were studied. The results showed that the group thawed with magnetic assistance had significantly higher ascorbic acid content and sugar-acid ratio (<i>P</i> < 0.05) compared to the non-magnetic-field thawed group. The electronic nose showed that sensor response values in the air thawing group were generally higher than those in the immersion thawing group. The electronic tongue detected only minor differences in acidity among blueberries from different thawing treatments. Furthermore, a total of 46 effective volatile organic compounds were identified through gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) analysis, leading to a fingerprint profile reflecting the distribution of volatile organic compounds during blueberry thawing, this profile indicated that magnetic field-assisted thawing effectively mitigated the loss of key aroma-active aldehydes. Therefore, the application of magnetic field-assisted thawing treatment can significantly enhance the quality of blueberries post-thawing.