Comprehensive analysis of strawberry fruit quality with uneven ripening disorder

We studied the physical and chemical profiles of strawberry fruits (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) of the varieties “Clery” and “Asia,” which exhibited uneven ripening disorder. In the first part of the study, evenly (uniformly) ripe fruits harvested in different harvest seasons – spring and autumn – were compared. The chemical parameters, including total soluble solids (TSS), individual and total sugars, individual and total organic acids, vitamin C, and phenolic content, varied between the two seasons. However, the values of physical parameters, such as fruit color and firmness, were similar between the seasons. The second objective was to compare the characteristics of differently pigmented parts of unevenly ripe fruits. The higher levels of TSS, individual and total sugars, vitamin C, and phenolic compounds, along with lower levels of organic acids and firmness, were found in the most pigmented part of the fruit. Uneven ripening appeared as the “white shoulder” or the “green tip” in the strawberry fruit. In the variety “Clery,” the “white shoulder” was observed in both harvest seasons, while in the variety “Asia,” the “white shoulder” was observed in spring, and the “green tip” in autumn. In conclusion, uneven ripening in strawberries results in significant chemical differences between fruit parts and harvest seasons. Moreover, different parts of unevenly ripe fruits show different maturity based on physical and chemical parameters.