Abstract
In order to estimate the differences in the suitability of eggplant fruit for Japanese-style cooking, the effects of processing methods on the taste quality and texture were investigated based on a sensory evaluation of seven cultivars including ‘Yatakei’, one of the native strains of ‘Kamonasu’ in Nara, treated as a high-grade ingredient in the market. Six processing methods: salting, pickling in seasoning liquid, deep frying and soaking in seasoned soup stock, boiling with seasoning, steaming, and grilling over an open flame, were compared. Moisture contents of fruits before and after salting and the contents of chlorogenic acid and total polyphenols, affecting astringency, were also measured. Among the cultivars, there were significant variations in the taste quality for all processing methods except deep frying, the astringency of salted, steamed, and grilled fruits, the firmness of flesh and succulence with all processing methods, and the pericarp firmness of salted, pickled, boiled, and steamed fruits. Significant variations were also observed in the oiliness when deep fried, flavor permeability when boiled, and sweetness when grilled. There were significant correlations between the taste quality score and texture parameters including astringency, firmness of flesh, succulence, and sweetness. Chlorogenic acid and total polyphenol contents of fresh flesh were positively associated with the astringency of salted, pickled, and deep fried fruits. ‘Yatakei’ was the most suitable for deep frying and grilling among the cultivars, as the taste quality score was the highest for firmness and sweetness.
