Consumers acceptance and volatile profile of wall rocket (Diplotaxis erucoides).
Wall rocket (Diplotaxis erucoides) is a wild edible herb traditionally consumed in the Mediterranean regions with a characteristic, pungent flavour. However, little is known about its acceptance as a potential new crop. In the present study, an hedonic test with 98 volunteers was performed in order to evaluate the potential of wall rocket as a new crop. Three products were tested corresponding to microgreens, seedlings and baby-leaves. The volatile constituents were also studied due to their probable influence on acceptance, and compared to Dijon's mustard and wasabi. The degree of acceptance was mainly related to taste and pungency. Microgreens were well accepted, whereas seedlings and baby-leaves were mainly appreciated by individuals that enjoy pungent tastes. The purchase intent was also highly related to the acceptance of taste and pungency. The volatiles profile revealed that wall rocket was rich in allyl isothiocyanate, like mustard and wasabi. This compound may be greatly responsible of the relationship between the acceptance of mustard, wasabi and wall rocket. Microgreens displayed the highest levels of isothiocyanates, although the quantity of product tested by panellists did not probably allow the appreciation of such compounds. In baby-leaves, a significant decrease in isothiocyanates GC area and relative abundances was observed. These results suggest that wall rocket microgreens would be accepted by a significant proportion of the general public since pungency is lowly perceived in the product, despite its high levels of isothiocyanates. By contrast, baby-leaves may become a crop for a cohort of consumers that enjoy pungent flavours.
['Guijarro-Real|Carla|C|', 'Prohens|Jaime|J|', 'Rodríguez-Burruezo|Adrián|A|', 'Fita|Ana|A|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D019607:Brassicaceae D003258:Consumer Behavior D005260:Female D005421:Flavoring Agents D006801:Humans D017879:Isothiocyanates D008297:Male D010936:Plant Extracts D018515:Plant Leaves D036226:Seedlings D013649:Taste D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds D055815:Young Adult
New crops Microgreens Baby-leaves Allyl isothiocyanate Affective test GC–MS