New study uses AI to determine which fruit varieties are the most flavoursome of all

By Francesca Johnson

Published Feb 22, 2022 at 04:28 PM

Reading time: 3 minutes

Are you on the hunt for more flavourful fruits? Ever wanted to know if the ever so elusive perfect tomato exists? In other words, can the produce industry do more to tickle your tastebuds? I mean, five-a-day is no joke, people. It’s technically still health kick season for those of us who have managed to stay on top of their New Year’s resolutions, especially since the January blues are now behind us. And in case you need a gentle push in the direction of a healthy diet comprised of greens and fruits, this new AI might be able to help you. Let me explain.

We all have a particular taste when it comes to our favourite fruits, exhibit A being the age-old ‘apple juice versus orange juice’ debate. But while there are many face offs between which fruits top one’s list in terms of personal preference, researchers are now using AI technology to determine which fruit varieties have the most flavour.

Though the chemical compounds found in certain fruits can lead to some being tastier than others, a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (PNAS) answered the question of which variety of a specific produce is most appealing to consumers. Because they had to start somewhere, scientists focused on different types of tomatoes and blueberries first.

After conducting their research, Harry J. Klee, a Professor of Horticultural Sciences at the University of Florida and Marcio Resende, Assistant Professor of Horticultural Sciences at the same university described their findings in an article for The Conversation.

According to the research paper, flavour—which plays a massive role in what people choose to eat—is hard to use as a navigator for consumer traits due to the difficulty in measuring the sensory perception of it. It is chemically complex but previous research has defined it as the interaction between aroma and taste. According to the researchers’ piece in The Conversation, multiple taste compounds present in food (such as sugars, acids and bitterness) “interact with the taste receptors on our tongues to invoke taste.” Meanwhile, “volatile compounds that interact with olfactory receptors in our noses are responsible for aroma.”

The aim of the research is to help plant-breeding programmes in their efforts to satisfy consumers with flavourful varieties of fruit by making it easier to determine once and for all (objectively) what makes one variety taste better than another. A benefit to using AI was that it could help streamline the traditional plant-breeding with consumer panels. “Here, we combine fruit chemical and consumer sensory panel information to train machine learning models that can predict how flavorful a fruit will be from its chemistry,” the paper outlined.

“By increasing the throughput of flavour evaluations, these models will help plant breeders to integrate flavor earlier in the breeding pipeline and aid in the design of varieties with exceptional flavor profiles,” it continued.

New study uses AI to determine which fruit varieties are the most flavoursome of all

However, mining for that perfect mingling of flavour is no easy task, folks. For starters, breeding programmes for fruit and vegetables need to make sure they are hitting the sweet spot for all of their consumer bases. Working for the greater good of the whole has its downside though, since it often means corners need to be cut. “Creating the optimal genetic combination that covers all these traits is difficult, so breeding programs often deprioritize flavor to focus on improving disease resistance and increasing yield”, the researchers explained.

Another complicated task that these crop breeders face is being able to evaluate and select from hundreds to thousands of potential varieties. It’s not a simple touch-and-go process either, as testing one single sample can get you in quite a pickle—especially since we’re trying to be as objective as possible here. The requisite for consumer panels is around 100 people, which can be expensive and impractical to arrange.

As with most research currently, time and money are the main foes. That’s where AI comes to save the day, and the future of fruits. By developing an algorithm to help them, the researchers managed to “streamline this process [and] predict how consumers will rank flavor in tomatoes and blueberries,” for example.

“We created a database containing all known compounds associated with flavor in all varieties of these fruits. Then, we compared this database with existing consumer panel ratings on sweetness, sourness, umami and overall flavor and preference of different varieties,” the team further elaborated. By looking at the consumer ratings alongside the chemical makeup of fruits, they were able to determine which compounds most influence flavour perception.

New study uses AI to determine which fruit varieties are the most flavoursome of all

Finally, the results came in and it was found that “volatile organic compounds, or chemicals that form a gas” (which are responsible for aroma) are a big reason why certain people may like a specific variety of fruit. It’s estimated that out of a given variety of tomato or blueberry, between 42 per cent and 56 per cent of the overall preference score was associated with aroma.

That’s not all, volatile compounds contributed anything between 33 per cent to 62 per cent of how consumers rated sweetness. Furthermore, the researchers were able to identify several different chemical compounds that most contribute to the beloved flavour and sweetness perception in tomatoes and blueberries.

Keeping in mind that genetic and cultural factors are at play here, it’s exciting to think about what more this study will reveal about our preferences in fruits and vegetables. Flavour preferences will likely differ across countries, ethnic backgrounds and more, while the current results we looked at here were focused on the average US citizen’s taste.

Among the next steps for Resende and Klee’s research is “breeding fruits to increase the key volatile compounds that determine how much a consumer likes a particular variety.” Hopefully, that means we will soon find the answer to what exactly makes the perfect tomato so perfect indeed.

Keep On Reading

By Abby Amoakuh

Mainstream media’s criticism of 9 to 5 girl is proof that boomers will always be out to get gen Z

By Charlie Sawyer

UK government makes shocking U-turn on single-sex bathroom policy

By Alma Fabiani

Bad Bunny asks journalism students to help promote his new album

By Charlie Sawyer

Watch shocking video of real-life exorcism in the middle of Times Square, New York City

By Alma Fabiani

TikToker predicts squatterscore as the next big thing. Please, let’s not

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Hundreds protest Italian right-wing prosecutor’s cancellation of birth certificates for lesbian couples

By Charlie Sawyer

The US Supreme Court has entered its authoritarian era, even AOC says so

By Abby Amoakuh

Nella Rose faces backlash following explosive fight with Fred Sirieix on I’m a Celebrity

By Abby Amoakuh

Pro-suicide website finally blocked by broadband providers after being linked to 50 deaths in the UK

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Watch these TikToks of Oxford Street being taken over by hundreds of teenagers

By Charlie Sawyer

How to get a refund from your university

By Charlie Sawyer

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sacks Home Secretary Suella Braverman as cabinet reshuffle begins

By Charlie Sawyer

No, controversial comedian Matt Rife didn’t compare himself to Bin Laden

By Abby Amoakuh

Watch the first official trailer for Netflix’s new reality TV show, Squid Game: The Challenge

By Charlie Sawyer

Fancy staying in Shrek’s swamp? Well, here are Airbnb’s most iconic film-inspired homes

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

What is legal cocaine? And how is it now being incorporated into our food and drinks?

By Charlie Sawyer

The Mean Girls musical reboot trailer just dropped and it’s giving gen Z tryhard energy

By Charlie Sawyer

Side hustles are going to be taxed in the UK in January 2024. Here’s everything you need to know

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Hidden in the Philippine mountains, there’s a cult that preys on children’s fear of hell

By Mason Berlinka

Italian man accused of groping teenager acquitted for crime because it didn’t last 10 full seconds