WILD STRAWBERRIES
Compared with cultivated strawberries, the wild species have higher aroma intensities and significantly richer flavours, because they contain greater quantities of odorous molecules, including some extra ones.
In a comparison test between the cultivated variety Fragaria x ananassa Elsanta and the wild Fragaria vesca, scientists found that the cultivated strawberry contained only two terpenoid (highly aromatic) molecules but a wide range were present in the wild sample including α-pinene, β-myrcene, α-terpineol and β-phellandrene as well as myrtenyl acetate and myrtenol. These cause the smell of essential oils found in plants such as conifers and herbs such as myrtle and bay which all have strong aromas and flavours.
The usual method of analysing and measuring flavours and aromas in foods is to carry out a headspace analysis. In this technique, samples are sealed in glass containers and the gas given off is analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
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