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Metabolites
Volume 16
Issue 6
10.3390/metabo16060368
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Integrating Sensory Evaluation and Metabolomics to Reveal the Metabolic Basis of Taste and Flesh Color in Melon (Cucumis melo L.)

by
Yu Zhou
1,2,†,
Binbin Li
2,†,
Weizhong He
2,
Fengjuan Liu
2,
Yingying Fan
2,
Jiangtao Du
2,
Xing Cui
2,
Weijia Lian
2,
Qi Shen
2,
Yan Wang
2,
Zhongkai Zhao
1,* and
Cheng Wang
1,2,*
1
College of Smart Agriculture (Research Institute), Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China
2
Institute of Quality Standards & Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830091, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Metabolites 2026, 16(6), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo16060368
Submission received: 9 April 2026 / Revised: 19 May 2026 / Accepted: 26 May 2026 / Published: 28 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Food Metabolomics)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Background: The sensory quality of melon (Cucumis melo L.) is determined by the complex interplay of metabolites within the fruit. However, the underlying metabolic mechanisms based on consumer sensory experience remain underexplored. Methods: Sensory evaluation was conducted on twelve melon cultivars, recording flesh color and quantitatively scoring acidity, sweetness, firmness, and aroma intensity. Based on the sensory results, eight cultivars were selected to establish two contrasting groups: sweet-type vs. acidic-type and orange-fleshed vs. green-fleshed. Untargeted metabolomics (UPLC-QTOF-MS) was then performed to analyze the samples, and differential metabolites were screened using OPLS-DA combined with univariate analysis. Results: Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the key distinction between sweet and acidic taste profiles was associated with the specific accumulation of citric acid within the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in the acidic-type group. Regarding flesh color, the orange-fleshed group was enriched with carotenoid derivatives like β-citraurinene and the oxidized tocopherol product α-tocopherolquinone, whereas the green-fleshed group mainly accumulated phytol, a chlorophyll degradation product, along with more abundant terpenoids. Conclusions: By integrating sensory phenotyping with metabolomic analysis, this study identified key differential metabolites and candidate pathways associated with taste and color in melon, providing metabolic insights and data resources for quality evaluation and regulation.
Keywords: Cucumis melo; sensory evaluation; untargeted metabolomics; taste; flesh color Cucumis melo; sensory evaluation; untargeted metabolomics; taste; flesh color

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zhou, Y.; Li, B.; He, W.; Liu, F.; Fan, Y.; Du, J.; Cui, X.; Lian, W.; Shen, Q.; Wang, Y.; et al. Integrating Sensory Evaluation and Metabolomics to Reveal the Metabolic Basis of Taste and Flesh Color in Melon (Cucumis melo L.). Metabolites 2026, 16, 368. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo16060368

AMA Style

Zhou Y, Li B, He W, Liu F, Fan Y, Du J, Cui X, Lian W, Shen Q, Wang Y, et al. Integrating Sensory Evaluation and Metabolomics to Reveal the Metabolic Basis of Taste and Flesh Color in Melon (Cucumis melo L.). Metabolites. 2026; 16(6):368. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo16060368

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhou, Yu, Binbin Li, Weizhong He, Fengjuan Liu, Yingying Fan, Jiangtao Du, Xing Cui, Weijia Lian, Qi Shen, Yan Wang, and et al. 2026. "Integrating Sensory Evaluation and Metabolomics to Reveal the Metabolic Basis of Taste and Flesh Color in Melon (Cucumis melo L.)" Metabolites 16, no. 6: 368. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo16060368

APA Style

Zhou, Y., Li, B., He, W., Liu, F., Fan, Y., Du, J., Cui, X., Lian, W., Shen, Q., Wang, Y., Zhao, Z., & Wang, C. (2026). Integrating Sensory Evaluation and Metabolomics to Reveal the Metabolic Basis of Taste and Flesh Color in Melon (Cucumis melo L.). Metabolites, 16(6), 368. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo16060368

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