Consumer evaluation of scab-resistant apple cultivars in Sweden

Abstract

The feasibility of using untrained consumers for sensory evaluation was investigated on Swedish-grown scab-resistant apple cultivars in 2002 (11 cultivars) and 2003 (15 cultivars). The consumers evaluated five cultivars each, including the control cultivar 'Aroma'. Each cultivar was scored for appearance, texture, juiciness, taste and overall impression by a minimum of 100 consumers in 2002 and by 200 in 2003. All quality attributes were positively correlated when calculations were performed across all consumer scores, with overall impression and taste having the strongest association. 'Rubinola' and K:1160 emerged as the best liked cultivars overall. Cultivar means were analysed for relationships with some previously scored or measured variables and with consumer profile data. Positive correlations with overall impression were obtained for amount of red colour in 2002, and for sugar levels in 2003. Among consumer profile variables, age had the largest influence on consumer scores, with some indications that older consumers preferred (or at least tolerated) soft-fleshed cultivars better than did younger consumers. Minimum number of consumers needed to obtain reliable results was determined by computer simulations indicating that the error rate became stabilized already with 50 consumers.

Consumer Perception Concerning Apple Fruit Quality, Depending on Cultivars and Hedonic Scale of Evaluation - a Case Study

“…By analysing these results with the tasters, it was confirmed the taste axiom and that everyone has his/her own taste and taste cannot be wrong as it is ones' preference. Like in other studies (Jönsson and Nybom, 2008), taste and flavor, associated with optimum juiciness, were considered the most important quality traits, which can make the separation between cultivars and assure the appreciation on the market.…”

“…Given by specific traits, any cultivar may be (extremely) liked and disliked by consumers, with vast differences depending on the region and its specific cuisine, consumers' age and gender, education, know-how (trained tasters) etc. (Abbott et al, 2004;Jemrić et al, 2012b;Jönsson and Nybom, 2008;Seppä et al, 2013).…”

Hedonic Responses and Individual Definitions of an Ideal Apple as Predictors of Choice

“…Some studies have indicated that older respondents prefer sweeter or softer fruits more than younger respondents (Harker et al . ; Jönsson and Nybom ). No such observation was made in this study.…”

Review of the Impact of Apple Fruit Ripening, Texture and Chemical Contents on Genetically Determined Susceptibility to Storage Rots

“…Genetic variation among cultivars (each cultivar usually corresponds to a single genotype in apple and other clonally propagated crops) is the basis for selection-mediated improvement, and the subsequent development of superior cultivars. Considerable variation among cultivars in their susceptibility to some of the most common storage rots has been reported from observations in orchards and storage rooms [ 3 , 19 , 21 , 40 , 43 , 70 ]. Still, levels of resistance cannot be properly quantified based only on natural infections, since the inocula may vary in both quantity and virulence.…”