Deterioration and disposal of fruit in the home: Consumer interviews and fruit quality assessments

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Consumers often express concern about the quality of fruit available to buy and the rate at which it deteriorates in their homes. Despite this there are few studies on quality of fruit collected from consumers. This study considered three questions: (1) what was the quality of fruit in retail stores and how did it vary over the study period? (2) What was the extent that fruit quality deteriorated in consumers' homes? (3) Were there any consumer behaviours or attitudes that extenuated or mitigated the effects of fruit deterioration in the home?

Postharvest losses of fruit and vegetables during retail and in consumers’ homes: Quantifications, causes, and means of prevention

“…Social marketing campaigns provide constant reminders that people should eat F&V (Havas et al, 1995;Pollard et al, 2008) and consumers are well aware of the importance of F&V in their diet and select it on the basis of its contribution to family health (Jaeger and MacFie, 2001). For some consumers, ready access to fruit in the home is a source of affirmation and prestige or, if fruit is not available, embarrassment (Campbell et al, 2009). Pressures to be good providers contribute to the probability that consumers will be biased to purchase F&V, but later fail to eat it.…”

“…There are three ways that many consumers manage inventory in the home: (1) shopping once a week with supplementary shops allowing replenishment of perishable F&V, (2) shopping once a week and purchasing a range of fruits that ripen at different times to ensure both quality and availability throughout the week and (3) shopping once a week with the recognition that fruit inventory will run out before the next replenishment (Campbell et al, 2009). Recent in-home interviews and focus groups with high-income Chinese consumers in Tier 1, 2 and 3 cities indicate that accessing fresh F&V is a priority, and this requires women to shop in the morning at local wet markets (often located within a few minutes of their apartments) for their provisions for the day (Harker, unpublished).…”

“…a quarter of a bag of leftover spinach that a consumer might add to an omelette so that it is used (Evans, 2011). Campbell et al (2009) found that the majority of consumers suggested alternative uses for fruit that had passed its best, including: baking, stewing and juicing. In a follow-up unpublished online survey, Campbell elicited the most likely and the least likely use of an apple with external blemishes and a moderately over-ripe banana (Amos, 2005).…”

“…It should not be a surprise that consumers, lacking postharvest science knowledge, judge quality according to different criteria and that this sometimes lead to a misalignment between consumer perceptions and technical assessment of quality. Thus, consumers may dispose fruit that not only seem of reasonable quality according to postharvest assessments, but also which deliver an acceptable eating experience (Campbell et al, 2009). F&V rarely use expiry dates, except in prepared salads and fresh-cut products.…”

Comparing “Leaf-to-Root”, “Nose-to-Tail” and Other Efficient Food Utilization Options from a Consumer Perspective

“…In addition, findings of the present study, which support the positive evaluation of utilizing plant-based by-products (especially non-standard fruits/vegetables and "leaf-to-root"), connect to findings confirming the high value and benefits attached to fruits and vegetables by consumers. For instance, consumers use different strategies in everyday life to minimize deterioration and wastage of fruits [116]. The already proven more critical consumer view of animal-based foods [113,114] compared to plant-based foods is, according to the findings of the present study, also transferable to by-products.…”