Relating Consumer Evaluation of Apple Freshness to Sensory and Physico‐chemical Measurements

Abstract

The objective of the present investigation was to elucidate sensory attributes that influence consumer perception of apple freshness. A total of 4,758 consumers rated the freshness of six apple cultivars stored at different conditions. The apples were further characterized by consumer and panel sensory analyses as well as by physico-chemical analyses. The contribution of these characteristics to freshness was tested with principal component regression. Texture properties were shown to be of main importance for freshness, and flavor attributes of less importance. It is hypothesized that the evaluation of freshness might be a measurement of apple aging through the evaluation of its texture. Consumers of different age and levels of apple consumption did not vary in their perception of freshness. However, differences by gender were observed. Attributes shown to influence freshness were in agreement when measured by consumer, panel and physico-chemical analyses.4 Corresponding

The role of seasonality in lettuce consumption: a case study of environmental and social aspects

“…4 Comparative results for the impact categories of the studied suppliers: a GWP (kg CO 2 eq/1 kg of lettuce delivered to the RDC), b AP (g SO 2 eq/1 kg of lettuce delivered to the RDC) main outputs from this work was clarification of the meanings of freshness, which was defined in five ways. The first and most common meaning of freshness (already identified in other studies such as Péneau et al 2007) relates to the physiological ageing of the vegetables assessed through the senses (vision, taste, touch or smell), to food that does not show traces of deterioration or is not close to decaying. Freshness is then often equated with having better taste, the 'right texture/firmness' and seasonality.…”

Consumer freshness perceptions of breads, biscuits and cakes

“…This data analysis approach has been applied to understand consumers' perception of bread (Hersleth et al, 2005), and cheese (Hersleth et al, 2005). In particular, consumer perceptions of freshness in apples (Peneau, Brockhoff, Hoehn, Escher, & Nuessli, 2007;Peneau et al, 2006); creaminess in dairy products (Richardson-Harman et al, 2000;Tournier, Martin, Guichard, Issanchou, & Sulmont-Rosse, 2007) and refreshing in gel model systems (Labbe, Gilbert, Antille, & Martin, 2009), have been studied using descriptive sensory analysis in parallel with consumer research, and by relating data using multivariate techniques. According to Carr, Craig-Petsinger, and Hadlich (2001) relationships between consumer descriptions of products and their sensory character provide a valuable insight into understanding how consumers perceive complex product image attributes such as wholesome, comforting and sophisticated.…”

How to understand the complexity of product quality and the challenges in differentiating between organically and conventionally grown products—exemplified by fresh and heat-processed carrots (Daucus carota L.)

“…Proposed indicator substances for freshness are molecules involved in catabolic processes that start after harvest and constituents or characteristics that can be measured with quantitative instrumental or sensory analyses (Pèneau et al 2007a). However, as far as we know, these markers have not been tested for their ability to discriminate between the freshness of organic and conventional fruit and vegetables.…”

“…However, when the consumers were asked to rate the importance of different attributes for the evaluation of freshness, consumer perception of freshness was best described by sensory attributes, whereas non-sensory attributes such as nutritional value and organic production were rated to be of less importance (Pèneau et al 2007a). The relative ranking of the attributes that consumers prefer varies depending on the actual product, the nationality of the consumers (Yiridoe et al 2005), food-buying habits, level of consumption and the age and gender of consumers (Pèneau et al 2007a).…”