Consumer evaluation of scab-resistant apple cultivars in Sweden

H Nybom,Å Jönsson

doi:10.2137/145960606780061470

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.;

Highlights

Most of the commonly grown apple cultivars are susceptible to detrimental fungal diseases like apple scab and powdery mildew and to various insects, thereby requiring frequent use of fungicides and pesticides
The success of a new cultivar is, determined by consumer preferences, which are affected by many different parameters
A visual consumer test performed in Canada and New Zealand showed that preferences for the appearance of apples differed both between the two countries as well as between different cities in the same country (Cliff et al 2002)

Summary

Introduction

Most of the commonly grown apple cultivars are susceptible to detrimental fungal diseases like apple scab and powdery mildew and to various insects, thereby requiring frequent use of fungicides. A visual consumer test performed in Canada and New Zealand showed that preferences for the appearance of apples differed both between the two countries as well as between different cities in the same country (Cliff et al 2002). Sensory evaluations are often performed with trained panels (Watada et al 1980, DaillantSpinnler et al 1996, Hampson et al 2000, Weibel et al 2003). The objective with our study was to investigate the feasibility of using relatively inexpensive and available mass testing by untrained consumers. This was investigated during two years in Sweden. Consumer scores were subsequently analysed for relationships with some previously measured variables (shape, background colour, relative area covered by red colour, firmness and sugar content) and with consumer data (age, gender, access to homegrown apples, average apple consumtion, and interest in buying organically grown apples)

Material and methods

Background colour

Results