Consumer Preference Study on Myrtaceae Fruit Collection of Bogor Botanic Gardens

Abstract

Abstract Myrtaceae fruit in Bogor Botanic Gardens (BBG) can be potentially developed as a unique and new fruit consumption style. The study aimed to determine the consumer preferences on Myrtaceae fruit. The method used was organoleptic testing, including a description, hedonic and rank tests. The parameters measured in this study are taste, color, flavor, texture, sound, and size of the fruit. Data analysis performed by the Kruskal-Wallis test. The results showed that most of the respondents preferred the fruit with a medium-size, tastes sour but not bitter, has attractive colors, has no pungent flavor, has soft and smooth texture, and is not crispy when it is bitten and chewed. The hedonic test showed that sample #4 and #7 have the highest average value of 4.7. The lowest average obtained in sample #3, where respondents did not like the sample. There was no significant difference of the average. The ranking of hedonic test result indicates the level of respondents' preferences in sequence are Eugenia sp. from Southeast Sulawesi, Myrtus pendula, Syzygium bankense, Syzygium aqueum, Eugenia sp. from Papua, Syzygium sp. from Seram Island, and Syzygium polycephaloides. Keywords: Bogor Botanic Gardens, consumer preference, Myrtaceae fruits, organoleptic test