Role of fruit firmness in the sensory evaluation of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa cv Hayward)

Abstract

AbstractSensory assessment was carried out on kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa( A Chev) Liang et Ferguson cv Hayward) from a number of maturity and post‐harvest treatments given in two seasons. The influence of fruit firmness at eating ripeness was evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively.There was a significant relationship between fruit firmness and overall fruit acceptability across all treatments, such that soft fruit were more acceptable. There was also a trend for the texture of soft fruit to be the most acceptable within each treatment. Soluble solids concentration at eating ripeness and fruit acceptability within any one treatment were not correlated. Core firmness sometimes related to flavour intensity and acceptability.In comparison with firm fruit, soft fruit had more intense and acceptable aromas in one year, but not in another. However, descriptors in both years varied in frequency of usage in relation to fruit firmness in a similar manner. When compared with firm or hard fruit, soft fruit were sweeter, less tangy and described as having flavours more characteristic of ripe fruit. No correlation was found between fruit firmness and flavour acceptability.The preferred firmness at eating ripeness varied among assessors. Therefore future sensory evaluations of acceptability in kiwifruit should take this factor into account. Due to the significant effect of fruit firmness on perception of sweetness and acidity in kiwifruit, conclusions as to the relative sweetness of fruit with a different history can only be drawn if fruit of a similar firmness at eating ripeness are compared. These results indicate that the use of sensory assessment to evaluate treatment effects on kiwifruit should be approached with care and with strict control on fruit firmness at assessment.