Abstract
Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is an underutilized tree fruit. Previous studies have shown the feasibility of making a hot-air-dried, chip-style product from persimmon. However, the texture of this type of product has not been explored or connected to consumer preference. Thus, for dried samples representing 37 cultivars, this study aimed to (1) predict trained sensory panel texture attributes from instrumental measurements, (2) predict consumer liking from instrumental measurements and sensory texture attributes, and (3) elucidate whether astringency type affects dried product texture. Partial least-squares regression models of fair-to-good quality predicted all measured sensory texture attributes (except Tooth Packing) from instrumental measurements. Modeling also identified that consumer preference is for a moist, smooth texture. Lastly, while astringency type has significant (p < 0.05) effects on several individual texture attributes, astringency type should not be used a priori to screen-in or -out persimmon cultivars for processing into a hot-air-dried product.
Highlights
Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is an orange-skinned, subtropical tree fruit grown in several regions worldwide but largely unknown in the United States outside of farmers’ markets and home growers in the State of California
While the moisture content of the persimmon chips in this study was below that reported for apple chips (16.7%), aW was slightly higher for the persimmon chips than it was for the apple chips [44]
Models of fair-to-good quality can be used to predict all of the sensory texture attributes of dried persimmon chips—except Tooth Packing—from the instrumental techniques of Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) and shear test
Summary
Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is an orange-skinned, subtropical tree fruit grown in several regions worldwide but largely unknown in the United States outside of farmers’ markets and home growers in the State of California. To encourage more widespread consumption of persimmons, researchers have endeavored to develop a value-added product (a hot-air-dried persimmon “chip”) that is shelf-stable and produced. Several groups [1,2,3,4,5,6] have previously conducted exploratory studies of sliced, hot-air-dried persimmon chips. Gathering texture information to inform product development can be very timeand resource-intensive, so one aim of the present study was to determine how well instrumental texture measurements (relatively low-time and low-resource) would correlate with sensory texture attributes (moderate-time, moderate-resource). Another aim was to determine which texture measurements (both instrumental and sensory) could best predict consumer liking of the products, Foods 2020, 9, 1434; doi:10.3390/foods9101434 www.mdpi.com/journal/foods
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
