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RELATING CONSUMER EVALUATION OF APPLE FRESHNESS TO SENSORY AND PHYSICO‐CHEMICAL MEASUREMENTS
Author(s) -
PÉNEAU S.,
BROCKHOFF P.B.,
HOEHN E.,
ESCHER F.,
NUESSLI J.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of sensory studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1745-459X
pISSN - 0887-8250
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-459x.2007.00112.x
Subject(s) - food science , flavor , quality (philosophy) , perception , mathematics , sensory system , sensory analysis , chemistry , psychology , cognitive psychology , philosophy , epistemology , neuroscience
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.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Freshness is an important characteristic of fruits and vegetables. A better understanding of what freshness means to consumers helps in the provision of high‐quality products perceived as fresh. A key finding of this study, which concentrates basically on the sensory aspects of freshness, is that freshness in case of apples is mainly related to high textural quality. Providing consumers with apples that meet their expectations of a fresh product might increase consumption.