such as aroma, texture, and flavor. Assessing Consumer Preferences of Therefore, it is critical that sensory Scab-resistant Apples: A Sensory Evaluation performances of these characteristics be evaluated for each apple. This in- formation helps growers make pro- Kathleen Kelley1,4,6, Jeffrey Hyde2,4, James Travis3,5, and duction and marketing decisions as Robert Crassweller1,5 breeders develop new cultivars, as lesser-known cultivars from abroad are imported, and as heirloom culti- ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. attitudes, behaviors, marketing, demographic, local, vars are rediscovered. organic, segmentation, Malus ·domestica A substantial amount of research is necessary to determine the feasibil- SUMMARY. One hundred forty-nine consumers participated in a sensory evaluation, conducted on 14 Nov. 2008, at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, ity of introducing consumer products PA, to determine consumer acceptance and perceptions of scab-resistant apples into the market place and assess po- (Malus ·domestica). Consumers were exclusively screened for liking and eating tential consumer demand. Among the apples. The study provides tree fruit growers and marketers in the mid-Atlantic tools available for this process, sensory United States with information on consumer preferences for apples that might evaluation is used by marketers to in- substitute for common cultivars that require frequent apple scab pesticide vestigate consumer preference for new applications. Resistant cultivars are also attractive in organic production systems. food products, helping to narrow po- During the 10-minute sensory evaluation, panelists rated five scab-resistant apples tential market introductions to a man- [‘Crimson Crisp’, ‘GoldRush’, NY 75907– 49 (NY 49), ‘Crimson Topaz’, and ageable number. In addition to being ‘Sundance’] and a commercially available non-resistant cultivar, Jonagold, on subjected to other selection criteria, appearance, aroma, texture, flavor, and overall liking using a nine-point hedonic scale (9 = ‘‘like extremely’’ and 1 = ‘‘dislike extremely’’). Three of the four apples many commonly recognized cultivars tested with a red peel (‘Crimson Topaz’, NY 49, and ‘Crimson Crisp’) were rated such as ‘Fuji’, ‘Braeburn’, and ‘Gala’ significantly higher than the other apples on the basis of appearance, receiving mean (McCracken et al., 1994) underwent ratings that were between ‘‘like moderately’’ and ‘‘like very much,’’ a rating of 7 and sensory evaluation before becoming 8, respectively. In regards to texture, ‘Crimson Topaz’ and ‘Crimson Crisp’ were readily available at grocery stores and significantly higher than ‘Jonagold’ and NY 49, with mean ratings between ‘‘like supermarkets. Retail introduction of slightly’’ and ‘‘like moderately.’’ For overall liking scores, ‘Crimson Crisp’, which a new apple cultivar is risky for pro- was rated between ‘‘like slightly’’ and ‘‘like moderately,’’ was not significantly ducers (because they must plant an different from ‘Crimson Topaz’ and ‘GoldRush’; however, ‘Crimson Crisp’ was orchard that may last for 25 or more rated higher than ‘Jonagold’, NY 49, and ‘Sundance’. Panelists also responded to years) and retailers (because they must questions regarding their food-purchasing attitudes and behaviors. Sixty-two percent of panelists purchased fresh apples for themselves and/or other household bear costs of advertising and promotion members at least ‘‘two or three times a month’’ during an average year. Only 2.7% and allocate shelf space that could go to responded that they purchased fresh apples ‘‘more than once a week.’’ This study of another product). Therefore, it would consumer preferences provides an initial assessment of the feasibility of marketing be ideal to identify cultivars that pro- new apple cultivars and organic apples within the mid-Atlantic U.S. region. Those vide consumers with direct (e.g., flavor, that performed well in the sensory evaluation should be candidates for additional texture, increased shelf life) and/or market research. indirect (e.g., countryoforigin,locally grown, certified organic, reduced pes- ticide use) benefits. s growers consider strategies apples labeled certified organic, pesticide- As interest in certified-organic to differentiate their busi- free,orintegrated pest management,itis products continues to increase in the Anesses and identify a competi- essential to investigate consumer at- United States, with further growth tive advantage, such as producing titudes toward these labels and to expected during the next decade (The determine if apples suitable for these NPD Group, 2009), apple cultivars Use of trade names does not imply endorsement of the production systems have a pleasing resistant to apple scab (caused by products named or criticism of similar ones not taste, texture, and visual appearance. the fungus Venturia inaequalis) are named. Consumers are able to accurately de- candidates to fulfill demand for or- The authors thank the Nesbitt Faculty Program De- velopment Award for funding this research. tect apple maturity based on visual ganic apples and provide concerned The authors also thank Julie Peterson and Ellen characteristics (Richardson-Harman growers with a tool to decrease pesti- Mahan, Sensory Evaluation Laboratory, Department et al., 1997), which can be an indica- cide use. Identifying scab-resistant of Food Science, Pennsylvania State University for tion of eating quality. However, this is apple cultivars (which tend to be less their assistance with the sensory evaluation. an imperfect indication because apples known to the average U.S. consumer) 1Department of Horticulture, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 with similar appearances may have suitable for production in scab-affected very different sensory characteristics regions and for fresh consumption has 2Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University, Uni- versity Park, PA 16802 3Department of Plant Pathology, The Pennsylvania Units State University, University Park, PA 16802 To convert U.S. to SI, To convert SI to U.S., 4Associate Professor multiply by U.S. unit SI unit multiply by 5 Professor 29.5735 fl oz mL 0.0338 6Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. (°F – 32) O 1.8 °F °C(1.8·C) + 32 • October 2010 20(5) 885 RESEARCH REPORTS been the subject of a select number of Rock Spring, PA, according to the before being served and placed on research studies. These studies used Pennsylvania Tree Fruit Production each serving tray in a randomized various methods such as small groups Guide (Crassweller, 2008) and were order, along with a 5–fl oz glass of of panelists trained to describe sen- delivered to the laboratory 4 d before water (for panelists to use to cleanse sory attributes (e.g., crispness, juici- testing and stored in a 35 °F walk- their palate) and a napkin. Blind ness, perfumed flavor) for several in cooler. ‘GoldRush’ apples were samples were served to reduce any (n = 24) cultivars (Kuhn and Thybo, grown at the Fruit Research and possible bias (Resurreccion, 1998) 2001) and sensory evaluations involv- Extension Center, Biglerville, PA, be- participants might have for a particular ing European or other foreign audi- cause they are a late-maturing cultivar apple. A nine-point hedonic scale (9 = ences (Cmelik et al., 2007). Other that benefit from a brief period of ‘‘like extremely,’’ 5 = ‘‘neither like studies have used conjoint analysis storage, and were delivered the morn- nor dislike,’’ 1 = ‘‘dislike extremely’’) to identify the most important attri- ing of the test. Additional selection was used to evaluate appearance, bute (e.g., taste, skin color, method criteria for apples were based on their aroma, texture, flavor, and overall of production, price) and level of resistance to apple scab either de- appeal (Meilgaard et al., 2008) of attribute (e.g., sweet/tart, red-skin/ scribed in the released papers or lesser-known scab-resistant fresh ap- green-skin, conventionally grown/ determined by the breeder and suit- ples. This scale was chosen to measure organically grown) to consumers after ability for eating fresh. likeability since it is easy to understand reading product descriptions (Baker, The test was limited to six apples with minimal instruction (Stone and 1999; Jerko and Damir, 2008; Manalo, to prevent sensory fatigue (Meilgaard Sidel, 2004). Evaluations took place 1990). Research results from such et al., 2008). The cultivar ‘Jonagold’, in individual testing booths, using studies have indicated the importance which is scab susceptible, was selected CompusenseÒ five software (Compu- of indicating reduced pesticide use to serve as a control since it is com- senseÒ, Guelph, ON, Canada), a sen- in the product description (Baker, mercially available and has been used sory and consumer research data 1999). as a reference sample in other evalua- collection program. Objectives specific to this study tions (Cmelik et al., 2007). A descrip- Each participant signed a consent include: 1) investigating whether lesser- tion of the sensory profile for apples form that they met the screener crite- known scab-resistant fresh apple cul- tested is presented in Table 1. The ria and acknowledged that they would tivars suitable for production in the protocol and survey instrument were receive an incentive to participate. mid-Atlantic U.S. region appeal to approved by the Office for Research They were then instructed to sit at consumers who were selected because Protections and Biomedical Institu- a computer-equipped