Sensory Characteristics and Quality of Fresh and Processed Fruits and Vegetables (2024)

Non Technical Summary
The quality of fruits and vegetables is extremely important in determining purchase and consumption decisions by consumers. This has a significant impact on the sales of fruits and vegetables as well as consequences on the nutritional impact (or lack of) from these products. Consumers in general have always avoided poor quality, but increasingly, consumers are looking for "premium" quality fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. The flavor of fruits and vegetables as measured by consumers is becoming increasingly recognized as perhaps the most important and realistic indicator of quality. As a consequence, sensory testing is being used more frequently to measure the quality of fruits and vegetables and processed products from these. Sensory testing can be very valuable in screening the quality caused by genetic variability, postharvest storage and handling, and processing variables. This project will utilize consumer acceptability testing to determine the quality of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables important to Florida. This will aid in the selection and development of varieties with better quality and flavor, and will also hopefully lead to improved quality of juices and wines from Florida grapes and other fruits. This, in turn, may lead to increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, juices and wines, which will increase profitability to growers and processors and could have positive nutritional benefits to Floridians.

Goals / Objectives
The goal of this project is to use sensory testing and other measures to improve the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables and processed fruit and vegetable products of importance to Florida. The focus will primarily be on tomatoes, strawberries, melons, and grapes for processing. The major outputs expected from this project include: *The identification of fresh fruit and vegetable varieties with superior consumer appeal *Assist in the development of new varieties with superior consumer acceptability *Identify pre- and post-harvest factors that affect the consumer acceptability of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables *The identification of new varieties of grapes for wine production in Florida, and the development of superior methods of wine and juice production

Project Methods
We will examine the sensory characteristics of selected varieties of fruits and vegetables that potentially have superior flavor characteristics. The crops we will focus on initially will be tomatoes, strawberries, and melons, although other important crops will also be included. We will also examine the sensory characteristics of fruits and vegetables as influenced by pre-harvest and post-harvest variables. Other projects will focus on the sensory quality of wines from Florida grapes. We will also work on the sensory quality of juices as affected by pre-harvest variables and processing. Consumer Sensory Panels For consumer acceptability panels, samples of the different cultivars/lines or treatments to be compared will be prepared and presented to 80-100 untrained panelists. Panelists will rate their level of overall acceptability and the level of acceptability of certain key attributes on a 9-point hedonic scale (1=dislike extremely, 5=neither like nor dislike, 9=like extremely). Data will be collected from panelists via computers and Compusense software. Data will be subjected to analysis of variance following the experimental design used, then means separated by Duncan's multiple range test. Descriptive Analysis Panels For descriptive analysis panels, a panel of 10-15 panelists will be selected and trained in descriptive analysis for the products being compared. For training, panelists will be exposed to a wide range of examples of the product to be tested. Panelists will select the attributes (descriptors) that are important to these products and that help to distinguish the different types. Once trained, panelists will evaluate the different cultivars/ lines or treatments. Panelists will evaluate the products in private booths in the sensory testing laboratory and rate the intensity of each descriptor on a 15 cm line scale. Data will be recorded via computer and Compusense software. Data will be subjected to analysis of variance, then the means separated by Duncan's multiple range test. Evaluation of a New Scaling Method for Consumer Acceptability The hedonic general labeled magnitude scale (hedonic GLMS) has been proposed as a way to overcome limitations with traditional hedonic scales. This hedonic GLMS ranges from 0=neutral to 100=most pleasant hedonic experience to -100=worst hedonic experience. These 2 scales will be compared in evaluating the likeability of a range of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. A range of products (4-6 of each product) will be rated using the 2 scales. The products will be evaluated using the 9-point scale, then the same products will be evaluated using the hedonic GLMS (different group of panelists). Then, the same products will be divided into groups of 2 and different groups of panelists will evaluate each group of 2 products using the 9-point scale, then the hedonic GLMS. The data within each session will be analyzed (AOV) to determine if there are significant differences between the 2 products within a session, then the data for all the products will be combined and analyzed to determine if there are significant differences between all the products when analyzed at multiple sessions.