Glenn Hale | La Trobe University (original) (raw)
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In recent years the Australian stone-fruit industry has experienced low and at times negative gro... more In recent years the Australian stone-fruit industry has experienced low and at times negative growth in domestic and export sales due to variable fruit quality, oversupply and increased competition from global suppliers. The aim of this study was to identify Australian consumer preferences to the main interactions between sweetness, acidity and firmness for fresh stone-fruit. Two peach (Snow Fire and Summer Flame 29) and two nectarine (August Fire and Fire Sweet) cultivars (both representing low and high-acidity) were stored and ripened prior to hand sorting into two firmness categories (firm and soft). Separation of fruit into firmness categories was confirmed non-destructively with an acoustic firmness sensor (AWETA). Fruit were then sorted into two sweetness categories (high and low) using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR). Melbourne consumers (n=150) recruited from a major shopping centre tasted fruit and their hedonic responses recorded. Consumers preferred high acid peaches and low acid nectarines. Fruit firmness was the main driver of consumer liking, with acceptance and purchase intent for soft fruit rating significantly higher than firm fruit, irrespective of acid content. Consumer scores for firm peaches were not significantly affected by acid content whereas firm nectarines with low acid achieved significantly higher scores than firm nectarines with high acid within the same sweetness band. Fruit from the sweeter category were preferred over fruit from the lower sweetness category and the effect of high sweetness was more evident in firmer peaches and soft nectarines. This study demonstrates a strong interaction between consumer preferences and fruit firmness. The preference for both sweet and soft fruit presents a major challenge to the industry.
In recent years the Australian stone-fruit industry has experienced low and at times negative gro... more In recent years the Australian stone-fruit industry has experienced low and at times negative growth in domestic and export sales due to variable fruit quality, oversupply and increased competition from global suppliers. The aim of this study was to identify Australian consumer preferences to the main interactions between sweetness, acidity and firmness for fresh stone-fruit. Two peach (Snow Fire and Summer Flame 29) and two nectarine (August Fire and Fire Sweet) cultivars (both representing low and high-acidity) were stored and ripened prior to hand sorting into two firmness categories (firm and soft). Separation of fruit into firmness categories was confirmed non-destructively with an acoustic firmness sensor (AWETA). Fruit were then sorted into two sweetness categories (high and low) using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR). Melbourne consumers (n=150) recruited from a major shopping centre tasted fruit and their hedonic responses recorded. Consumers preferred high acid peaches and low acid nectarines. Fruit firmness was the main driver of consumer liking, with acceptance and purchase intent for soft fruit rating significantly higher than firm fruit, irrespective of acid content. Consumer scores for firm peaches were not significantly affected by acid content whereas firm nectarines with low acid achieved significantly higher scores than firm nectarines with high acid within the same sweetness band. Fruit from the sweeter category were preferred over fruit from the lower sweetness category and the effect of high sweetness was more evident in firmer peaches and soft nectarines. This study demonstrates a strong interaction between consumer preferences and fruit firmness. The preference for both sweet and soft fruit presents a major challenge to the industry.