The case for fruit quality: an interpretive review of consumer attitudes, and preferences for apples

The economic well being of the apple industry has been improved through development of products and/or technologies that allow new markets to be exploited, through increases in efficiency, and through the reduction in losses associated with the need to store products. While it is relatively straightforward to assess the economic benefits associated with reducing storage costs, and eliminating disorders that develop during storage of products, it is more difficult to assess the benefits associated by improving overall quality. Quality is usually defined as all those characteristics of a food (not just the sensory characteristics) that lead a consumer to be satisfied with the product [Food Qual. Preference 6 (1995) 163]. In this review, we focus more specifically on aspects of quality associated with texture. taste and flavour since consumer responses to these attributes are most difficult to assess in fruit. Consumer responses to fruit have been studied by diverse science disciplines including economics, psychology, marketing, postharvest, and sensory science. Results from these studies reinforce the importance of consumer beliefs, attitudes, perceptions and preferences in their choice of fruit. This information has been brought together and interpreted from a fruit biology and technology perspective. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.