Masters Degrees (Horticulture)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Horticulture) by Author "Blanckenberg, Anelle"

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    Preference of Western Cape Province consumers for the eating quality and appearance of pears
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-12) Blanckenberg, Anelle; Steyn, Willem J.; Theron, K. I.; Muller, M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Agriscience. Dept. of Horticulture.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Our study aimed to determine the preference of Western Cape consumers for the eating quality and appearance of pears. Identifying the main sensory drivers of liking and consumer groupings with similar preferences may allow the pear industry to target specific markets and increase local consumption, which is stagnating at relatively low levels. Our first trial included 9 European pear cultivars (Pyrus communis L.) and one Asian pear cultivar (P. pyrifolia (Burm.) Nak.). These were chosen to represent a wide range of characteristics in order to identify the main sensory drivers of liking and possible consumer groupings. The majority of the 421 consumers, irrespective of gender, ethnicity and age, preferred pears with a distinct pear flavour, a sweet taste, a fair amount of malic acid, soft, juicy flesh with melt character, and a yellow or pale green peel colour with a typical pear shape. Astringency, sourness and grittiness negatively affected consumer preference. None of the pears were mealy and therefore we could not assess this characteristic. Two consumer clusters with similar preferences for eating quality and also for appearance were identified. In terms of eating quality, group 1 (55% of consumers) indicated a liking for a wide range of cultivars with poorly defined likes and dislikes. Group 2 (45% of consumers), in contrast, had a high liking for the eating quality of a small selection of cultivars while disliking the rest. Based on the preferences for appearance, group 1 (61% of consumers) again indicated a liking for a wide range of cultivars. Group 2 (39% of consumers) scored the most familiar cultivars, viz. Bon Chretien and Packham’s Triumph, very high and the other cultivars much lower than group 1. The objective of our second study was to investigate consumer preference for firm, juicy pears compared to soft pears with a melt character and to identify which of ‘Forelle’, ‘Packham’s Triumph’ and ‘Abate Fetel’ is best suited to either option. Pears were harvested within the commercial harvest window (H1) (flesh firmness at 6- 6.8kg, 6.4-7kg and 6-6.8kg respectively) and again a month later (H2). H1 and H2 pears were ripened at room temperature (20 ºC) for seven or one day, respectively. More consumers (67%) correlated positively with melt character, juiciness, overall pear flavour and sweet taste. These characteristics were the most prominent in H1 ‘Packham’s Triumph’ pears while H2 fruit were much firmer, but lower in preferred flavour characteristics. There is, however, also a market for crisp and juicy pears as 33% of the consumers showed a preference for these characteristics. ‘Forelle’ and ‘Abate Fetel’ could both be suitable for this market. ‘Forelle’ was preferred firm, probably because H1 soft pears were more astringent and sour as well as less juicy than H2. There was no difference in preference between H1 and H2 in ‘Abate Fetel’. In conclusion, most Western Cape consumers prefer European pears with the characteristic soft, melting texture, but a third of consumers seem to like firm, juicy pears. Hence, there is opportunity to develop a market for tree-ripe and Asian pears, but marketing will be needed to overcome appearance preferences.