PRACTICAL METHODS TO ESTIMATE TASTE QUALITY OF FRUIT: HOW TO TELL IT TO THE CONSUMER

Practical methods to estimate fruit taste quality have been defined by the CEMAGREF. These methods are based on the measurement of the level of "sugars" (estimated with refractometric index), which indicate how the fruit has developed on the tree, as well as acidity or firmness, which are criteria of ripeness.

The main criteria of taste quality of apples in several countries of Europe is also "sugars" content.
Acidity is a complementary criteria which is perceived in different ways depending on the geographic area.

An experiment carried out in supermarkets in France has shown that consumers would like to have more information about the fruit they buy.
This information has to be very simple, since the consumers do not generally know anything about the objective estimation of taste quality in fruit.

Workshop on Measuring Consumer Perception of Internal Product Quality

F. Alavoine, M. Crochon, C. Bouillon

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1990.259.4