HOW CULTIVAR CHOICE AFFECTS SPANISH CONSUMERS´ ACCEPTANCE OF CHOCOLATES, BONBONS AND HARD TURRON MADE WITH HAZELNUTS

The aim of this work was to evaluate consumers’ acceptance of several industrial products made with commercial hazelnut cultivars (‘Negret’, ‘Pauetet’, ‘Tonda di Giffoni’ and ‘Tomboul’). Five different products were tested between 1999 and 2001: chocolates (dark, brown and white chocolate blended with toasted kernels), bonbons (toasted kernels encased in burnt sugar and coated with dark chocolate) and hard turrons (toasted kernels blended with sugar and honey). Samples were coded and submitted to 650 consumers around Catalonia (NE Spain), who valued them according to a structured scale ranging from 1 (very unpleasant) to 7 (very good). Results showed that each cultivar adapted to a particular industrial product in a different way, according to its physical and chemical characteristics.
Consumers also preferred different cultivars for different products.
Chocolates made with ‘Negret’ and ‘Pauetet’ had a higher degree of acceptance than those made with ‘Tonda Giffoni’, although no significant differences in consumer’ acceptance were observed between varieties when toasted kernels were encased in burnt sugar and coated with dark chocolate to make bonbons.
Hard turrons made with ‘Negret’ and ‘Tomboul’ were more appreciated than those made with ‘Pauetet’. These results confirm the great importance of hazelnut cultivar choice when making certain specific industrial products that are well accepted by consumers.
It also demonstrates the overall good acceptance of the native variety ‘Negret’ for many industrial specialties.

VI International Congress on Hazelnut

A. Romero, J. Tous, J. Plana

hazelnut quality, industry, bonbon, turron, consumers´ preferences, product evaluation

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.686.78