SENSORY EVALUATION OF CALCIUM-DIPPED ‘FUJI KIKU-8’ AND ‘GOLDEN REINDERS’ APPLES

‘Fuji Kiku-8’ and ‘Golden Reinders’ apples, harvested at commercial maturity, were dipped in calcium chloride (2% w/v) and stored at 1°C and 92% RH for 4 or 7 months under air.
The calcium concentration was higher in treated fruit, showing that the treatment was effective in introducing calcium into the tissues.
A number of sensory attributes were assessed after cold storage plus 7 days at 20°C by a panel of 9 trained judges.
Simultaneously, a panel of 45 consumers was asked to evaluate overall acceptance of samples according to a hedonic scale (1-9). Firmness, soluble solids content and titratable acidity were instrumentally measured in order to assess a possible correlation between parameters instrumentally and sensorily evaluated.
For both cultivars, calcium treatment resulted in higher crispness and perceived hardness.
Multivariate analysis of data revealed that perception of both crispness and sweetness were the parameters most related to consumer acceptability.
Besides, perception of mealiness, which was reduced by calcium applications, appeared to be detrimental for overall consumer acceptability.
In consequence, results suggest calcium treatments to be a good practice to enhance sensory quality of cold-stored apples.
On the other hand, weak correlations were found between sensorily and instrumentally measured quality parameters, thus indicating the usefulness of sensory tests to assess the effects of postharvest procedures on the quality of produce.

VI International Postharvest Symposium

A. Ortiz, G. Echeverría, J. Graell, I. Lara

Malus × domestica, calcium dips, cold storage, consumer acceptability, trained panel, quality

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.877.106