van der Merwe A., Muller M., van der Rijst M., Labuschagné I.F., Næs T., Steyn W.J.
Department of Food Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, South Africa; ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Private Bag X5026, Stellenbosch, South Africa; NOFIMA, Osloveien 1, Ås, Norway; Department of Horticultural Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, South Africa; HORTGRO Science, PO Box 12789, Die Boord, South Africa
van der Merwe, A., Department of Food Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Muller, M., Department of Food Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, South Africa; van der Rijst, M., ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Private Bag X5026, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Labuschagné, I.F., ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Private Bag X5026, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Næs, T., NOFIMA, Osloveien 1, Ås, Norway; Steyn, W.J., Department of Horticultural Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, South Africa, HORTGRO Science, PO Box 12789, Die Boord, South Africa
This study investigated the effect of taste expectations based on cultivar recognition on the preference for apple-eating quality. Consumer preference for eating quality was assessed using three levels of product information, viz. (i) no visual information, (ii) a photograph depicting the typical appearance of the specific cultivar and (iii) an incorrect photograph, misleadingly depicting a different cultivar. Consumers scored the eating quality of 'Pink Lady™' served with the correct photograph significantly higher compared with presentation without pictorial information, suggesting a positive image for this trademark cultivar. Conversely, consumers had lower eating quality expectations for 'Starking' and 'Golden Delicious' indicated by lower scores when supplied with matching photos. Cultivar developers and researchers should be mindful of the confounding effect of fruit appearance on the hedonic assessment of eating quality. The order of presentation (matching or wrong photograph first) affected the preference scores and should be considered in future studies. © 2014 Institute of Food Science and Technology.