External Quality of Mandarins: Influence of Fruit Appearance Characteristics on Consumer Choice.

In a pre-purchase situation, consumer perception of mandarin quality is almost exclusively based on fruit appearance. Determination of consumer requirements in this regard is needed to preserve the current success of this crop in markets worldwide. In this study, the effect on consumer choice of different appearance characteristics that can occur mainly in early-season mandarins was quantified. Two independent Choice-Based Conjoint Analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of different external mandarin factors: (1) two factors linked mainly with harvesting practices: 'Leaf' (no leaves but sound calyx/fresh leaf/dehydrated leaf) and 'Rind Colour' (orange colour/rind with slightly greenish areas); (2) three factors related to postharvest handling: 'Calyx Condition' (sound/blackening/detached),'Waxing' (absence/presence of wax), and 'Rind Condition' (dehydrated/turgid). A total of 280 consumers participated in each study. The evaluation of the factors linked with harvesting revealed four different choice patterns. Leaf presence was appreciated only by a small group of consumers (20%), and the presence of greenish areas on the rind was perceived mostly as a negative characteristic. Among the evaluated postharvest-related factors, 'Waxing' and 'Calyx condition' had the strongest effect on consumer choice. Consumers showed marked preferences for mandarins that had been waxed and presented shine and gloss. Calyx blackening and detachment had a negative effect mainly on waxed fruit, while rind dehydration more negatively affected the fruit that had not been waxed. Consumer perception of mandarin quality is importantly affected by external mandarin characteristics. The information herein reported can be very useful for the citrus industry for adapting quality control criteria that respond to consumer demands.

Effect of information about mandarin internal maturity on consumer hedonic and sensory expectations: a cross-cultural study in Spain and Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Under certain climate conditions, citrus fruit may reach optimum internal maturity while the rind is still green. It is therefore customary to enhance skin colour changes by submitting early citrus varieties to ethylene degreening treatment, which implies a cost and may result in external disorders. In this study, the effect on consumer expectations (sensory and hedonic) of providing them with information about the internal maturity of non-degreened mandarins (greenish-coloured rind) was evaluated. RESULTS: Mandarins with three different external colour indices (CI), CI = -6, CI = +1 and CI = +5, and three ways of conveying information, were investigated: (i) No information (NoInfo), (ii) The text 'Mandarins ready to eat' (Text) and (iii) Text + Visualisation of mandarin flesh (orange-coloured in all cases) (Text+Flesh). Consumer expected liking, purchase intention and sensory expectations were markedly affected after receiving the different information types. The greatest effect was detected when Text+Flesh information was provided. Rind mandarin colour was also a determinant factor of how consumer expectations were modified by the received information. Moreover, our results revealed some differences among Spanish and Mexican consumers, since maturity information had a stronger effect on hedonic expectations of Mexican consumers. CONCLUSIONS: When mandarins reach CI = +5 (pale orange-coloured rind with small areas still green), letting consumers know that mandarins are ready to eat by means of Text+Flesh information may be a non-cost strategy to avoid degreening treatment or to shorten its length. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Consumer Description by Check-All-That-Apply Questions (CATA) of the Sensory Profiles of Commercial and New Mandarins. Identification of Preference Patterns and Drivers of Liking.

In the last few years, the interest in developing new mandarin cultivars of superior quality has grown as a response to the increasing consumer demand of this appreciated fruit. This study evaluated the sensory profiles of five new late-season mandarin cultivars ('Alborea', 'Coral', 'Omet', 'Matiz' and 'Tri-703') and six commercial cultivars found contemporarily in stores ('Clemenules', 'Nova', 'Tango', 'Nadorcott', 'Orri' and 'Ortanique'). The sensory profiles of the cultivars were described by consumers through CATA questions. Consumers' acceptability and the main physico-chemical properties were also evaluated. Twenty-two out of 23 CATA terms differed significantly for the sensory profiles of the studied cultivars. The new cultivars shared a similar profile, described mainly as "very intense taste", "refreshing taste", "very aromatic" and "juicy", and these characteristics were quite different from those of the commercial cultivars. By combining acceptability and CATA questions, drivers of liking for segments of consumers with different preference patterns were identified. This is the first time that the sensory profiles of mandarin cultivars have been described by consumers. A significant number of consumers preferred the new mandarin cultivars to the commercial ones, which allows them a promising introduction on the market.

Consumer Information Needs and Sensory Label Design for Fresh Fruit Packaging. An Exploratory Study in Spain.

In recent decades, packaged fruit has gained market ground over loose fruit, and fruit containers have become a source of information for consumers. This study approaches three objectives related to consumer information needs for decision making when purchasing fruit: (1) Determine if consumers' choice of packaged fruit rather than loose fruit is motivated by their interest in the information provided on packaging; (2) identify information gaps on fruit packaging labels; (3) identify those sensory attributes that consumers consider to be of major interest to be included in sensory labels of different fruit types. The study was based on an online questionnaire answered by 394 fruit consumers. Ninety percent of the participants stated having an interest in receiving information when purchasing fruit, but their choice between packaged or loose fruit was not conditioned by their information needs. Moreover, a gap between information interest and information use was detected as their final purchase decisions were not always based on the provided information. 'Harvest date', 'production method', 'percentage of the price received by the farmer', 'applied treatments', 'sensory characteristics', and 'environmental information' were identified as the major information gaps, as these labels were unavailable for a high percentage of consumers, who stated their interest in them. According to consumers, sensory labels should include information about 'sweetness' and 'flavor intensity' irrespectively of fruit type. 'Sourness' and 'juiciness' attributes were particularly interesting for citrus, as 'sourness' and 'firmness' were for kiwi. Information about texture properties was required for pome and stone fruit. Other attributes, such as easiness to peel, were important only for citrus fruit.