The consumer studies on fresh plump

2020/05/27

A. Background:
What are key sensory characters that consumers will care for the fruit species? This study was consigned by AWA to identify the key sensory attributes and consumer behavior for purchasing fresh plumps (from Western Australia) for the consumers in Taiwan. A consumer test was also conducted for finding the just about right for the key sensory attributes.

B. Methods:
The focus group discussion (30 consumers) was employed on identifying key sensory attributes and behavior recognition for the first stage, a central location consumer test (104 consumers) on consumer behavior survey and just about right scale test was employed for the second stage. ANOVA and LSD were employed for the statistical analysis for consumer tests.

C. Results:
1.The key sensory attributes that consumers valued are sour, sweet, juicy, chewing, soft, plump flavor, astringent, crunch.
2.If there is fresh plump can be on the market during winter, only 7.7% will not purchase it. Consumers will focus on the sensory properties on choosing fresh plumps.
3.The preferences on 3 different plump species are different. The consumers prefer C variety the most, then B variety, and A variety the least.
4.Variety C was recognized as a little bit too sweet and not sour enough, not hard enough, and good juiciness. Variety B was recognized as too sour, just about right on hardness, not sweet enough while variety A was as too sour, plump flavor not enough, sweet not enough.

D. Conclusion:
1.Consumers in Taiwan can accept the fresh plumps from Australia even though they are novel to the consumers, as long as the sensory properties of the plumps are right.
2.The variety C still can be improved on the appearance and the hardness though consumers prefer variety C the most.