Consumer preferences for fresh and aged apples: A cross-cultural comparison

Sensory preference for three apple varieties varying in degree of mealiness was investigated among British and Danish consumers. The experimental design was reflected in the sensory profiles, where differences in flavour were mainly related to varieties and differences in texture mainly to mealiness condition. Internal preference mapping showed that preference was more strongly related to variety than mealiness condition. Overall, Boskoop apples were less preferred than Cox and Jonagold. Mealiness was considered a negative quality attribute associated with fluffy appearance, stale flavour and floury and granular texture. The preference patterns for British and Danish consumers were similar and reflected no cross-cultural differences. Differences between individuals varying in Private Body Consciousness (PBC) were not reflected in the preference patterns. Internal preference maps obtained from high and low PBC individuals were largely similar. However, high PBC individuals appeared to rely more strongly on the sensory characteristics of apples than low PBC individuals when forming preference ratings. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved