Consumer evaluation of strawberry preserves

Consumer evaluation of food is a major problem in food research. In the manufacture of a food product, producers have to decide which among the possible variations of an item will be preferred by the consumer. Knowledge of consumer preference for preserves made from different varieties of strawberries is essential to strawberry growers and food processors engaged in preserve making. This information is needed in stimulating consumer demand and broadening the market. Due to constantly changing demand, consumer research is never consumated. It is recognized that many factors influence consumer reactions to strawberry preserves. Extensive research by Worthington (32), Pangborn (17), and Warner-Jenkinson (27) has established that color, flavor, and texture greatly influences consumer acceptance of food. Consumer preference and acceptance can be determined by the frequency and quantity of consumption of a product. However, considering the complexity of food production and new product development, forecasting the acceptability of a food by this method would be impractical if not impossible. The alternative is to present the product to a representative group of consumers for evaluation. In this study strawberry preserves made from Blakemore, Surecrop, and Tennessee Beauty varieties were evaluated for: 1. Differences in color, flavor and texture as determined by objective measurements. 2. Differences in color, flavor, and texture as determined by a trained laboratory panel. 3. Consumer preference on the basis of color, flavor, and texture.