Consumer Assessment on Sensory Attributes of Fresh Table Grapes Cv 'Italia' and 'Red Globe' after Long Cold Storage Treatment

The impact of research that is being carried out into the relationship between food and consumers is progressively reinforced by continuous findings in literature confirming that consumers choose foods basing on their functional cognition and sensory perception, especially when buying fruit and vegetables. Therefore, it is important for table grape producers to be aware of consumers' concerns and preferences both, during the purchasing stage and after, during consumption at home, when experiential attributes have more importance. In both cases, sensory attributes play an important role in determining consumers’ purchase behavior of table grape. Table grapes cv ‘Italia’ and ‘Red Globe’ are produced in South Italy (Sicily and Apulia) and appreciated by consumers for their superior taste and other intrinsic qualities, both in Italy and in other European countries. Nevertheless, harvested grapes of these cultivars deteriorate rapidly without post-harvest appropriate treatments, especially in terms of fungal rot, rachis browning, berry drop, softening, moisture loss and off- flavor, and this fast deterioration is the main limitation to market acceptance. The objective of this study is to assess consumers preferences in regards to 22 sensory attributes of fresh table grapes cv ‘Italia’ and ‘Red Globe’, after a cold storage treatment of 90 days at 1±1 °C and 90±2% RH, combined with low SO2 concentration. Therefore, ‘In-store’ consumer acceptance tests were performed, on 1000 consumers, in nine cities nearby the main Sicilian areas of table grape production. Consumers were asked to score table grape sensory attributes, using a 9-pt scale, after long storage of 30, 60 and 90d. For this study, the table grapes were harvested from two locations, Canicattì and Naro during the last week of September and treated with SO2 fumigation, with SSC >14%, for prolonging shelf life. Analysis of scores revealed that consumers preferred cv ‘Italia’ for its uniform color and no shades of berries and for a balanced tasting sugar/acidity ratio. The cv ‘Red Globe’ performed good results for crunchy berries and intense berry aroma, detachment of berries and skin tannicity. No difference was observed between the two cultivars for odor descriptors.