termined by the consumer judge) and discourages comparison between
samples. It tends to underestimate the mental comparisons that con-
sumers are likely to make based on price and available product. At pres-
ent it would appear that it is more important to clearly establish a means
of assessing acceptability than to merely focus on improving accuracy
and precision of quality characteristics that may have no relevance to
consumer acceptance. If, however, standards can be developed in the
absence of price and cross-comparisons, then the same approach could
be used to determine value (quality and price) in the context of current
availability.
The most pressing research needs are as follows: (1) development of
consumer-based quality and acceptability studies with particular refer-
ence to determining the quality characteristics that drive acceptability;
(2) comprehensive tests of the quality enhancement model to assess the
usefulness (verify, refute or suggest modifications in the approach); and
(3) in the longer term expansion of the model to incorporate price and
availability.
APPLICATION OF THE QUALITY ENHANCEMENT MODEL
There has been no comprehensive test of the quality enhancement
model, but components have been reported on mangoes, peaches
(Malundo, 1996), tomatoes (Baldwin et al., 1995; Tandon, 1997), shrimp
(Malundo et al., 1997) and citrus-based beverages (Reed, 1998). A brief
composite of what has been learned thus far for these various com-
modities will be presented followed by an overview of previously un-
reported data collected during consumer testing of bananas.
The critical characteristics that drive acceptance of mangoes and
peaches were identified using focus groups (Malundo, 1996). The most
important purchase quality characteristics cited for peaches and man-
goes were color, size, firmness and aroma. Flavor, mouthfeel and juici-
ness were important consumption quality characteristics for both fruits
but flesh color and fibrousness were also important for mango con-
sumption. Subsequent testing of preferences of consumers suggest that
texture is more important to acceptability and flavor is less important
than stated in focus groups.
Consumer acceptability equations were derived for tomatoes for both
purchase and consumption quality characteristics using a consumer panel
to judge acceptability on a 3-point scale (tastes great, acceptable, unac-
Application of the Quality Enhancement Model 151