Fruit and Vegetable Quality

3 superior) of each sample without seeing the peel. There was a slight
preference as the maturity level increased from stage 5 (green tips) to 8
(mostly brown), with the differences attributable to an increased per-
centage of consumers finding stage 8 fruit acceptable (Table 8.2). No
significant differences were seen by brand type for consumption ac-
ceptability or percent of consumers finding the bananas superior.
In an exit survey consumers indicated that the most common method
of home storage is at room temperature on the kitchen counter or table
(71.9%). Other reported storage strategies included use of a ripening
bowl (20.1%), in the refrigerator (6.6%) and on a banana hook (4.8%).
Most participants expected a home storage life of 2–4 days (66.7%) with
an additional 28.1% looking for 5–7 days of storage in the home. Only
3.5% had expectations of less than 2 days while 1.7% desired more than
7 days. Most consumers were generally satisfied with bananas available
in the supermarket (80.3%) with 6.1% dissatisfied and the remaining
13.6% finding occasional dissatisfaction, particularly with the availabil-
ity of fruit with the desired stage of ripeness. Slightly less of the par-
ticipant population (76.3%) was generally satisfied that the bananas
stayed fresh at home until they ate them, with 14.5% expressing dissat-
isfaction and the remaining 9.2% occasionally dissatisfied with home
ripening. As expected, color (85.5%) was the primary purchase quality
characteristic followed by no bruises (45.2%), firmness (28.5%), size
(8.3%) and aroma (1.8%). Unexpectedly, texture (61.8%) was the pre-
dominant consumption quality characteristic followed by sweetness

Application of the Quality Enhancement Model 153

Consumption % %

Maturity Acceptability Superior Acceptable

5 1.81 c 8 73b

6 1.93 b 16 79ab

7 1.94 b 17 76ab

8 2.01 a 17 84a

ns

Table 8.2. Effect of Maturity Stage on Consumption Acceptability

of Fresh Bananas by 228 Participating Consumers.

Consumption acceptability (1unacceptable, 2acceptable, 3superior).
% acceptable includes those classified as superior.
a,b,c—numbers in columns followed by the same letter are not significantly different (p.05).
ns—not significant (p.05)