Cherry and Fresh Market Tomatoes: Differences in Chemical, Morphological, and Sensory Traits and Their Implications for Consumer Acceptance

Abstract

The tomato commercial groups cherry and fresh market, mainly classified by fruit size, have clearly segregated markets. We aimed to estimate the variation within and between these groups and to analyze factors that impact consumer acceptance. To this end, we studied the chemical profile (dry matter, sugars, acids) and fruit morphology (Tomato Analyzer) of 63 accessions grown in 2 environments (open air/soil culture; greenhouse/soilless culture). To identify traits underlying consumer preferences, we used a trained panel for quantitative descriptive sensory analyses and consumer surveys on a subset of genotypes. Our results confirm the higher content of reducing sugars (fructose, glucose), soluble solids, dry matter, and glutamic acid in the cherry group and the important effects of environment and genotype-by-environment interactions on fruit quality traits. The diversity within cherry for chemical composition is 1.4-fold to 2.1-fold that of fresh market. Differences in fruit morphological traits (weight, shoulder height, height/width relation) were highly related to fruit size, but no differences between groups were found for the internal structure of the fruit (locular relative content). Consumers value sweetness, glutamic acid, titratable acidity, and juiciness in cherry, and sweetness and taste intensity in the fresh market group. The implications for plant breeding are discussed.

Heritability and Variability of Quality Parameters of Tomatoes in Outdoor Production

“…Negative correlations of sugar concentrations with fruit weight and of organic acid concentrations with fruit weight and yield (Table 3) were frequently observed (e.g. [29,30]) and suggest trade-offs in breeding for larger fruits and higher yields.…”

Participatory Plant Breeding and the Evolution of Landraces: A Case Study in the Organic Farms of the Collserola Natural Park

“…Fruits from the Can Puig locality harvested at the RR stage were presented to consumers, who scored the traits' fruit appearance (on a batch of two whole and two equatorially sliced fruits) and, subsequently, the traits' fruit texture and fruit flavor (on longitudinal slices of the fruits). Consumers were asked to score their preference on a scale ranging from 0 (dislike) to 10 (like very much), following previously developed protocols for hedonic surveys [20,21].…”

Sage Essential Oil Improves the Effectiveness of Aloe vera Gel on Postharvest Quality of Tomato Fruit

“…Due to the well-known organoleptic and nutritious properties, including bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anticarcinogen activities, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit is extremely valued by consumers [1][2][3]. Tomato is a climacteric fruit and deteriorates rapidly after harvest with a quite short postharvest life, ranging from several days to 2-3 weeks, depending on the cultivar and the preservation mean [4].…”