Consumer Evaluations of ‘McIntosh’ Apple Firmness1

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Abstract
The firmness of 1,034 fruits of apple (Malus domestica Borkh cv. ‘McIntosh’) evaluated subjectively by 1,034 retail customers and objectively by an Effe-gi penetrometer were correlated (r = 0.402). Customers rated 76% of the apples with a pressure test value of 5.9 kg (13 lb.) as “crisp, neither too hard nor too soft.” As the pressure test value decreased linearly from 5.9 to 3.6 kg (13 to 8 lb.) the percentage of fruits rated as crisp decreased, but the percentage rated as too soft increased linearly. The proportion of fruits rated as too soft was 66% for those with a pressure test value of 3.6 kg (8 lbs.) and 92% for those with 3.2 kg (7 lbs.). Young people (20 to 35 years) showed a stronger preference than middle-aged people (36 to 59 years) for firm apples. Female consumers showed a stronger preference than male consumers for firm apples.

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