Vk. Corrigan et al., SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS AND CONSUMER ACCEPTABILITY OF PINK LADY AND OTHER LATE-SEASON APPLE CULTIVARS, New Zealand journal of crop and horticultural science, 25(4), 1997, pp. 375-383
'Pink Lady' is a late maturing 'Lady Williams' x 'Golden Delicious' ap
ple (Malus domestica Borkh.) cultivar developed in Western Australia a
nd imported into New Zealand by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisher
ies in 1986. We used trained and consumer panellists, and chemical and
physical analyses, to compare the sensory quality of 'Pink Lady' with
that of four standard late-harvest apple cultivars. If acceptable, th
e new apple could usefully extend the harvest season of New Zealand ap
ples. Trained taste panellists gave 'Pink Lady' apples similar ratings
to 'Braeburn' and 'Fuji' apples for texture, sweet-sour balance and f
lavour, but lower ratings for juiciness. 'Pink Lady' was a firm apple
as measured by penetrometer, and Instron texture measurements indicate
d it was a hard, crisp apple. 'Pink Lady','Braeburn', and 'Fuji' apple
s were rated higher for acceptability than 'Granny Smith' and 'Red Dou
gherty' by the consumer panel, who said they would buy these cultivars
and pay more for them. Consumers also preferred the appearance of 'Pi
nk Lady' apples. Changes in sensory quality during storage (as measure
d by sweetness, flavour, crispness, and juiciness) were similar for 'P
ink Lady' and the four late-maturing commercial cultivars tested. 'Pin
k Lady' had a musty off-flavour initially that disappeared during stor
age, whereas other cultivars developed metallic, ''old'', and alcoholi
c flavours. 'Pink Lady' apples browned quite slowly when sliced. Compo
sitional analysis showed 'Pink Lady' was relatively high in dry matter
, soluble solids, and titratable acids.