Quality of peas modelled by a structural equation system

The quality of peas has been studied in a joint project between a pea produ cing company in Denmark and several research institutions. The study includ ed quality from a consumer point of view based on market research and quali ty from more internal company points of view based on measurement of physic al/chemical attributes that are expected to describe quality. The purpose o f the work was to use the considerable amounts of information in a decision oriented way to obtain answers to questions like: (1) How do consumers per ceive quality? (2) Is it possible to describe the variation in preferences expressed by consumers as a function of the objective measurements of quali ty e.g. the physical/chemical variables? (3) Which of the measured objectiv e variables are most important for further product development? In the pape r we describe consumer evaluations as a function of physical/chemical varia bles in a PLS structural model with the Total Food Quality Model as startin g point. The results show that texture and flavour do have approximately th e same effect on the consumers' perception of overall quality. Quality deve lopment goals for plant breeders would be to optimise perrceived flavour di rectly by increasing the amount of sugars and more indirectly by improving the perception of colour through darker and less yellow peas. Perceived tex ture can be optimised by focusing on selected texture measurements. (C) 200 0 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.