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Firmness is an important fruit quality trait in northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). Many researchers, growers, and packers rely on machines for measuring firmness right after harvest and during postharvest cold storage of fresh fruit. In this study, we compared two machines that use compression firmness measurements to determine a force-deformation value. The first firmness-testing machine has been in use for the past 30 years by blueberry (Vaccinium) researchers and packers worldwide. The second has been on the market for the past 5 years. We compared fruit firmness and size measurements for several commercial cultivars and breeding accessions of northern highbush blueberry by both machines at harvest and 2 weeks postharvest. In general, we found there were slight differences in fruit firmness and size measurements between the two machines, but these measurements were generally consistent across the machines. Our study suggests that, in general, one machine can predict the measurements taken on the other machine.
Vitamin E compounds, known collectively as tocochromanols, are essential nutrients found in plant tissues. These compounds are present in fruits and vegetables at lower levels than in nuts and oils. However, since fruits and vegetables are frequently consumed in the diet, they represent important contributions to vitamin E intake. Knowledge of nutrient levels in fruits and vegetables is important in making dietary recommendations and in planning menus. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database (NNB) reports levels of vitamin E in carrot of 6.6 µg·g−1 on a fresh weight basis and similar levels of vitamin E for food products containing carrots, such as baby food and carrot juice. We collected data on four tocochromanol compounds using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection on both fresh carrots and on commercially available food products containing carrots. Our data revealed that levels of vitamin E in fresh carrot and food products containing carrot were in the range of 0.007–0.12 µg·g−1 converted to a fresh weight basis. These levels were consistent with several published research studies for carrot, lower than several other published studies, and significantly lower than values reported in the NNB. Data from our studies show actual vitamin E values for this vegetable may be significantly lower than levels published in the NNB, but large discrepancies exist in the published reports for measurement of tocochromanol levels for this vegetable. Dietary guidance based on vitamin E values for carrot reported in the NNB could lead to inaccurate nutrient recommendations and should be clarified and standardized.
Understanding consumers’ preferences for fruit quality attributes is key to informing breeding efforts, meeting consumer preferences, and promoting increased market demand. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of fruit quality traits and hedonic sensory evaluation on consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for a selection of fresh northern and southern highbush blueberry cultivars. The WTP was elicited by using a double-bounded contingent valuation conducted in conjunction with a consumer sensory test. Two types of models were estimated using either sensory evaluations (i.e., consumer preference and consumer intensity) or instrumental measurement data (i.e., measures of soluble solids, titratable acidity, sugars, acids, and firmness) as explanatory variables to model WTP. Results using sensory evaluations indicated that flavor liking, flavor intensity, and sweetness intensity are key factors that influence consumers’ acceptance and WTP for blueberries. A regression analysis using instrumental measurements indicated that measures related to sweetness and acidity traits are important factors that determine WTP. Higher WTP was associated with higher total sugar content across different levels of total organic acid. The WTP increases with organic acid content, because this is needed for enhanced flavor; however, WTP declines at high concentrations of organic acid. Except for extreme values of firmness, the WTP increased as measures of fruit firmness increased, indicating a consumer preference for firmer blueberries. Overall, the results provided new insights into the relationships between consumer preference and WTP and fruit quality benchmarks to select for improved quality.
Breeding programs around the world continually collect data on large numbers of individuals. To be able to combine data collected across regions, years, and experiments, research communities develop standard operating procedures for data collection and measurement. One such method is a crop ontology, or a standardized vocabulary for collecting data on commonly measured traits. The ontology is also computer readable to facilitate the use of data management systems such as databases. Blueberry breeders and researchers across the United States have come together to develop the first standardized crop ontology in blueberry (Vaccinium spp.). We provide an overview and report on the construction of the first blueberry crop ontology and the 178 traits and methods included within. Researchers of Vaccinium species—such as other blueberry species, cranberry, lingonberry, and bilberry—can use the described crop ontology to collect phenotypic data of greater quality and consistency, interoperability, and computer readability. Crop ontologies, as a shared data language, benefit the entire worldwide research community by enabling collaborative meta-analyses that can be used with genomic data for quantitative trait loci, genome-wide association studies, and genomic selection analysis.