Market demands on Golden Delicious Apples

Sugar content and firmness are two important factors determining eating quality of apples. Sensory analysis with a trained panel confirmed that sweetness, sourness, fruitiness and firmness can be predicted by instrumental measurements such as total soluble solids (refractometer), titratable acidity and firmness measurements by penetrometer. Tests with consumers indicated that Golden Delicious of acceptable eating quality should attain a minimum of 12°Brix for total soluble solids and a minimum reading of 4.5 kg/cm2 by penetrometer. A survey by the Swiss Fruit Union during the storage seasons 1997/98 and 1998/99 indicated that about 30 % and 12 %, respectively, of the Golden Delicious offered to the consumer have not met these minimum requirements.