The objective of a 2014 research study was to identify the choice parameters of US consumers in their decision to purchase fresh blueberries .
In two different periods (2011 and 2013), 306 and 300 consumers respectively responded to cards containing a combination of attributes to describe blueberries; the panel was then asked how likely they were to buy a fruit with those attributes.
For example:
WITH WHAT PROBABILITY (FROM 1 TO 10) YOU WOULD BUY A FRUIT WITH THESE CHARACTERISTICS: FLOURY, KNEADED, DRY | LIGHT BLUE BERRIES | VERY SWEET, NO NEED TO SUGAR | NO FAT, NO CHOLESTEROL
The characteristics identified by the researchers that have been combined to investigate consumer preferences have been grouped into 6 categories (hardness, texture, size, colour, flavour and aroma, nutritional characteristics) and each in 6 descriptive elements.
These 36 elements can be used to provide a broad overview of the expressions that a consumer associates with the consumption of blueberries; they thus provide practitioners with a guide to the different aspects that are assessed when buying and repurchasing.
HARDNESS
- Crunchy fruits, bursting in the mouth
- Crushed, it melts in your mouth
- A tender fruit
- Tight without a seal, like a grape
- Thin peel that melts in the mouth
- Hard, rubbery skin
CONSISTENCY
- Uniform consistency, seedless
- Lots of seeds, a little astringent
- Full of juice
- Fleshy, not juicy
- Floury, kneaded, dry
- Lightweight, not dense
SIZE
- The biggest berry I've ever seen
- Fruits
- Small, to eat more fruits at a time
- As big as a big marble
- Small as a pea
- Medium, the size of a one-cent coin
COLOR
- Dark blue, almost black
- Light blue berries
- Full blue berries
- Berries with a soft white patina
- Uniform dark blue berries
- Dark blue exterior, pale interior
TASTE, AROMA
- Fruity flavour
- Intense and clean aroma of blueberry
- Complex aroma with a hint of bitterness
- Very sweet, no need for sugar
- Sour taste that activates the taste buds
- Delicate aroma
NUTRITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
- Full of antioxidants
- No fat, no cholesterol
- High vitamin C content
- A rich source of dietary fibre
- Organic fruit
- A source of low-carbohydrate nutrients
