Size, crunchiness, aroma, nutritional benefits. When it comes to fruit quality, every consumer has their own criteria.
In the case of blueberries, now global leaders in varietal innovation and exports, the two most debated dimensions remain texture and flavor, especially when comparing the main commercial types: northern highbush (NHB), southern highbush (SHB), and rabbiteye (RE).
Industry perceptions and objective data
But how much do industry perceptions really matter compared to objective data? And what do the most recent scientific analyses reveal?
Texture and flavor are the real purchasing drivers. The first impact is visual, but the real test happens at first bite. Consumers look for a predictable and pleasant consistency: crisp apples, soft bananas, firm grapes.
In berries as well, a mealy, soft, or unexpected texture can undermine the experience and discourage future purchases. Flavor adds complexity. The most appreciated fruits are sweet or offer a harmonious balance between sweetness and acidity.
Aromatic nuances, whether herbaceous, floral, citrusy, minty, or fruity, help create a memorable experience. It is not uncommon to hear comments such as, “Last season I had the best blueberries ever.” Yet with blueberries, consumers rarely buy based on cultivar, unlike apples or grapes.
Perceptions within the supply chain
This leaves room for consolidated perceptions within the supply chain. Within the industry, the idea has taken root that highbush varieties have better texture, with more pleasant skin and fewer seeds, offer longer shelf life, and deliver more flavor, with northern highbush perceived as superior overall.
In contrast, rabbiteye are sometimes considered tougher or richer in seeds. These beliefs can influence the prices paid to growers and shape buyers’ decisions, potentially disadvantaging certain types or cultivars.
However, many of these evaluations stem from experiences with older varieties or outdated cultivation practices rather than from updated scientific evidence. To verify these perceptions, consumer panels were organized using representative cultivars of the three main types: SHB, NHB, and RE.
The protocol included selection of washed fruit classified as commercial quality, anonymous three-digit coding, tasting at room temperature (21 ± 1 °C) after one hour of acclimatization, evaluation on a 9-point hedonic scale for overall liking, texture, seed presence, flavor, and aroma, and instrumental analyses of parameters such as total seed number, full and shriveled seeds, and seed weight relative to berry weight.
Instrumental and sensory results
Instrumental measurements did not confirm that rabbiteye have tougher skin or firmer fruit than highbush, nor that they contain more seeds than northern highbush. In sensory tests, consumers ranked SHB highest for overall liking and texture.
SHB were preferred across all evaluated parameters, while RE and NHB received similar appreciation, a result that contradicts widespread industry perceptions. As for taste, SHB achieved the highest score for overall flavor, while RE stood out for aromatic intensity.
Postharvest performance
Sugar and acidity analyses suggest that RE and SHB may offer a more appealing sweet-acid balance, whereas NHB tend to taste more acidic.Postharvest performance also offers interesting insights. Under refrigerated storage, SHB better maintained firmness and skin resistance, while SHB and NHB more effectively preserved visual appearance.
Once again, the picture is more nuanced than entrenched assumptions suggest. The collected evidence challenges the notion that northern highbush are inherently superior in quality compared to southern highbush and rabbiteye.
For an increasingly global and premium-oriented supply chain, distinguishing between perception and objective data is essential. Genetic innovation, new agronomic practices, and advanced postharvest management are reshaping the qualitative profile of blueberries. The message for growers, buyers, and exporters is clear: commercial decisions should rely on updated evidence rather than varietal stereotypes.
Source: fruitgrowersnews.com
Image source: L'Erborista
