Consumer research explores acceptability of a new Canadian apple - Salish™

Cliff, M. A., Stanich, K. and Hampson, C. 2014. Consumer research explores acceptability of a new Canadian apple - Salish™. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 99-108. This research compared consumer preferences for a new Canadian apple, Salish™ (cultivar SPA493), with commercial cultivars using data collected at two University of British Columbia Apple Festivals (2008, 2010). Mean acceptability by mouth and visual acceptability scores for Salish™ were compared with those for each of three tart (subacid/acid) cultivars (Granny Smith, McIntosh, Spartan) (2008, n≈165) and two relatively new cultivars (Ambrosia, Honeycrisp) (2010, n=1182). T-tests on the 2008 data (n≈165) revealed that Salish™ had higher consumer acceptability than Granny Smith and McIntosh. Analysis of variance of the 2010 data evaluated the influence of ethnicity (ancestral origin), age, gender and stated apple preference (sweet, tart), for the two largest sub-groups of consumers (Asian ethnicity, n=353 European ethnicity, n=725). While 88% of consumer...