Development and Consumer Evaluation of a Native Fruit Product

Development and Consumer Evaluation of a Native Fruit Product G. Mazza Alberta Horticultural Research Center, Brooks, Alberta TOJ OJO

Abstract Processes for extracting the juice from saskatoon, chokecherry and rose hip, together with jelly formulae have been developed. Test marketing of 600 and 1050 packs each containing one 57 ml jar of each of saskatoon, chokecherry, rose hip jelly and red clover honey was conducted for two consecutive years. Consumer response has been positive. Most consumers were attracted to the product because it was from the Peace River area. Over 91 % of the respondents indicated that they would purchase the product again. Also, over 84% of the respondents thought the product to be better than they had expected, over 28% rated the product superior, over 60% very good, about 10% good and none poor. Considering that the total cost of the "edible portion" of the 4 jar pack is only 29¢ and that the pack sold for $2.99-$4.10, the results obtained indicate that the product developed is quite viable.

Resume On a developpe des procedes d'extraction de jus et des recettes de gelee pour les baies saskatoon, les merises de Virginie et les petales de rose. Des etudes de marche pendant deux annees consecutives ont utilise 600 et 1050 ballots contenant chacun 4 pots de 57 ml consistant en gelee saskatoon, gelee de merises de Virginie, gelee de petales de rose, et miel de trefie rouge. La reaction des consommateurs a ete positive. La plupart des consommateurs ont manifeste de I'interet pour ces produits parce qu'ils etaient d'origine de la Riviere a la Paix. II y a plus de 91 % des repondants qui ont indique qu'ils acheteraient ces produits de nouveau. Aussi, plus de 84% des repondants ont eu I'impression que les produits etaient meilleurs qu'ils I'avaient espere. Plus de 28% ont qualifie les produits, superieur; plus de 60%, tres bon; environ 10%, bon; et aucun, pauvre. Etant donne que Ie cout total de la partie comestible des 4 pots n'est que 29¢ et que Ie prix de vente de chaque ballot est $2.99-$4.10, les resultats nous indiquent donc 'que les produits developpes sont tout a fait rentables.

aimed at the development and test marketing of a specialty pack containing saskatoon, chokecherry and rose hip jellies and red clover honey.

Experimental Fruit juice extraction Firm-ripe saskatoons of cv. Smoky, chokecherries var. Melanocarpa, and rose hips were machine harvested in growers fields in the Peace River region of Alberta in late August, 1976 and 1977. The fruit was transported to the laboratory within 48 hours from harvest, frozen immediately and stored at -29°C for 1-4 weeks before extracting the juices. The juices used for the preparation of the preserves were extracted as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. For the saskatoon juice extraction an enzyme-assisted process was

STEMMING UNDERMATURE GRAD I NG OVERMATURE

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Introduction Because of their desirable colors, flavors and general appearance, Western Canadian native fruits have the potential to offer the consumer new experiences in food products. Relatively little work on native fruits has been done in Canada and, of that, most has been done in Alberta (Tuba et al., 1944; Wolfe and Wood, 1972; Panther and Wolfe, 1972). In a previous paper (Mazza et al., 1978), it was shown that an expressed juice from saskatoon berries (Amelanchier alnifolia) was high in soluble solids and possessed adequate flavor and color for use in jellies and related products. This study was continued and, in addition to saskatoon berries, chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) and rose hips, the fruits of rose plants (Rosa acicularis) , were investigated. These fruits were a major source of minor nutrients for the Indians and the early settlers but until recently could be picked only in the wild. In the last 5-10 years considerable interest has been shown in bringing these fruits under cultivation and, in Alberta, several orchards of saskatoon and chokecherry and at least one orchard of rose hips have come into production. This development, together with increased research activities in the areas of mechanical harvesting, weed control, propagation studies, and other horticultural aspects of these fruit (Harris, 1972), prompted the initiation of research 166

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CRUSHING

POMACE

HEAT J NG

SCREEN J NG

PULP

PRESS I NG

JU ICE

/",IX INC

FILTRATION

CLAR I F I ED JU ICE

Fig. I.

Process used for saskatoon juice extraction. J. Inst. Can. Sci. Technol. Aliment. Vol. 12, No.4, Octobre 1979

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CHOKECHERR I ES

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utilized, in which 0.8 parts of 0.5% Spark-L (Miles Laboratory, Rexdale, Ontario) solution to 1 part of fruit were mixed before heating for 30 min at 60°C. Spark-L is a pectic enzyme system which hydroliies and depolymerizes pectin over a wide range of temperatures. The process produced a saskatoon juice with a mild but distinctive flavor which was highly suitable for making jelly. For the chokecherry juice extraction, the pectolytic enzyme treatment was found ineffective. Hence, 0.8 parts of water to 1 part of fruit were mixed before heating for 15 min at 63°C. The shorter heating time for chokecherries, as compared to saskatoons, was found to improve the flavor and minimize extraction of cyanide-forming compounds from the pits. The method used for preparing rose hip juice was different from the methods used for the other fruits, in that rose hips were first mixed with 2 parts of water to 1 part of clean berries, heated for 35 min at near boiling temperature, the liquid was drained off and the hot berries were put through a separator. The edible pulp was separated by centrifugal action from the seeds and skins. The disintegrated pulp or paste was then mixed with the liquid previously drained off and tap water in a proportion of 1 part of paste to 10 parts of liquid (w /v) to form the juice.

Jelly production The jellies were made from the juices using a 11.4 I (10 Can. Inst. Food Sci. Techno!. J. Vo!. 12, No.4, October 1979

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qt) electric kettle (Alloy and Steel Fabricators Ltd., Scarborough, Ontario) for the boiling operation, and a refractometer (Bausch and Lomb, Rochester, New York) for determining the finishing point at 65% soluble solids. White sugar, citric acid and rapid set, 150 grade pectin (Bowes Co. Ltd., Montreal, Quebec) were used in the formulations. Examination for quality involved sensory evaluation of color, flavor, texture and consistency by five trained individuals who scored the samples on a 9-point scale, and determination of soluble solids levels immediately after the jelly set and at regular intervals during storage at room temperature for over a year.

Marketing and consumer evaluation The test marketing and consumer acceptance evaluation of a specialty gift pack (Figure 4) containing one 57 ml jar each of saskatoon, chokecherry and rose hip jelly and red clover liquid honey was carried out for two consecutive years. Honey was included in the pack because it is an important product for the Peace River region and generally the native fruit growers are also honey producers. Furthermore, the color of the liquid honey blended well with the color of rose hip jelly. Both years the product went on the market the middle of November. The first year 600 packs were sold through Woodward's Stores in Edmonton and Calgary at $2/pack. Each pack also contained a questionnaire instructing the consumer to 167

smooth and firm and the colors were those of the fruit. Table 2. Formulae for saskatoon, chokecherry and rose hip jellies. Ingredients

Saskatoon

Juice Sugar Citric Acid (50% solution) Pectin

49.79% 49.01 0.48

-..!!B 100.00%

Fig. 4.

Specialty gift pack of saskatoon, chokecherry and rose hip jellies, and honey.

answer eight questions regarding the product, and return it. As an incentive for returning the questionnaire, one dollar was offered. The second year, 1050 packs were sold through three retail outlets. Six hundred packs sold through Woodward's Stores in Edmonton and Calgary at $2.89/pack; 200 packs through Canada House specialty store in Banff at $4.10/pack; and the remaining 250 packs through the Peace Country Small Fruit Growers' Society in Grande Prairie at $3.00/pack. A pre-stamped, self-addressed envelope was provided as incentive for returning the questionnaire instead of the monetary reward offered the previous year.

Table I. Yield and quality of native fruit juice.

Juice Saskatoon Chokecherry Rose hip

Yield (kg of juice/ kg of fruit) 1.00 0.95 4.40

pH 4.1 4.2 4.5

SS (%) 10 11 9

Color Good Good Good

Jelly formulae The developed jelly formulae are shown in Table 2. Citric acid and commercial pectin were used to adjust the pH to 3.2 and to reinforce the pectin content of the juices, respectively. The differences in sugar, citric acid and pectin used in the three formulae reflect the variation in soluble solids, pH and pectin content of the three fruit juices. The soluble solids content of the jellies as determined with a refractometer was 65-66%. The flavors, with the exception of the saskatoon jelly which was slightly weak, were good. Textures were 168

50.42% 48.41 0.69 0.48

50.46% 48.66 0.49 0.39

100.00%

100.00%

Table 3. Consumer response to Alberta native fruit product. Question: What attracted you to this product? Number of respondents Reply option

1976

1977

Packaging Idea of Peace River product Souvenir of Alberta Other!

32 72 37 39 180

20 102 36 75 233

26

49

Gave mUltiple answer

!Other: Received as a gift, unusual product, curiosity, not specified. Table 4. Consumer response to Alberta native fruit product. Question: Did you obtain this product ... ? Number of respondents Reply option

1976

1977

For yourself As a gift For a festive occasion Other

55 104 15 4

43 159 16 3

178

221

24

37

Flavor Good Very Good Good

Rose hip

Marketing and consumer evaluation In 1976, 154 questionnaires were returned for a return rate of 25.7%. In 1977, 184 were returned, giving a return rate of 17.5%. The difference in return rate is probably due to the difference in methods of incentive provided for returning the questionnaire. The answers to the questions asked on the questionnaire in both years are summarized in Tables 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Multiple response was allowed, so that where a multiple choice was provided and more than one answer was given, this was counted. When a respondent did not give a response to certain questions, this has been shown in the summary tables.

Results and Discussion Juice yields and quality Considerable difference in yield of juice suitable for jelly-making was obtained from the three fruits (Table I). The yield of saskatoon juice was about 5% higher than chokecherry, and the yield of rose hip juice was 4.4 times greater than saskatoon. The pH of the juice was 4.1 for saskatoon, 4.2 for chokecherry and 4.5 for rose hip juice. The soluble solids content, used to determine the amount of sugar required for making the jelly, was between 9 and 11 %.

Chokecherry

Gave mUltiple answer

Table 5. Consumer response to Alberta native fruit product. Question: After trying this product would you ... ? Number of respondents Reply option

1976

1977

Purchase again Not purchase again Undecided Gave no answer Purchase again if larger jars

141 I 9 3

--.Q

170 2 6 4 2

154

184

J. Inst. Can. Sei. Teehno!. Aliment. Vo!. 12, No. 4, Oetobre 1979

Table 6. Consumer response to Alberta native fruit product. Question: Taking everything into consideration, how would you rate this product? Number of res~ndents Reply option

1976

1977

44 93 20

53 116 20

Superior Very good Good Fair Poor Gave no answer

I

I

0

0

~

_I

Gave multiple answer

158 4

191 7

Table 7. Consumer response to Alberta native fruit product. Question: Compared to how you thought you might like this product, was it ... ? N umber of respondents Reply option

1976

1977

65 65

95 57

o

8

2 6 9

16 154

17 186

o

2

Much better than expected A little better than expected Not quite as good as expected Not nearly as good as expected As expected Gave no answer Gave multiple answer

o

To the question, "What attracted you to this product?", the largest number of respondents, 46.8% in 1976, and 55.4% in 1977, were attracted to the idea that the product was from Peace River. Others were attracted to the product because it provided a souvenir of Alberta and because of the package. A large number received it as a .gift, were simply curious or were attracted because it was different, unusual, new or for no specific reason. To the question, "Did you obtain this product, a) for yourself, b) as a gift, c) for a festive occasion, d) other?", 67.5% in 1976 and 86.4% in 1977, answered as a gift, 35.7% in 1976 and 24.5% in 1977 said for themselves, 9.7% in 1976 and 8.7% in 1977 said for a festive occasion, and 2.6% in 1976 and 1.6% in 1977 said for other reasons. Twenty-four respondents in 1976 and 37 respondents in 1977 gave multiple answers which accounts for the percentage figure adding up to more than 100%.

Can. InS'!. food Sci. Techno!. J. Yo!. 12. No.4. October 1979

To the question, and perhaps the most important one, "After trying this product would you, a) purchase again, b) not purchase again, c) undecided?", the response was very positive. In 1976,91.6% and in 1977,92.4% answered that they would purchase again. Only one respondent in 1976 and 2 in 1977 would not purchase again, and the remaining were undecided, gave no answer, or said they would purchase the product again only if it was in larger jars. To the question, "Taking everything into consideration, how would you rate this product?", in both years, over 28% answered superior, over 60% very good, near 10% good, one respondent in 1976 and another in 1977 thought the product to be fair and no one thought the product to be poor. To the question, "Compared to how you thought you might like this product, was it a) much better than expected, b) a little better than expected, c) not quite as good as expected, d) not nearly as good as expected?", 42.2% in 1976 and 51.6% in 1977 thought the product to be much better than they had expected, and 42.2% the first year and 31.0% the second year considered the product to be a little better than expected. Assuming the cost of fruit at $1.00/kg, and honey at $1.65/kg, sugar at $0.49/kg and pectin and citric acid at $4.29/kg and $1.25/kg, respectively, the total raw material cost of the edible portion of the 4-jar pack was about $0.29. Considering that this cost is relatively low, that the product sold for $2.29-$4.10 and that appreciation of the native fruit by Western Canadian consumers was high, the product developed appears commercially viable. This information should provide a stimulus for native fruit growers to expand production.

Acknowledgements The author wishes to thank M. Dench for her technical assistance, the Peace Country Small Fruit Growers Society and the Alberta Department of Agriculture for their support.

References lIarri~,

R. E.

Malia.

(i ..

1~71.

The Saskatoon. Agriculture Cnlau;, Pub. No. 124(l.

L:IU, W. and Wolfe, F II. 197X. A

saskatoon berry exlracts. C,Il. Insl.

disinLq~rali()n-dilrusi()n

Ilx;hni4uc for pmduclion of

rood Sl.:i. Tc(.:'hflOI. J. II: 216.

P;wIller. M. and Wolfe. 1". II. 1972. Studies on the ucgraualioll of ascorbic acid by saskatoon berry

juice. Can. Insl. hlOU Sci. Tcdilloi. J. 5: 93. Tuba . .I., Hunter. (j. and Kennedy. I.. I.. 1944. On soun;cs ofvilarnin C. II. Alberta native fruih. Can. J. Research. 21:D. Wolfe. 1-'. II. and Wood, I:. W. 1971. Nun-volatile nrg'lnic..: ac..:id and sugar (.;omposition of saskatoon b(.;rri(.;s during rip(';fling. Call. Ins!. rood S(.;i. and Tednul. .I. 4: 29.

Received Septel11ber 2(), 197X.

169