Synthesis of descriptive sensory attributes and hedonic rankings of dried persimmon (Diospyros kaki sp.)

Authors: Milczarek, Rebecca; Woods, Rachelle; LAFOND, SEAN - University Of California; Breksa, Andrew; Preece, John; Smith, Jennifer; Sedej, Ivana; Olsen, Carl; Vilches, Ana

Submitted to: Food Science and Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/12/2017
Publication Date: 11/9/2017
Citation: Milczarek, R.R., Woods, R., LaFond, S.I., Breksa, A.P., Preece, J.E., Smith, J., Sedej, I., Olsen, C.W., Vilches, A.M. 2017. Synthesis of descriptive sensory attributes and hedonic rankings of dried persimmon (Diospyros kaki sp.). Food Science and Nutrition. 6(1):124-136. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.537.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.537

Interpretive Summary: Persimmons come in dozens of cultivars, but only a handful are commercially popular in the U.S., and almost none have been systematically evaluated for their suitability as starting material for a chip-like product (like apple chips). The objective of this study was to survey 40 persimmon cultivars (all of which can grow in California) and identify the best ones for making a dried chip-style product. We accomplished this by combining taste-testing data from an expert panel with data from a group of consumers. The expert panel provided objective values for the taste, texture, and flavor of each sample. The consumer group provided liking data on a subset of the samples. We related the two sets of data together to determine which characteristics of the persimmon chips the consumers liked best, and based on this analysis we recommend 19 cultivars for making the chips. Persimmon growers can use the results of this study to enhance the marketability of persimmons by preparing and marketing hot-air dried chips from existing cultivars identified as the best for a dried product and by planting and propagating new cultivars that produce fruit well-suited for this type of product.

Technical Abstract: This work aimed to characterize the sensory attributes of hot air-dried persimmon (Diospyros kaki) chips, correlate these attributes with consumer hedonic information, and, by doing so, present recommendations for cultivars that are most suitable for hot-air drying. A trained sensory panel evaluated dried persimmon samples (representing 40 cultivars) for flavor, taste/aftertaste, and texture. In addition, in each of two tests conducted in different years, more than 100 consumers provided hedonic evaluations of 21 unique samples in a ranking task with a balanced incomplete block design. A partial least squares regression model correlating the mean hedonic ranking to the trained panel data was developed using the data from the first consumer panel. The predictions from the model were correlated to the second panel to verify the model. It was found that including taste, aftertase, and texture data (but not specific flavor attribute data) produced a predictive model (Spearman’s rho = 0.83). This indicates that flavor is likely secondary to taste and texture in dried persimmon chips. Using the validated predictive model, 6 of the 40 persimmon cultivars tested are recommended for a dried chip product; these cultivars are ‘Fuyu’, 'Lyycopersicon’, ‘Maekawa Jiro’, ‘Nishimura Wase’, ‘Tishihtzu’, and ‘Yotsumizo’.