The role of fruit surface bloom in consumer preference for blueberries: sensory evaluation and multisensory interactions

Authors: ASENSIO, CLAUDIA - University Of California, Riverside; ARPAIA, MARY - University Of California, Riverside; Obenland, David

Submitted to: Foods
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/23/2025
Publication Date: 1/30/2025
Citation: Asensio, C., Arpaia, M., Obenland, D.M. 2025. The role of fruit surface bloom in consumer preference for blueberries: sensory evaluation and multisensory interactions. Foods. 14(3). Article 455. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030455.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030455

Interpretive Summary: The white, waxy coating (bloom) present on the surface of blueberries influences their appearance but is easily removed by handling. However, it is unclear whether the degree of bloom present influences how consumers like blueberries. To answer this question three blueberry cultivars (‘San Joaquin’, ‘Jewel’, and ‘Snowchaser’) were harvested at commercial maturity and subjected to different degrees of fruit surface bloom removal (full natural bloom (FB), partial bloom (PB), and removed bloom (RB)) to assess the importance of the bloom to consumer preference. Sensory panelists preferred berries with at least some degree of bloom, as influenced by appearance for all varieties and, in ‘Snowchaser’ and ‘Jewel’, flavor acceptance declined when the evaluation allowed the fruit to be visualized. It was found that panelist perception of sweetness and tartness was related to how much bloom was present. The findings of the study indicated that consumers may value the bloom on blueberries and that care needs to be taken during commercial processing of fresh blueberries so that as much bloom as possible is retained.

Technical Abstract: Three blueberry cultivars (‘San Joaquin’, ‘Jewel’, and ‘Snowchaser’) were harvested at commercial maturity and subjected to different degrees of fruit surface bloom removal (full natural bloom (FB), partial bloom (PB), and removed bloom (RB)) to assess the importance of the bloom to consumer preference. Sensory evaluation assessed flavor, appearance, and overall acceptance under different conditions (darkness and light). Panelists preferred berries with at least some degree of bloom, as influenced by appearance for all varieties and, in ‘Snowchaser’ and ‘Jewel’, flavor acceptance declined when the evaluation allowed the fruit to be visualized. Panelists were prompted to select the attribute most influencing their affective evaluations to better understand the basis for the differences due to the presence of bloom. Notably, the distribution of appearance preferences varied among varieties. At the same time, bloom presence influenced firmness choices, and sweetness and tartness preferences were affected by both variety and evaluation conditions, suggesting complex interactions in multisensory perception. Principal component analysis reinforced the idea that treatments with bloom removal were less accepted overall, while ‘Snowchaser’ samples were consistently well-liked relative to the other two varieties. These findings highlight the importance of bloom presence in blueberry quality perception and consumer behavior.