Consumer eating quality acceptance of new apple varieties in different European countries

•4290 consumers across seven European countries tested 11 apple varieties (eight of them new).•Results show a strong interaction between country and variety.•A group of four varieties were the most accepted in all countries except in Germany.•No interaction of practical significance was found between age or gender and variety.•No significant interaction was found between variety and apple consumption habit.

During January and February 2007 a European consumer test of eight new apple varieties and three standard ones was carried out in different European countries. The most common apple varieties were compared to new ones, focusing on consumer acceptance and the potential for increasing apple consumption. We sought to test the hypothesis that the introduction of new improved varieties would help to increase fruit consumption. Data from a sensory test involving 4290 consumers in seven different countries were analysed for the effects of variety and test country, age, gender and apple consumption habit of the consumer on eating quality acceptance. The results obtained showed a strong interaction between country and variety, although a group of four varieties (‘Gold Pink’, ‘CIVni’, ‘Cripps Pink’ and ‘Fuji’) formed part of a group of the varieties that were most accepted in all of the countries except Germany. Significant interactions between variety and age and variety and gender were observed, but their magnitudes were not considered to be of any practical significance. No statistically significant interaction was found between variety and apple consumption habit on eating quality acceptance.