Chemical and physical properties of winter squash and their correlation with liking of their sensory attributes

Skylar R Moreno; Charles A Sims; Asli Odabasi; Amarat Simonne; Zhifeng Gao; Carlene A Chase; Geoffrey Meru; Andrew J MacIntosh

doi:10.1111/1750-3841.16771

Chemical and physical properties of winter squash and their correlation with liking of their sensory attributes

J Food Sci. 2023 Nov;88(11):4440-4456. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.16771. Epub 2023 Sep 27.

Authors

Skylar R Moreno¹, Charles A Sims¹, Asli Odabasi¹, Amarat Simonne², Zhifeng Gao³, Carlene A Chase⁴, Geoffrey Meru⁵, Andrew J MacIntosh¹

Affiliations

¹ Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
² Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
³ Department Food and Resource Economics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
⁴ Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
⁵ Tropical Research and Education Center, Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Homestead, Florida, USA.

PMID: 37755684
DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.16771

Abstract

Cucurbita moschata, commonly known as squash or pumpkin, is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family originating from Central America. This species is regarded as heat tolerant and disease resistant and is commonly used in breeding programs. Calabaza (wintersquash) is an emerging market type of C. moschata with increasing popularity in the United States; however, limited research has been conducted to understand how sensory qualities influence consumers' acceptability and willingness to pay (price). This study compared the sensory perception of C. moschata accessions grown in the continental southeastern United States with their physical and chemical properties using squash prepared from fresh and frozen states. The eight accessions investigated included five hybrids of calabaza from the University of Florida (University of Florida Tropical Pumpkin #), two commercial cultivars of calabaza (La Estrella and Soler), and one butternut squash cultivar (Waltham). The evaluation of fresh calabaza revealed significant differences in consumer preference among cultivars in addition to correlations with sensory attributes. UFTP8 and UFTP24 received the highest ratings, whereas UFTP38 and 'La Estrella' were rated lowest. Interestingly, the evaluation of frozen calabaza revealed UFTP8 and 'Waltham' Butternut squash as the highest in ranking, while UFTP38 and 'La Estrella' retained the lowest ranking. Consumer ratings of fresh samples revealed positive correlations between overall liking, sweetness liking, and texture liking with willingness to pay and soluble solids content (SSC). For calabaza intended for the frozen market, the color, hardness, and SSC were identified as the most significant parameters impacting willingness to pay. These results show how quality attributes can play a crucial role in consumers perception of quality and significantly influence their reported willingness to pay. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Producers and breeders can use positively correlated attributes as indicators of overall liking and to determine pricing for C. moschata products.

Keywords: accessions; calabaza; physiochemical; sensory; winter squash.

MeSH terms

Consumer Behavior
Cucurbita*
Cucurbitaceae*
Plant Breeding
Sensation
Taste

Grants and funding

LS21-360/Southern SARE