Search for the Determiners of Food Quality Ratings — Description of Methodology with Application to Blueberries

The object of this study is to relate qualitative and quantitative ratings as expressed by judges and to relate sensory responses to physical measurements and gas chromatograms. Judges were asked to rate acceptability, flavor, and mouthfeel of blueberries on a five-point scale in a darkened room. With another specimen, they were asked to judge appearance and color without, however, tasting these berries. The judges were also asked to complete a questionnaire describing, in qualitative terms, the characteristics of each specimen. Varieties were subjected to analysis by physical and chemical measurements, and gas chromatograms were prepared. Contingency analysis and analysis of variance were performed to relate qualitative and quantitative ratings. The relationship between physical measurements or chromatograms and ratings is displayed in tables of means; although these numbers can be expressed as single correlations, using a random model, a single measure based on just four products was deemed to be less informative than a tabulation of correspondence.