Stewart Postharvest Review

An international journal for reviews in postharvest biology and technology

Sweet cherry quality in the horticultural production chain

Gabriela Susana Romano1,*, Eduardo Daniel Cittadini1, Belén Pugh1 and Rob Schouten2
1
Grupo de Fruticultura, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Chubut, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Argentina
2
Horticultural Production Chains, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

Abstract
Purpose of the review: This article discusses the different quality definitions and meanings for different parts of the horticultural
chain, the main quality characteristics and indicators, and the importance of heterogeneity of consumer wishes. Key aspects to improve
overall fruit quality in the sweet cherry horticultural chain are indicated.
Main findings: Consumers do not behave uniformly and, next to consumer acceptance, other parameters have to be considered for the
sweet cherry chain as a whole. The concept “quality” depends on the product itself and on the preferences of the consumer. It is often
defined in terms of objective measures that relate to the consumers experience of eating quality. Cherry fruit quality is also determined
by attributes that affect fruit marketing appeal and consumer satisfaction at consumption. The drivers behind the consumer’s experi-
ence of eating quality may include colour, taste, texture and smell. These drivers can be assessed indirectly by measuring parameters
related to this experience, such as sugar content, acid content, dry matter content, juiciness, firmness and volatiles content. These pa-
rameters change with ripening and fruit colour is the main indicator of maturity. Harvesting, handling, postharvest treatments, packag-
ing, transport and fruit distribution involve a large number of mechanical operations that subject the produce to dynamic loads, mainly
impacts, which are the main cause of pitting.
Directions for future research: To clarify the relationship between quality measurements and consumer acceptance, research on
cherry quality attributes and on consumer preferences for different markets is needed. Future research should also include the effect of
agricultural practices on fruit quality, using a systemic approach and considering the importance of each quality parameter on each link
in the chain. The increasing interest in the nutraceutical effects of fruits and vegetables will require further specific research on sweet
cherry. An integrated approach using a Quality Analysis and Critical Control Points system specifically designed for sweet cherry will
require an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms affecting cherry quality throughout the horticultural chain.

Keywords: firmness; fruit size; soluble solids content; taste; consumer acceptance; health benefits

Abbreviations Introduction
QACCP Quality Analysis and Critical Control Points The sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) horticultural production
RH Relative Humidity chain consists of several parts: production, picking, cooling,
selection, grading, packaging, transport, distribution and con-
SSC Soluble Solids Content sumption. Quality of cherries may have a different meaning,
TA Titratable Acidity depending on which part of the chain is considered. Consumer
acceptance appears to be the most important overall character-
istic of cherries [1*]. However, consumers do not behave uni-
*Correspondence to: Gabriela Susana Romano, Grupo de formly, being influenced by their cultural, historic, religious,
Fruticultura, INTA-EEA Chubut, Casilla de Correo 88, 9100 demographic, economical and social background [2*], al-
Trelew, Argentina. Tel: +54 2965 446658; Fax: +54 2965 though Crisosto et al. [3**] reported that among American
447019; email: gromano@chubut.inta.gov.ar consumers, gender and ethnic group did not affect the decision
to purchase sweet cherries. Besides consumer acceptance,
Stewart Postharvest Review 2006, 6:2 other parameters have to be considered for the sweet cherry
Published online 01 December 2006 chain as a whole. For example, firmness is indispensable for
doi: 10.2212/spr.2006.6.2 reaching overseas markets [4*, 5*] and regularly shaped culti-

© 2006 Stewart Postharvest Solutions (UK) Ltd.

Online ISSN:1945-9656
www.stewartpostharvest.com
Romano et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2006, 6:2
vars are preferred for packinghouses because non-spherical
fruits result in high percentages of under- and over-grading.
Quality of cherries is affected at each part of the chain. Man-
agement practices and decisions in the orchard can affect
fruit quality at the point of sale. The choice of cultivar, for
example, may limit fruit quality for the whole life span of the
orchard. Similarly, nitrogen excess during the preharvest
stage can reduce firmness and soluble solids content (SSC)
[6*]. Which factors affect consumer acceptance and how the
different parts of the chain can help to satisfy consumer
wishes are key aspects that should benefit all the participants
of the chain. This article reviews the different quality defini-
tions and meanings for different parts of the chain, the main
quality characteristics and indicators, and the importance of
heterogeneity of consumer wishes. An attempt is made to
clarify key aspects to improve overall fruit quality in the
sweet cherry horticultural chain.
Quality definition
Quality is an elusive concept, depending on the product itself
and on the preferences of the consumer [7*]. Quality has
many meanings, but is often defined in terms of objective
measures that relate to the consumer’s experience of eating
quality [8*]. Cherry fruit quality is also determined by attrib-
utes that affect fruit marketing appeal and consumer satisfac-
tion at consumption [9**]. Consumers expect consistent pres-
entation and eating quality [10**]. However, other quality
dimensions should be considered, such as quality for han-
dling, transport and storage, depending on which part of the
chain is observed. For the sweet cherry chain as a whole,
transport and storage quality are probably as important as
eating quality, especially for overseas marketing.
Some major traits related to consumer purchase decision are
based on visual appearance and include fruit size and colour,
fruit and stem exterior freshness and absence of defects and
injuries [11*]. Predieri et al. [9**] mentioned that the most
important physical properties of sweet cherries are skin col-
our, fruit size, fruit and stem exterior freshness, and absence
of defects and injuries as the basis for consumer purchase
decisions. However, theses parameters comprise only part of
quality definition.
The drivers behind the consumer’s experience of eating qual-
ity may include colour as a maturity indicator, taste, texture
and smell. These drivers can be assessed indirectly by meas-
uring parameters related to this experience, such as sugar
content, acid content, dry matter content, juiciness, firmness
and volatiles content [8*]. Taste is largely determined by a
balance between the sugar and the acid content, while aroma,
which is often related to fruit overall appreciation, was not
indicated by consumers as having major importance in the
case of cherry [12*].
For the consumer, food safety is also, implicitly or explicitly,
part of the quality definition. Because the chain involves
processes, standardisation and external certifications are
widely implemented in order to guarantee quality or safety.
Food safety and product quality can be controlled during the
production process and in the supply chain through the devel-
opment and implementation of food safety and quality stan-
dards such as Euro-Retailer Produce Working Group – Good
Agriculture Practices (EUREPGAP), Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Points (HACCP), International Food Stan-
dard (IFS), British Retail Consortium (BRC) or Good Hygi-
enic Practice (GHP) [13*].
Quality for grading, packing, transport and
distribution
A growing demand for high quality fresh fruit and vegetables
has revealed a worldwide problem concerning the mechanical
damage of products that reach consumers through the distri-
bution chain. Harvesting, handling, postharvest treatments,
packaging, transport and fruit distribution involve a large
number of mechanical operations that subject the produce to
dynamic loads, mainly impacts [14*]. This aspect is espe-
cially valid for cherries, which as a result of their high sensi-
tivity to impacts, results in manifest pitting [15*]. Pitting is
the development of depressions on the surface of the cherry
that occurs after the fruit has been mechanically damaged,
causing shearing and damage to cells in the flesh of the
cherry. Pitting is a long-time problem in the fresh market
cherry industry [15*]. Many factors influence the incidence
of mechanical damage in fruit handled on a grading line. This
makes it difficult to address damage estimation from an ana-
lytical point of view [16*]. The sensitivity of cherries to pit-
ting is largely a function of fruit firmness. Firm cherries resist
impact and compression pressures better than soft cherries.
Unfortunately, factors governing cherry fruit firmness are not
completely understood [15*].
Sweet cherry fruit is a very perishable commodity, because
both the fruit and the stem consist largely of air and water,
and the water is lost rapidly. Temperature and relative hu-
midity (RH) of the environment are the external factors af-
fecting the difference between fruit and atmosphere on va-
pour pressure [17*]. Kupferman [18*] found that after 48 h at
10°C, weight loss of cherries was approximately 1.5% and
3.5% at a RH of 100% and 52%, respectively. Moreover,
Patterson and Kupferman [19*] reported weight loss to be
four times higher on stems than on fruits. Cherries decay
rapidly after harvest as a consequence of their high respira-
tory rate, which constitutes the main problem for successful
transport and marketing [20**, 21*].
Cherry quality indicators
Fruit taste is related to sweetness, flavour and firmness, al-
though these parameters change with each cultivar and may
include other traits such as titratable acidity (TA) and the
SSC/TA ratio [5**]. Fruit colour is the main indicator of ma-
turity [20**, 22*] and it is important to establish the relation-
ship between skin colour and SSC to identify the skin colour
that cherries should be harvested at to ensure consumer
2
Romano et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2006, 6:2
Figure 1. High heterogeneity in cherry colour: a negative factor for
consumer acceptance.
Source: Photo from FA Manavella
acceptance [23**]. In general, fruit weight, SSC, and SSC/
TA ratio increases as cherry skin colour changes from full
light red to full dark red [24*]. Changes in firmness also re-
late to changes in skin colour [25*] but firmness and surface
pitting also are found to be connected features [26*]. There-
fore, overripe cherries would be more sensitive to pitting.
Although Guyer et al. [5**] suggested that it is difficult to
identify a single physical or chemical parameter to be used as
an overall acceptability index for cherry cultivars, they indi-
cate that firmness has the highest potential to be an objective
overall index. Neven and Drake [27*] proposed to evaluate
quality as a combination of objective (fruit and stem colours,
firmness, SSC, TA) and subjective (defects such as pitting
and bruising) parameters, complementing these evaluations
using laboratory personnel to rate fruits and stems individu-
ally for overall appearance on a scale from 1 to 3 (1= best; 3=
worst). For a specific market, time of the year and packaging
type, quality could be indirectly associated with the price that
the consumer is willing to pay for a product [28*]. In this
context, another important quality parameter is the size of the
cherries [11*]. According to 2002 market summary retailers
reports, fruit of 24 mm of diameter and larger had positive
response from consumers [28*].
Worldwide, but especially in developed countries, there is an
increasing interest for food not only tasty and safe that also
produces additional health benefits. Fruits have been shown
to contain high levels of antioxidant compounds, providing
protection against cancer and heart diseases [29*]. Nutraceu-
tical effects have specifically been reported for cherries
[20**, 21*]. The major polyphenolic groups in cherries are
anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic esters [30**]. One of the
characteristic aspects of the maturation of red fruits is the
change of the initial green colour to a red, violet or blackish
colour, caused by accumulation of anthocyanins and chloro-
phyll degradation [31*]. Tannins and chlorogenic acid are
known to affect both the flavour and astringency of fruits
[5**].
Quality for consumer acceptance
Consumers from different countries or regions demand dif-
ferent combinations of cherry quality attributes. Even within
a given country or region different market segments exhibit
varying preferences [2*]. For example, lack or damage of the
stem is usually considered as an indicator of low quality
cherries. However, for some markets, stem-less cherries are
marketed as a different product obtaining similar prices as
cherries with stem. The commercial designation “Picota”
embraces four traditional late varieties of sweet cherry
(‘Ambrunés’, ‘Pico Limón’, ‘Pico Negro’ and ‘Pico Colo-
rado’) from the Jerte valley (Spain) harvested without stems.
Picotas account for approximately 60% of the cherry harvest
in this production area (35,000 tonnes) [32*].
Appearance is a primary criterion in making purchasing deci-
sions, with colour contributing more to the assessment of
quality than any other single appearance factor [33*]. North
American consumers would buy cherries based on dark skin
colour: the darker the skin colour the higher the percentage of
consumers that would buy them. However, fruit liking at
consumption has been determined on SSC [3**]. In a study
conducted in Norway, it was shown that dark and large fruits
were preferred [34*]. UK consumers prefer sweet, juicy,
large dark full red or black cherries, with a glossy appearance
[35*], while in Japan, cherry colour was found to be the most
important parameter for consumer acceptability [36*].
Visual characteristics are very important for cherry, since the
consumer’s decision to buy has been found to be based on
fruit skin colour (full bright red for cv. ‘Brooks’; mahogany
for cv. ‘Bing’) [3**]. Cliff et al. [37**] included seven ap-
pearance characteristics (colour intensity, uniformity-of-
colour, speckles, size, stem length, external firmness and
“visual” liking) and seven flavour/texture characteristics
(flesh firmness, flesh colour intensity, juiciness, sweetness,
sourness, flavour intensity and “flavour/ texture” liking).
Uniformity of colour (Figure 1) and fruit size have been the
most useful parameters for predicting visual liking, with the
first having the highest importance, whereas the best for fla-
vour/texture liking were sweetness and flavour intensity vari-
ables.
In general, full dark red cherries have higher consumer ac-
ceptance than full bright red cherries. However, as skin col-
our darkens, postharvest life decreases [24*, 38*]. TA can
also affect consumer acceptance, but only when SSC is low
[3**]. The ratio SSC/TA has been found to be related to the
perception of sweetness, sourness or cherry flavour by
trained judges [23**]. High TA negatively affected consumer
3
Romano et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2006, 6:2
Figure 2. CTIFL colour chart. The supply chain characteristics deter-
mine the optimum colour number for harvesting each cherry cultivar.
Source: Photo from FA Manavella
acceptance in the American market if SSC was below 16%
and 13% for ‘Brooks’ and ‘Bing’ cherries, respectively,
while consumer acceptance was high for both cultivars with
SSC exceeding 16%, irrespective of TA [3**]. Kappel et al.
[39**] found that the SSC/TA ratio yielding the highest sen-
sorial appreciation was between 1.5 and 2, with SSC being
between 17 and 19%. Cliff et al. [37**] found that among a
number of markets oriented to high quality cherries, flavour
intensity and sweetness were the most important attributes
for flavour/texture liking. Kappel et al. [39**] suggested a
minimum of 15% SSC, but preferably 17–19%, and empha-
sised the importance of the balance between sweet and sour,
in agreement with Guyer et al. [5**]. For example, low sugar
and high acid contents result in a sour taste, while low acid
and high sugar contents result in a bland taste [40*].
Sweet cherry chain: what can be done about
quality?
Work aimed at understanding the effect of cultural practices
and the storage period on consumer acceptance levels during
the maturation/ripening changes may be beneficial in devel-
oping improved cherry production and handling practices,
[3**]. A more widespread use of sensory evaluation panels
can orient production and marketing toward the identification
of reliable production systems and areas, and to the selection
of a reduced number of top quality cultivars in order to guar-
antee elevated quality levels to satisfy consumers [9**]. Be-
low, an overview of factors that affect the quality of sweet
cherry for the whole chain is provided.
Orchard management
Firm fruit are produced from trees with adequate vigour and
good light penetration throughout the canopy. This can be
arranged by yearly pruning [15*] and a low fruit to leaf area
ratio [15*, 41*]. Mean fruit weight and SSC of the fruit will
also be affected by the fruit to leaf area ratio [41*, 42*, 43*,
44*]. Increasing the plant density may lead to reduction in
fruit size and quality, especially SSC, indicating a progres-
sive competition between trees [45*]. For a specific cultivar,
the fruit to leaf area ratio of the current season is the most
important factor affecting fruit weight [43*, 44*], while man-
agement in preceding years has a minor influence [41*]. Leaf
area per fruit itself is not important, but represents the pro-
duction potential through its photosynthetic capacity, and a
high value is essential for production of high-quality sweet
cherries [42*]. The shape of the tree, and therefore the train-
ing system, affects the light distribution [46*] and conse-
quential the canopy photosynthetic rate [47*]. For the same
leaf area per tree, a better light distribution may contribute to
increased carbohydrate supply to sink organs, allowing big-
ger fruits. Drake and Fellman [11*] reported that the fruit
weight of ‘Rainer’ varieties depended not only on maturity
level but also on inter- and intra-tree fruit location, with fruit
from the top and exterior of the tree crown averaging higher
weight at the earlier harvest dates.
As indicated by Kappel et al. [39**] cultivars should be care-
fully chosen, especially with regard to fruit size. Irrigation
and nutrition should be balanced according to demands to
avoid firmness and SSC reductions [6*]. Planting density and
training systems allowing an even light distribution and
avoiding over-cropping are key aspects to obtain high quality
sweet cherries.
Harvest date
The choice of the harvest date has probably the largest im-
pact on cherry quality and fruit colour seems to be the best
indicator to decide it. Cherry fruits exhibit important bio-
chemical and morphological changes during maturation, in-
cluding increase in colour intensity and sugar content [31*].
Fruit colour [20**, 22*, 31*] and SSC [12*] are the main
indicators of maturity. When examining the relationship be-
tween soluble solids and fruit maturation level, Guyer et al.
[5**] found SSC increases of 15–19% over a three-week
harvest period, with similar patterns in four cultivars
(Hedelfingen, Ulster, Sam and Emperor Francis).
Simčič et al. [48**] found that sugars approach maximal
values during the period of rapid colour change. The dynam-
ics of skin colour changes might be used as a non-destructive
method for determining optimal harvest date. Mitcham et al.
[25*] also found significant relations between skin colour
and SSC. However, it needs to be taken in account that ma-
turity of fruit varies within and between trees. Fruit colour
and soluble solids levels decrease with delay in flower anthe-
sis and fruit location progressing from the top to the base of
the plant [49*]. Fruit colour can be assessed with a colorime-
ter or in an empirical way, in the field, with a colour chart
(Figure 2).
4
Romano et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2006, 6:2
Early harvest may affect not only biochemical characteristics,
but also size, since it has been found that during the last two
weeks of sweet cherry development, fruit total dry weight
increased 3-fold [50*], although at a decreasing rate towards
ripening.
Postharvest
The extension of the postharvest life of sweet cherry depends
on three factors: (1) reduction in desiccation, (2) slowing
down the physiological processes of maturation and senes-
cence and (3) avoiding the onset and rate of microbial
growth. To control these three factors, the main tools are re-
frigeration and controlling the RH [17*]. The optimum tem-
perature for harvest and handling of cherries is between 10
and 20º C (out of this temperature range more pitting is ob-
served), while the optimum storage temperature is 0º C [51*],
with a RH of 90 to 95% [52*].
Hydrocooling prolongs shelf-life more than air cooling. The
positive effect of hydrocooling is probably due to the fact
that cooling is faster, more even, and that the fruit are washed
and can therefore be disinfected with sodium hypochlorite in
the process, slowing down the decay associated with loss of
quality and the development of fungal diseases [32*]. Com-
plementary techniques such as controlled or modified atmos-
phere and coatings can be used to reduce the respiration rate.
The reduction of ascorbic acid loss in coated cherries was
due to the low oxygen permeability of sucrose polyester coat-
ing which lowered the activity of the enzymes and prevented
oxidation of ascorbic acid. The effect of low temperature
significantly reduced the ascorbic acid loss [17*], showing
that coating and refrigeration are complementary techniques.
Conclusions and future research on cherry
quality
Although quality has different meanings for different stake-
holders (producers, distributors, consumers, etc) consumer
acceptance seems to be the most important factor to be con-
sidered. Several parameters can be used to estimate indirectly
consumer acceptance, but independent of consumer liking,
firmness is a key aspect for marketing cherries overseas. Col-
our is related to many other parameters, such as SSC, TA and
firmness, and is therefore the main tool to determine harvest
date. However, there is no optimum colour for all conditions.
Information at the orchard level is needed to determine which
harvest colour should be used for specific markets and distri-
bution channels. Decisions that affect productivity and fruit
quality during the whole orchard life, such as the choice of
the cultivar, the training system and the planting density,
require an exhaustive evaluation of the current and future
demands for quality standards.
Quality deterioration during classification, grading and packing
can be reduced by using proper (currently available) technol-
ogy, especially hydrocooling and efficiently designed grading
machines. Storage and distribution need to control temperature
and RH, and modified atmosphere is important complement.
The use of systems for quality management, such as QACCP
(Quality Analysis and Critical Control Points) would allow
immediate discrimination between food safety aspects and
quality aspects thereby enabling regulatory agencies with
jurisdiction to audit for compliance with public health re-
quirements [10**]. Developing and improving QACCP pro-
tocols for sweet cherry by linking the requirements of the
protocol with the aspects that really affect cherry quality
would be a benefit to all the participants of the chain, but
specific research is needed to understand better how cherry
quality is defined and how it can be improved.
There is a consensus with regard to consumer acceptance
being the most important aspect of cherry quality and that the
quality of a product is largely defined by intrinsic properties
[53**]. However, acceptance differs among consumers of
different market segments and these differences have to be
considered when defining optimum quality attributes. Re-
search including physical and chemical analyses, but also
consumer panels at different markets, may help to clarify
this. Future research should also include the effect of agricul-
tural practices (eg, fertilisation, irrigation, pruning, bloom or
fruit thinning, hormonal treatments, etc) on fruit quality, us-
ing a systemic an global approach [54*] and considering the
importance of each quality parameter on each link of the
chain.
The increasing interest in developed countries for food pro-
ducing additional health benefits suggests that nutraceutical
effects of cherries will be an important direction for future
research, allowing differentiating fruit to be produced under
specific conditions or with regard to other competing fruit.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to FA Manavella (Rural Extension
Agency Los Antiguos, INTA, Argentina) for providing the
pictures presented in this review.
References
Papers of interest have been highlighted as:
*Marginal importance
**Essential reading
1 Crisosto CH, Crisosto G and Neri F. Understanding tree fruit quality
based on consumer acceptance. Acta Horticulturae 2006: 712:183–190.
*In this paper, the authors present stone fruit quality indexes based on con-
sumer acceptance and fruit market life. They present results of SSC and TA
surveys, which indicate the potential fruit quality range for different culti-
vars. Then they discuss the potential role of preharvest factors on these qual-
ity attributes and segregate cultivars according to a trained panel’s percep-
tion of the predominant sensory attributes: sweetness, sourness, and fruit
flavour and aroma intensity. Finally, they use the above data to design large
“in store” consumer tests within each sensory classification group.
2 Shewfelt RL. Defining and meeting consumer requirements. Acta
Horticulturae 2006: 712:31–38.
*The author highlights what kind of fruits and vegetables consumers are
demanding, clarifying that consumers from different countries or regions
require different characteristics. The paper remarks that first-adopters pur-
chase the item when purchase quality and product descriptions on the pack-
5
Romano et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2006, 6:2
age meet or exceed image expectations. Subsequent purchases occur if con-
sumption quality meets or exceeds purchase and image expectations.
3 Crisosto CH, Crisosto GM and Metheney P. Consumer acceptance of
“Brooks” and “Bing” cherries is mainly dependent on fruit SSC and
visual skin color. Postharvest Biology and Technology 2003: 28:159–
167.
**This work indicates that for ‘Brooks’ and ‘Bing’ cherries, a full bright red
or dark mahogany skin colour should be reached, respectively, in addition to
a minimum SSC of 16% to satisfy the majority of American consumers.
4 Glenn G and Poovaiah B. Role of calcium in delaying softening of
apples and cherries. Postharvest Pomology Newsletter 1987: 5(1):15–
19.
*The authors remark that fruit firmness is important in sweet cherry quality
and that industry leaders have recently expressed a great interest in cherry
softening caused by rain or water damage. This report discusses the role of
calcium in fruit quality as it relates to firmness.
5 Guyer DE, Sinha NK, Tung-Sung C and Cash JN. Physicochemical
and sensory characteristics of selected Michigan sweet cherry (Prunus
avium L.) cultivars. Journal of Food Quality 1993: 16(5):355–370.
**The authors report harvest dates showing significant effect on TA, SSC,
SSC/TA ratio, sugar content, weight and diameter of fruits. Correlation
coefficients between overall consumer acceptability and measured parame-
ters for three sweet cherry cultivars indicate that firmness has good potential
as an objective overall index for acceptability.
6 Crisosto C, Mitchell G and Johnson S. Factors in fresh market stone
fruit quality. Postharvest News and Information 1995: 6(2):17–21.
*This paper reports that nitrogen excess does not produce increases in fruit
size and SSC, but increases fruit susceptibility to diseases.
7 Sloof M, Tijskens LMM, Wilkinson EC. Concepts for modelling the
quality of perishable products. Trends in Food Science and Technology
1996: 7(5):165–171.
*The authors remark that the quality of perishable products depends on three
factors: the product, the user and the market situation. Decomposition of the
effects of these factors on quality leads to a distinction between the assigned
quality and the acceptability of a product. Product and consumer research
focus on assigned quality, whereas market research focuses on product ac-
ceptability. The authors conclude that changes in assigned quality can be
simulated with quality change models that consist of separate models for
quality assignment, product behaviour and product environment.
8 Walsh KB. Setting and meeting objective standards for eating quality
in fresh fruit. Acta Horticulturae 2006: 712:191–201.
*In this paper, the drivers behind the consumers experience of eating quality
(eg, taste, texture, smell), and the major assessable parameters relating to this
experience (eg, sugar content, acid content, dry matter content, juiciness,
texture, firmness and volatiles content) are briefly reviewed, and existing
standards on these parameters (research literature, government bodies and
retailer) summarised.
9 Predieri S, Dris R and Rapparini F. Influence of growing conditions on
yield and quality of cherry: II. Fruit quality. Food, Agriculture & Envi-
ronment 2004: 2(1):307–309.
**In this paper, the authors report that cherry fruit quality is determined by
attributes that affect fruit marketing appeal and consumer satisfaction at
consumption. This review discusses opportunities for fruit quality evaluation
and improvement. The authors remark that appearance is a primary criterion
in making purchase decisions, with colour contributing more to the assess-
ment of quality than any other single appearance factor.
10 Peters RE. The broader application of HACCP concepts to food quality
in Australia. Food Control 1998: 9(2):83–89.
** The author presents a broader application of the HACCP system. He
mentions that in the early 1990s, customers expected safe food, but discrimi-
nated on quality when making their buying decision. This lead to the devel-
opment of two key voluntary, third party certified standards focused on using
the HACCP principles for both quality and food safety (SQF 2000™ Quality
Code: 1995 and WVQMS®). Both standards were developed after significant
research into customer expectations, and small-to-medium size business
development capabilities. Customer defined product specifications became
the key to developing these HACCP-based quality assurance standards.
HACCP principles are used to identify Quality Critical Points and Quality
Points in the life cycle of the fruit/vegetable/animal. The author concludes
that SQF 2000™ and the WVQMS® represent a practical, customer-focused
business enhancement program that combines food safety and quality into a
simple yet effective process.
11 Drake SR and Fellman JK. Indicators of maturity and storage quality of
“Rainier” sweet cherry. HortScience 1987: 22(2):283–285.
*In this paper, the authors remark that some major traits related to consumer
purchase decision are based on visual appearance and include fruit size and
colour, fruit and stem exterior freshness and absence of defects and injuries.
They indicate that for ‘Rainier’ fruit, the better indicator of maturity is the
soluble solids percentage. This measure shows a correlation with skin colour,
sugar content and texture.
12 Mattheis JP, Buchanan DA and Fellman JK. Volatile compounds emit-
ted by sweet cherries (Prunus avium cv. Bing) during fruit develop-
ment and ripening. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 1992:
40(3):471–474.
*The authors report on an investigation in which volatile compounds were
collected using headspace sampling before and after harvest from intact
‘Bing’ cherries. They report 31 compounds of several chemical classes,
including aldehydes, alcohols, esters, a ketone, a volatile acid and a terpene.
13 Kosson R. Quality aspects of vegetables and fruit in Poland. Acta
Horticulturae 2006: 712:209–214.
*The author presents a quality control system of vegetables and fruit in
Poland, based on the principle of product quality assurance at all stages of
production, from the producer to the consumer.
14 Bielza C, Barreiro P, Rodríguez-Galiano MI and Martín J. Logistic
regression for simulation damage occurrence on a fruit line. Computers
and Electronics in Agriculture 2003: 39:95–113.
*The authors remark that many factors influence the incidence of mechanical
damage in fruit handled on a grading line, making it difficult to address
damage estimation from an analytical point of view. The paper describes a
method to estimate bruise probability by means of logistic regression, using
data yielded by specific laboratory tests.
15 Patten KD, Patterson ME and Kupferman E. Reduction of surface
pitting in sweet cherries. Postharvest Pomology Newsletter 1983: 1
(2):15–19.
*The authors mention that the first step in pitting minimisation is mechanical
damage reduction. They also remark that pitting can be reduced by growing
large and firm sweet cherries, which are high in SSC, and are harvested at
the dark red to light mahogany stage. They conclude that only by awareness
to details and application of corrective measures can pitting be minimised.
16 Thompson J, Grant J, Kupferman G, Knutson J and Miller K. Reducing
cherry damage in packinghouse operations – Packinghouse evalua-
tions. Tree Fruit Postharvest Journal 1995: 6(1):18–26.
*The authors present results of an investigation of the severity of pitting and
bruising damage caused by individual operations in ‘Bing’ cherry packing-
houses. They indicate that most bruising occurs before the fruit reaches the
packinghouse. Packing operations tend to cause more pitting than bruising
damage. The authors conclude that cherries falling 25 cm to a conveyor belt
are subject to pitting.
17 Yaman O and Bayoindirli L. Effects of an edible coating and cold
storage on shelf-life and quality of cherries. Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft
& Technologie 2002: 35(2):146–150.
*The effect of fruit coating (composed of sucrose esters of fatty acids, so-
dium carboxymethyl cellulose and mono-diglycerides of fatty acids) on
cherry postharvest behaviour is discussed, analysing firmness, weight loss,
titratable acidity, soluble solid content, sugar content, ascorbic acid content,
and external colour. It is demonstrated that coating is effective for reducing
weight loss and increasing the firmness, ascorbic acid content, titratable
acidity and skin colour of cherries during storage.
18 Kupferman E. An introduction to cherry quality and handling. Posthar-
vest Pomology Newsletter 1986: 4(1):3–8.
*This article describes the physical and physiological nature of a cherry. The
author indicates that preharvest and postharvest factors of cherry handling
6
Romano et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2006, 6:2
are important to cherry quality and are interrelated. He presents results of
weight loss as a function of RH.
19 Patterson, ME and Kupferman E. CA Storage of ‘Bing’ cherries. Post-
harvest Pomology Newsletter 1983:1(2):7–12.
*The authors report weight loss to be four times higher on stems than on
fruits and that cherries decay rapidly after harvest as a consequence of their
high respiratory rate, which constitutes the main problem for successful
transport and marketing.
20 Mozetič B, Trebše P, Simčič M and Hribar J. Changes of anthocyanins
and hydroxycinnamic acids affecting the skin colour during maturation
of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) Swiss Society of Food Science and
Technology 2004:37:123–128
**In this research, determinations of the content and relative amounts of
anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids in ‘Petrovka’ sweet cherries are
presented at seven stages of maturity, by means of high performance liquid
chromatography, and compared with instrumentally assessed skin colour of
the same sweet cherries. Skin colour of harvested samples is measured using
the CIE L*, a*, b* system. The linear increase of total anthocyanins during
maturation is observed without the trend of stabilisation in the final stages of
maturity. The colour change during maturation is influenced by the increase
of total anthocyanins. The chroma and L* values appear to be optimal indi-
cators of anthocyanin accumulation during maturation, and better than the a*
value and hue angle.
21 Mozetič B, Simčič M and Trebše P. Anthocyanins and hydroxycin-
namic acids of Lambert Compact cherries (Prunus avium L.) after cold
storage and 1-methylcyclopropene treatment. Food Chemistry
2006:97:302–309.
*The authors report that the changes in levels of total and individual antho-
cyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids have no influence on colour behaviour
of cherries postharvest. They conclude that other physiological changes
during the senescence of cherries, such as pH or SSC change, must be major
factors affecting the postharvest colour change of cherries.
22 Usenik V, Štampar F, Sturm K and Fajt N. Rootstocks affect leaf min-
eral composition and fruit quality of ‘Lapins’ sweet cherry. Acta Hor-
ticulturae 2005: 667:247–252.
*The effects of different rootstocks on sweet cherry leaf mineral composition
(N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo and Zn) in ‘Lapins’ are discussed.
The highest influence of rootstock is observed with respect to P, K, Mg and
Fe. Rootstock also influences ‘Lapins’ yield, fruit weight and the concentra-
tions of individual sugars.
23 Crisosto CH, Crisosto GM and Ritenour MA. Testing the reliability of
skin color as an indicator of quality for early season “Brooks” (Prunus
avium L.) cherry. Postharvest Biology and Technology 2002: 24:147–
154.
**The authors report on an investigation of the relationship between
‘Brooks’ cherry skin colour at harvest and consumer acceptance using fruit
grown in different geographic locations. They indicate that SSC increases,
but TA levels do not decrease as cherries mature from the full light red to
full dark red skin colour. The perception of sweetness, sourness and cherry
flavour intensity is highly related to skin colour, SSC and SSC/TA ratio at
harvest. The authors mention that gender and ethnicity do not affect Ameri-
can consumer acceptance of ‘Brooks’ cherries.
24 Crisosto CH, Garner D, Doyle J and Day KR. Relationship between
fruit respiration, bruising susceptibility, and temperature in sweet cher-
ries. HortScience 1993: 28 (2):132–135.
*Respiration rate and bruising incidence are assessed in four cherry culti-
vars. The authors report ‘Bing’ being the least susceptible to bruising and
having the lowest respiration rate at different temperatures, and that in all
cultivars respiration rate increases with temperature. They conclude that
during packing cherries should be handled at temperatures between 10 and
20C° to minimise bruising damage.
25 Mitcham EJ, Clayton M and Biasi WV. Comparison of devices for
measuring cherry fruit firmness. HortScience 1998: 33(4):723–727.
*The performance of three relatively new non-destructive cherry firmness
devices and a penetrometer are evaluated and compared with the firmness
testing performance of an Instron Universal Testing Machine. Results con-
firm the relative variability of the non-destructive devices, and estimated
measurement reliability of the penetrometer.
26 Toivonen P, Kappel F, Stan S and Mckenzie DL. Firmness, respiration,
and weight loss of ‘Bing’ and ‘Sweetheart’ cherries in relation to fruit
maturity and susceptibility to surface pitting. HortScience 2004: 39
(5):1066–1069.
*In this paper the authors introduce a method that uses a specially designed
tool to apply a uniform bruising force to assess the relative susceptibility to
fruit surface pitting in sweet cherry. Assessment of pitting with a visual scale
after 2 weeks of storage at 1°C is found to be in close agreement with meas-
urements of pit diameter. The model to best describe pitting is found to
include firmness, respiration and weight loss.
27 Neven L and Drake S. Comparison of alternative postharvest quaran-
tine treatments for sweet cherries. Postharvest Biology and Technology
2000: 20:107–114.
*The effects of controlled atmosphere heat treatments and irradiation on
quality of ‘Bing’ and ‘Rainier’ sweet cherries are compared to fumigation
with methyl bromide. Irradiated cherries have overall better quality than
methyl bromide-treated cherries.
28 Omeg M and Omeg L. Physiological principles for growing premium
fruit. In: Producing Premium cherries. First Edition. Edited by Whiting
M. Washington: Good fruit growers; 2005: pp.145–148.
*In this publication, a discussion is presented about the convenience of
growing more tons of smaller fruit or fewer tons of larger fruit. For this
analysis, the authors use a blend of Free On Board prices from four Wash-
ington Packinghouses for an averaged return for each row size. Then, they
calculate future prices when significantly larger crops occur.
29 Wang SY. Effect of pre-harvest conditions on antioxidant capacity in
fruits. Acta Horticulturae 2006: 712:299–306
*This paper deals with the preharvest factors that may affect the content and
stability of phytochemicals with nutritional value.
30 Chaovanalikit A and Wrolstad RE. Total anthocyanins and total pheno-
lics of fresh and processed cherries and their antioxidant properties.
Journal of Food Science 2004: 69(1):67–72.
**The authors present determinations of total anthocyanins, total phenolics,
and the antioxidant activities of a sour cherry cultivar and three sweet cherry
cultivars were. They indicate that total phenolics and antocyanins for all
cultivars are concentrated in the skin.
31 Tudela JA, Luchsinger L, Artés-Hdez F and Artés F. ‘Ambrunés’ sweet
cheery quality factors change during ripening. Acta Horticulturae 2005:
667:529–534
*In this paper, quality parameters for ‘Ambrunés’ sweet cherry are charac-
terised during ripening. The authors show that with advancing maturity,
SSC, TA, SSC:TA ratio, fruit weight, fruit diameter and flesh:stone ratio
increase, while flesh firmness decreases.
32 Alique R, Zamorano J, Martinez M and Alonso J. Effect of heat and
cold treatments on respiratory metabolism and shelf-life of sweet
cherry, type picota cv. “Ambrunés”. Postharvest Biology and Technol-
ogy 2005: 35:153–165.
*This paper discusses the postharvest characteristics of the stem-less cultivar
‘Ambrunés’, concluding that it is potentially suitable for mechanical process-
ing due to its particular morphology, great firmness and the fact that it is
harvested without stem.
33 Kays SJ. Preharvest factors affecting appearance. Postharvest Biology
and Technology 1999: 15:233–247.
*The author reviews the different aspects to be considered to reduce losses,
indicating that a wide range of preharvest factors can modulate the appear-
ance of the harvested product. It is concluded that although it is not possible
to eliminate all preharvest losses due to appearance defects, the extent of
these losses can be reduced through a better understanding of the nature of
the problem and by being cognizant of potential solutions.
34 Lyngstad L and Sekse L. Economic aspects of developing a high qual-
ity sweet cherry product in Norway. Acta Horticulturae 1995:
379:313–320.
*The authors compare traditional harvest using sorting and packing in sales
boxes at the farm, with the new methods of cooling, sorting and packing
7
Romano et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2006, 6:2
(rapid cooling, twice a day transport from the farms to the pack-house and
storage with cold air and high humidity). They report that the new harvest
methods raise the capacity by an average of 48%. The new cooling, sorting
and packing system give higher production costs, but calculations show that
saved harvest costs compensate this. Sales registrations and interviews of
customers and sales staff indicate preferences to sweet cherries sold by
weight in 5 kg packages.
35 Wermund U and Fearne A. Key challenges facing the cherry supply
chain in the UK. Acta Horticulturae 2000: 536:613–624.
*The authors report that the fruit sector in the UK is struggling to maintain
its competitive position. Qualitative research used to identify the key chal-
lenges facing the cherry supply chain in the UK suggests that consumers are
prepared to pay a price premium for home grown cherries, offering real
opportunities for UK stone fruit growers.
36 Miller DC, Casavant KL and Buteau RJ. An analysis of Japanese con-
sumer preferences for Pacific Northwest and Japanese sweet cherries.
Research Bulletin XB Washington State University, Agricultural Re-
search Center; 1986: pp. 1–15.
*In this report, the authors analyse the Japanese market for fresh sweet cher-
ries. They conclude that in Japan, cherry colour is the most important pa-
rameter for consumer acceptability.
37 Cliff MA, Dever MC, Hall JW and Girard B. Development and evalua-
tion of multiple regression models for prediction of sweet cherry liking.
Food Research International 1996: 28(6):583–589.
**In two experiments, multiple regression models are developed and evalu-
ated to identify the relevant sensory attributes for cherry liking. Stepwise
multiple regression is used to develop the most appropriate statistical models
for prediction of visual and flavour/texture liking based on visual and fla-
vour/texture characteristics, respectively. Both models are simple and easily
understandable with two sensory variables.
38 Crisosto CH, Johnson S and DeJong T. Orchard factors affecting post-
harvest stone fruit quality. HortScience 1997: 32 (5):820–823.
*This article reviews the influences of orchard factors, such as mineral nutri-
tion, irrigation, crop load and fruit canopy position on fruit quality, market
life potential and internal breakdown.
39 Kappel F, Fisher-Fleming B and Hogue E. Fruit characteristics and
sensory attributes of an ideal sweet cherry. HortScience 1996: 31
(3):443–446.
**In this article, the relationship between the objective assessment of ana-
lytical measures of sweet cherry fruit quality and the corresponding sensory
panel rating is studied. The authors report that the optimum fruit diameter is
between 29 and 30 mm. Two separate panels conducted with overlapping
samples and panellists show similar results for optimum fruit size. The opti-
mum colour is represented by the number 6 colour chip of the prototype of
the CTIFL scale. Fruit firmness between 70 and 75 using a Shore Instrument
durometer is considered optimum. Minimum SSC for sweet cherries is found
to be between 17 and 19%, with an optimum pH of the juice of 3.8. The
optimum sweet-sour balance is between 1.5 and 2 (SSC/ml NaOH).
40 Dolenc K and Štampar F. Determining the quality of different cherry
cultivars using the HPLC method. Acta Horticulturae 1998: 468:705–
712.
*The authors assume that SSC and fruit colour are the best indicators of
sweet cherry quality. They present determination of sugars, sugar alcohol
sorbitol and non-volatile acid content for 18 cherry cultivars on different
rootstocks.
41 Whiting MD and Lang GA. ‘Bing’ sweet cherry on the dwarfing root-
stock ‘Gisela 5’: Thinning affects fruit quality and vegetative growth
but not net CO2 exchange. Journal of the American Society for Horti-
cultural Science 2004: 129:407–415.
*The authors report on the effect of fruit to leaf area ratio (F:LA) on yield,
fruit quality, vegetative growth and whole canopy net CO2 exchange rate
(NCER). They indicate that F:LA influence yield, fruit quality (fruit weight
and fruit diameter, firmness and SSC) and vegetative growth (final shoot
length, LA/spur and trunk expansion), but no NCER. They estimate that the
LA on a typical spur is only sufficient to support the full growth potential of
a single fruit.
42 Roper TR, Loescher WH, Keller J and Rom CR. Sources of photosyn-
thate for fruit growth in Bing sweet cherry. Journal of the American
Society for Horticultural Science 1987: 112(5): 808–812.
*In this research, the authors present source-sink relationships in sweet
cherry that were altered by girdling limbs above and below fruiting spurs.
Spurs isolated by girdling both above and below show lower mean fruit
weight than those above or bellow girdles. Soluble solids and fruit colour are
lower in fruits from isolated spurs than fruit from spurs either above or be-
low girdles. The results indicate that spur leaves alone do not have the capac-
ity to support fruit growth in sweet cherry and must be supplemented by
photosynthates from other sources.
43 Flore JA and Layne DR. Photoassimilate production and distribution in
cherry. HortScience 1999: 34(6):1015–1019.
*In this paper, the authors review carbohydrate supply and partitioning,
indicating the effect of environmental factors on those processes. They high-
light that the interrelationship between the various sinks at different times
during the season is especially important if abiotic or biotic stresses occur.
They conclude that it is only with this understanding that a researcher or
producer can make intelligent decisions to optimise economic yield over a
sustained period.
44 Proebsting EL. The interaction between fruit size and yield in sweet
cherry. Fruit Varieties Journal 1990: 44:169–172.
*In this paper, the author reports the trade-off between yield and fruit size
when leaf area per tree is constant.
45 Eccher T and Granelli G. Fruit quality and yield of different apple
cultivars as affected by tree density. Acta Horticulturae 2006: 712:535–
540.
*This paper discusses the effect of tree density on yield and quality of apple,
concluding that as tree density increases yield tends to increase and fruit
quality to decrease.
46 Cavallo P, Poni S and Rotunda A. Ecophysiolgy and vine performance
of cv. ‘Aglianico’ under various training systems. Scientia Horticul-
turae 2001: 87(1–2):21–32.
*In this article, ecophysiological characteristics and yield-quality perform-
ance of cv. Aglianico (Vitis vinifera L.) grapevines trained to three different
trellis systems are evaluated. Despite very comparable crop levels among
trellises, quality decreases considerably in the bilateral free cordon (BFC)
vines with respect to the systems with upright shoot growth. BFC vines show
lower sugar concentration, anthocyanins and phenols, and higher pH and K
[+] according to a pattern frequently associated with excessive within-
canopy shading.
47 Proietti P, Palliotti A, Famiani F, Antognozzi E, Ferranti F, Andreutti
R and Frenguelli G. Influence of leaf position, fruit and light availabil-
ity on photosynthesis of two chestnut genotypes. Scientia Horticulturae
2000: 85(1):63–73.
*In this research, the effects of canopy leaf position, light availability and the
presence of fruit on leaf net photosynthesis rate are evaluated in chestnut.
The authors conclude that in order to increase the efficiency of the tree, it is
important to ensure optimal conditions for whole canopy (light interception,
water and nutrient availability, leaf integrity, etc).
48 Simčič M, Zavrtanik M and Hribar J. Biochemical and morphological
changes in cherries during maturation and ripening. Acta Horticulturae
1998: 468:725–730.
**The authors report decrease of flesh firmness and total acids during ripen-
ing and an increment of fruit weight, soluble solids content and individual
sugars content. They conclude that skin colour measurements can provide a
simple non-destructive method for the determination of optimal harvest date
of cherries.
49 Patten KD, Patterson ME and Proebsting L. Factors accounting for the
within tree variation of fruit quality in sweet cherries. Journal of the
American Society for Horticultural Science 1986: 111:356–360.
*In this paper, the authors report that fruit colour, size and soluble solids
levels decrease with delay in flower anthesis and fruit location, progressing
from the top to the base of the plant. This finding helps to explain some of
the variability in fruit quality that is found on a tree. They also indicate that
increasing leaf area per fruit improves fruit size, affects fruit colour and
8
Romano et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2006, 6:2
increases SSC.
50 Keller JD and Loescher WH. Non-structural carbohydrate partitioning
in perennial parts of sweet cherry. Journal of the American Society for
Horticultural Science 1989: 114(6):969–975.
*The authors present results of research on carbohydrate partitioning in
perennial parts of sweet cherry. They highlight the importance of reserves
for growth early in the season and the high demand of fruits during the last
part of development.
51 Young C and Kupferman E. Field hydrocooling cherry temperature
management. Tree Fruit Postharvest Journal 1994: 5(1):20–21
*The authors remark that temperature and respiration rate of the fruit are
directly related to each other, and that the storage life of cherries diminishes
as the respiration rate increases. They indicate that field heat should be re-
moved from cherries by a hydrocooler at the warehouse or in the field and
conclude that if travel time to the warehouse is an hour or more, the cherries
should be hydrocooled at the farm.
52 Bernalte MJ, Hernandez MT, Vidal-Aragon MC and Sabio E. Physical,
chemical, flavor and sensory characteristics of two sweet cherry varie-
ties grown in “Valle del Jerte” Spain. Journal of Food Quality 1999: 22
(4):403–416.
*In this paper, physical, chemical and sensory characteristics of two cultivars
are investigated, and related to customer acceptance.
53 Tijskens LMM and Polderdijk JJ. A generic model for keeping quality
of vegetable produce during storage and distribution. Agricultural
Systems 1996: 51(4):431–452.
**The authors present a generic model on the keeping quality of perishable
produce, based on the kinetics of the decrease of individual quality attrib-
utes. According to their results, keeping quality of perishable produce is
inversely proportional to the sum of the rates of the separate reactions lead-
ing to quality decrease, irrespective of the kinetics of the decrease.
54 Tijskens LMM, van Kooten O and Schouten RE. Modelling for global-
isation. Acta Horticulturae 2006: 712:51–58.
*In this paper, the authors introduce the benefits and drawbacks of globalisa-
tion in food supply chains, and emphasise the importance of a process-
oriented modelling approach for predicting the future behaviour of food
products.
© 2006 Published by Stewart Postharvest Solutions (UK) Ltd. All rights
reserved.
www.stewartpostharvest.com