Comparative Analysis of Organoleptic Preference and External Attractiveness of 'Encore' and 'Nadorcott' Mandarin Cultivars.

The 'Encore' mandarin tree, cultivated in Portugal for long time, valued for its flavour and later ripening period, faces challenges due to a rind-stain disorder affecting its external appearance. Despite its favourable attributes, the emergence of new cultivars such as 'Nadorcott', free from external appearance problems and with overlapping ripening periods, resulted in the marginalization of 'Encore' in the market. Major retailers, by prioritizing consumer preference for appearance, have contributed to the decline in 'Encore' cultivation. Despite this, the 'Encore' mandarin is still preferred by long-standing consumers who remember its greater availability in previous decades and value its characteristic taste. Currently, its distribution is mainly restricted to local markets and small-scale fruit retailers. To gauge consumer preference, we conducted a tasting and questionnaire survey with 131 randomly chosen participants, comparing 'Encore' and 'Nadorcott'. The findings revealed a clear consumer preference for the external appearance of 'Nadorcott', leading to a preference for purchasing it based on this criterion alone. Conversely, when evaluating internal fruit quality, consumers distinctly favoured 'Encore' for its aroma, sweetness, acidity and overall taste. They expressed a preference for purchasing it based solely on internal quality. However, when participants learnt that less visually appealing fruits were equivalent to the more desirable ones internally, their purchase intentions became indifferent towards both cultivars, with no significant difference observed. This highlights the complex interplay between perceptions of external appearance and internal organoleptic quality among consumers, challenging the assumption that appearance alone dictates purchasing decisions.