Pawpaw ice cream 98 55.1 28.6 13.3 3.1 --- --- ---

Pawpaw cake with lemon icing 95 45.3 28.4 20.0 4.2 2.1 --- ---

Pawpaw custard from ripe fruit 95 42.1 33.7 13.7 6.3 2.1 --- 2.1

Grape/pawpaw juice 103 31.1 33.0 20.4 10.7 3.9 --- 1.0

Plain pawpaw butter 97 25.8 39.2 24.7 8.2 2.1 --- ---

Pawpaw custard from mixed ripeness fruit 93 16.1 43.0 26.9 5.4 6.5 --- 2.2

Pawpaw butter with lemon and grape juice 100 11.0 36.0 37.0 10.0 4.0 1.0 1.0

Pawpaw butter with orange and lemon 97 8.2 25.8 30.9 18.6 9.3 6.2 1.0

Item Responses (%)

Ny Liked it extremely Neither liked nor disliked Disliked it extremely

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

All participants Age (years) Tasted pawpaw before

≤40 n = 22 ≥41 n = 71 Yes n = 69 No n = 27

Pawpaw ice cream 1.65 ± 0.82 1.30 ± 0.57 1.72 ± 0.84* 1.66 ± 0.80 1.50 ± 0.63

Pawpaw cake with lemon icing 1.91 ± 1.02 1.86 ± 1.28 1.94 ± 0.93 1.79 ± 0.85 2.24 ± 1.29

Pawpaw custard from ripe fruit 1.94 ± 1.19 2.38 ± 1.77 1.75 ± 0.89* 1.80 ± 0.92 2.50 ± 1.66*

Plain pawpaw butter 2.18 ± 0.99 2.19 ± 1.21 2.20 ± 0.93 2.24 ± 1.05 2.16 ± 0.89

Grape/pawpaw juice 2.28 ± 1.25 2.77 ± 1.60 2.13 ± 1.11* 2.22 ± 1.17 2.41 ± 1.41

Pawpaw custard from mixed ripeness fruit 2.47 ± 1.22 3.15 ± 1.73 2.27 ± 0.97** 2.33 ± 1.04 3.09 ± 1.65*

Pawpaw butter with lemon and grape juice 2.70 ± 1.11 3.05 ± 1.53 2.57 ± 0.90 2.74 ± 1.23 2.64 ± 0.74

Pawpaw butter with orange and lemon 3.19 ± 1.35 3.34 ± 1.52 3.14 ± 1.25 3.22 ± 1.28 3.32 ± 1.57

Ratingz

followed by pawpaw butter prepared with lemon and grape juice; the version prepared with orange and lemon was least liked. Table 2 presents rating scores for each item (mean ± SD) for all participants, by two age classifications, and by previous consumption of paw-paw products. Comparisons of mean ratings by gender showed no significant differences, and are not reported here. Pawpaw ice cream received slightly but significantly greater acceptance by participants age 40 years or younger, while both pawpaw custards and the grape/pawpaw juice drink were significantly more accepted by participants over 40 years. Both pawpaw custards received significantly less acceptance from those who had not eaten pawpaw previously. While it might be expected that a relationship existed between age and previous pawpaw consumption, analysis of the response data showed no significant interaction. The mean age of those who had tasted pawpaw previously was 49 years; for those who had not tasted pawpaw before the mean age was 48 years. Seventy-three percent of participants age 40 years or younger had tasted pawpaws previously and 73% of participants over 40 years had previously tasted pawpaws.

had tasted pawpaws previously and 73% of participants over 40 years had previously tasted pawpaws.

Familiarity often influences children’s food preferences, and nutritional beliefs and health attitudes can impact food choices made by adults. Regardless of age, however, taste is the primary influence on food choices made by consumers (Drewnowski, 1997). Overall, these tasters reported favorable response to the pawpaw products tested. Their acceptance of these processed fruit products indicates a broader outlet exists for pawpaw beyond fresh fruit and the local market.

While it might be suspected that individuals attending a pawpaw field day were pre-disposed to give favorable evaluations on pawpaw products, our analysis of responses found previous consumption of pawpaw actually had limited impact on the ratings given to most products. Only for the two pawpaw custards did tasters who had not previously consumed pawpaws give significantly lower ratings. Because the custard had a strong pawpaw flavor, these lower ratings suggest that unfamiliarity negatively affected acceptance. Tasters may also have found the over-ripe fruit flavor unappealing. One approach to determining this influence would be to hold repeat tastings to learn if rating scores improve with exposure. A second limitation of this study was the lack of diversity among tasters. Additional taste tests should be conducted with target audiences to determine how ethnicity and age influence acceptance. Data was not collected on the ethnic background of participants; however, the attendees were predominately Caucasian. These findings suggested that age influenced acceptance, however, the subjects were primarily adults. As the field day was held on a weekday during the school year, only two children were in attendance. When evaluating acceptance of food items, participants are usually asked to rate items on several organoleptic traits: appearance, texture, flavor, etc. (Beany and Stoffella, 1998; Pelletier, 2000). Because of the limited time allowed

significantly lower ratings. Because the custard had a strong pawpaw flavor, these lower ratings suggest that unfamiliarity negatively affected acceptance. Tasters may also have found the over-ripe fruit flavor unappealing. One approach to determining this influence would be to hold repeat tastings to learn if rating scores improve with exposure. A second limitation of this study was the lack of diversity among tasters. Additional taste tests should be conducted with target audiences to determine how ethnicity and age influence acceptance. Data was not collected on the ethnic background of participants; however, the attendees were predominantly Caucasian. These findings suggested that age influenced acceptance, however, the subjects were primarily adults. As the field day was held on a weekday during the school year, only two children were in attendance. When evaluating acceptance of food items, participants are usually asked to rate items on several organoleptic traits: appearance, texture, flavor, etc. (Beany and Stoffella, 1998; Pelletier, 2000). Because of the limited time allowed