Descriptive Analysis and Consumer Acceptability of Locally and Commercially Grown Spinach

The consumer demand for locally grown fresh produce is continuously increasing in the United States. The high tunnel systems have been successfully utilized by small acreage growers for local production. Consumers are typically assessing appearance, freshness, flavor and aroma when purchasing produce. A common perception is that locally grown produce tastes better than nonlocal. However, there is not much evidence for supporting this claim. The objective of this study was to identify consumer acceptability and the sensory characteristics/differences of locally grown spinach in open field or in high tunnel and nonlocal commercially grown spinach. Spinach, Spinacia oleracea cv. "Corvair" was grown in open field and in high tunnel at Kansas State Univ. Olathe Horticulture Research and Extension Center (OHREC) in spring 2017 and the commercially grown spinach was purchased at a local retail store. A consumer study (n = 205) was conducted at Kansas State Univ., Olathe campus, and a descriptive sensory analysis was conducted by a highly trained descriptive analysis panel in the Center for Sensory Analysis and Consumer Behavior at Kansas State Univ., Manhattan campus, in spring 2017. The consumer test showed that high tunnel spinach scored significantly higher in overall liking (P < 0.0001), flavor liking (P < 0.0001), and texture liking (P < 0.05) when compared to open field and store purchased spinach. Descriptive analysis showed that locally grown spinach had higher intensity of attributes that indicate premium quality, such as green color and green/spinach flavors. Our results indicate that locally grown spinach was preferred from the consumers for its high organoleptic quality. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Locally grown spinach demonstrated high intensity in a set of sensory attributes that suggest a product with premium organoleptic quality. Correspondingly to these results, consumers liked spinach produced locally in high tunnels the most. The results of this study can be used for developing marketing strategies that are aiming specifically to the consumer niche that is seeking fresh produce of high organoleptic quality.