Improving the Quality of Apples: 142 (Burleigh Dodds Agricultural Science)

“The book is a ‘must have’, for it considers many complex and intertwined aspects from the consumer to genetics, to pre- and postharvest management, that impact and determine eating quality. This positions the book well for those young researchers starting a career on these topics.” (Book Review Published in Chronica Horticulturae – Professor Luca Corelli Grappadelli, University of Bologna, Italy and Chair ISHS Division Temperate Tree Fruits) Apples are one of the most highly consumed fruits globally, with estimations that almost 88 million tonnes of apples are produced worldwide each year. As a result of this popularity, consumers have extremely high expectations of the sensory quality of the apples they consume. Improving the quality of apples provides a comprehensive review of the wealth of research on the processes which determine the key quality attributes of apples, including texture and nutritional content. The book addresses how these properties can be enhanced during the pre- and postharvest stages to ensure product quality and customer satisfaction, as well as the role of breeding programmes in identifying genes directly related to sensory quality characteristics. In its detailed exploration of the key quality attributes of apples, the book provides its readers with an insight into the science behind producing the ‘perfect’ product and how influential quality attributes are on consumer purchasing behaviours.