Improving the quality of apples

Contributions by Dr Masoumeh Bejaei, Dr Jennifer Arthur, Dr Margaret A. Cliff, Dr Hilde Nybom, Dr Gabriela Ploscutanu, Dr Matteo Scampicchio, Dr Soon Li Teh, Dr Sarah Kostick, Prof Kate Evans, Dr Luigi Manfrini, Dr Alessandro Bonora, Prof John Cline, Prof Zora Singh, Dr Vijay Yadav Tokala, Dr Mahmood Ul Hasan, Dr Andrew Woodward Edited by Professor Fabrizio Costa

Publication date:

30 January 2024

Length of book:

256 pages

Publisher

Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing

Dimensions:

229x152mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781801463218

“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.

Part 1 Quality attributes

1.Consumer perception of apple quality: Masoumeh Bejaei and Jennifer Arthur, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canada; and Margaret A. Cliff, The University of British Columbia, Canada;
2.Advances in understanding texture development in apples: Hilde Nybom, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden;
3.Advances in understanding the nutritional and nutraceutical properties of apples: Gabriela Ploscuțanu, “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galați, Romania;
4.Advances in understanding the development of antioxidant nutraceutical compounds in apples: Matteo Scampicchio, Free University of Bolzano, Italy;

Part 2 Breeding and crop management to optimise quality

5.Breeding for fruit quality improvement in apple: Soon Li Teh, Washington State University, USA; Sarah Kostick, University of Minnesota, USA; and Kate Evans, Washington State University, USA;
6.Advances in understanding pre-harvest apple fruit development: Luigi Manfrini and Alessandro Bonora, Bologna University, Italy;
7.Advances in pre-harvest management of apple quality: J. A. Cline, University of Guelph, Canada;
8.Postharvest management of apple quality: Zora Singh, Edith Cowan University, Australia; Vijay Yadav Tokala, The Postharvest Education Foundation, USA; and Mahmood Ul Hasan and Andrew Woodward, Edith Cowan University, Australia;

“Several books on different aspects of apple cultivation, including optimising quality attributes of the fruit, already exist. However, this new book edited by Professor Fabrizio Costa goes further than simply describing the quality attributes of apples. The contributing authors instead explore the practical results of the implementation of particular breeding and crop management practices to optimise fruit quality during the pre- and postharvest stages of production. Edited by an internationally-renowned expert on apple growth and ripening, I’m sure this book will be hugely successful.” (Emeritus Professor Silviero Sansavini, University of Bologna, Italy)

“Apples are one of the most important fruit crops worldwide, with tremendous advancements in breeding and storage protocols a contributing factor to their year-round availability. Improving the quality of apples has been edited by a leading authority in this subject area and provides the reader with up-to-date information on key quality attributes of apples, as well as the impact of preharvest and postharvest factors on qualitative and nutritional properties of apples.” (Professor George Manganaris, Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus)