Sensory Evaluation of “GoldenRouge”: A Selection of Kiwifruit for Tropical Highlands

Most of the kiwifruit available in the Mexican market is imported due to limited local production. However, some varieties, such as “GoldenRouge,” developed in Mexico, are cultivated in the tropical highlands of Veracruz. Nevertheless, the sensory quality of these locally produced fruits compared to imported kiwifruit remains unknown. The objective was to compare the sensory quality of the Mexican “GoldenRouge” kiwifruit with that of the imported “SunGold” kiwifruit from New Zealand. The sensory evaluation was conducted in September 2023 at the Department of Phytotechnology of the Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Mexico. The attributes of acidity, sweetness, residual taste, stickiness, astringency, freshness, texture, and pulp homogeneity were assessed through global acceptability tests and principal component analysis (PCA). The “SunGold” variety demonstrated higher overall acceptability and excelled in terms of freshness, residual taste, texture, and pulp homogeneity. PCA revealed that texture and pulp homogeneity, along with freshness and sweetness, were key factors influencing consumer preference. The results suggest that improvements in the agronomic management of “GoldenRouge,” particularly about fruit dry weight, could enhance its sensory quality and strengthen its competitiveness in the domestic market.