The Heirloom Tomato is 'In'. Does It Matter How It Tastes?

摘要

A resurgence of interest in more traditional, authentic and distinctive foods is reflected in the popularity of farmers' markets, with the premise that locally grown produce is superior in flavor and other sensory and culturally valued characteristics to similar fare from the global marketplace. In this arena, heirloom tomatoes (heirlooms) are increasingly popular with their diverse appearances and tastes. But heirlooms are also idiosyncratic, with splits, cracks, irregular shapes and sizes, and uneven flavors and textures that create production obstacles for growers and selection challenges for shoppers. Through online surveys and telephone and in-person interviews with Massachusetts farmers' market consumers and vendors, we explored the relative importance of organoleptic properties, particularly flavors and mouthfeel, that influence consumer selection and farmers' production priorities for heirlooms. Results, reported as attribute rankings and related preference indicators, suggest that shoppers generally lacked familiarity with the names and flavor profiles of different heirloom varieties. Findings suggest that, despite premium product prices and shoppers' declared importance of taste, they were often inclined to overlook flavor and textural qualities in deference to visual appeal and greater varietal selection, and the authors question how much taste really matters to their popularity and to the overall viability of these heirlooms.