The growing consumer demand for edamame (vegetable soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in the U.S. has led to current research efforts to increase the production of this nutritious vegetable in the country. This specialty crop has been suggested as an economically attractive alternative to tobacco production, which has decreased in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast areas. Thus, breeding programs led by Virginia Tech and University of Arkansas have been working on the development of edamame cultivars that meet both agronomical and consumer expectations for production and sales in the U.S. In two consecutive years, selected genotypes were tested in the field and by consumers, in order to identify breeding lines that could potentially be released and succeed in the U.S. market. Twenty genotypes were grown in Virginia and Arkansas in 2018 and, among them, ten were selected to be grown in Virginia, Missouri and Mississippi in 2019. Then, sensory evaluation and consumer studies (surveys) were conducted to identify desired/valuable characteristics of edamame and support breeding selection criteria. Participants of the sensory panels were adult volunteers not allergic to soy. Both years, overall acceptability was significantly different among edamame genotypes (p < 0.05) and higher scores were positively associated with 'salty' and 'sweet', but negatively associated with 'bitter', 'sour', 'sulfury/rotten egg' flavor attributes. The a* color coordinate (CIELAB) and green intensity index were significant predictors of appearance liking (p < 0.05) and consumers were willing to pay more for dark green than light green edamame beans. The outcomes of our web-based survey suggested consumers have a positive attitude towards domestically produced edamame and have a higher intention to buy fresh products and edamame in the pods. Additionally, price, availability, and familiarity with the vegetable brand, respectively, seemed to be the most important factors consumers consider in their decision-making process to purchase edamame. These important findings will continue to provide guidance for further research on edamame and can be used to prepare key messages to stakeholders at all stages of the agriculture and food (edamame) systems for the purpose of promoting a sustainable domestic production of this specialty crop in the U.S. / Doctor of Philosophy / The agriculture and food systems have been challenged to develop more nutritious foods and adopt more sustainable practices in order to properly feed our growing global population and improve food security. In this context, foods with sensory characteristics (appearance, aroma, taste, texture) that consumers appreciate have higher chances to succeed in the market, which may reduce food waste. Over the years, several fruit and vegetable crops for U.S. production had their nutritional value, overall quality, and/or agronomic characteristics improved through breeding techniques. In the last decade, edamame (vegetable soybean) has gained attention from plant breeders and food producers due to its increasing consumption and sales in the country. Edamame is a protein-rich legume traditionally consumed in Asia; it has been suggested as a high-value crop for production in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast areas, where tobacco production has decreased significantly. Thus, researchers across the country have been working to develop high-quality edamame seeds that can grow well in the U.S. and can succeed in the domestic market. In 2018, Virginia Tech and University of Arkansas breeding programs selected twenty edamame seeds to be grown in Virginia and Arkansas; then, in 2019, ten of these seeds were grown in Virginia, Missouri, and Mississippi. In sequence, sensory evaluation and consumer studies were performed to support breeding decisions and identify consumers preferences. Overall, edamame described as 'salty' or 'sweet' was preferred over edamame described as 'bitter' or 'sour' and differences in consumer acceptability helped breeders to identify seeds with higher sensory quality. Greener color of edamame beans was associated with more likeable appearance and consumers showed willingness to pay higher price for darker green edamame beans. Our study suggested consumers have a preference for fresh products, for edamame in the pods, and tend to value domestically grown edamame over imported products. Price, availability, and familiarity with the vegetable brand were suggested as the major factors that consumers ponder when purchasing edamame. Our findings will support future research on edamame and can be used to prepare key messages for the purpose of promoting a sustainable production of this nutritious vegetable in the U.S.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/112647 |
| Date | 24 May 2021 |
| Creators | Vieira Carneiro, Renata Caroline |
| Contributors | Food Science and Technology, Duncan, Susan E., O'Keefe, Sean F., Huang, Haibo, Yin, Yun, Drape, Tiffany A., Dietrich, Andrea M. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf, application/pdf |
| Coverage | United States |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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