Fresh Cucumber Fruit Physicochemical Properties, Consumer Acceptance, and Impact of Variety and Harvest Date

Cucumber is an economically important vegetable crop worldwide, but limited work has been done on consumer acceptance of freshly consumed cucumbers and associated physicochemical characteristics. This study aimed to investigate consumer acceptability of eight cucumber varieties representing different market groups, the correlation between their sensory quality and physiochemical properties (firmness, °Brix, pH, and TA), and the impact of variety and harvest date. Consumer ( n = 206) test results indicated that the overall acceptance was correlated positively to the acceptability of overall texture, taste, and aroma (specifically juiciness intensity and fresh, green aroma), but negatively to sourness taste, bitterness taste, astringency, and off-flavors. Fruit firmness (placenta, flesh, peel/flesh border, and peel) from instrumental analyses were correlated positively to sensory crispiness and negatively to juiciness texture. °Brix, pH, and TA (titratable acidity) measurements did not correlate to cucumber sweetness and sourness tastes. Three most acceptable varieties were attributed to their freshness, aroma, and juiciness texture, while two least acceptable ones were due to their bitterness, astringency, and off-notes. Significant differences ( p ≤ 0.05) in both consumer acceptance and physicochemical parameters from fruits harvested at different dates were identified. The findings provide new insights into consumer attitude and potential impactful factors, facilitating cucumber breeding for fruit quality improvement.