Red-fleshed apple varieties are strong in health-giving properties but consumer education is required to break down their negative image, researchers have said.
Walter Guerra of the Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture & Forestry was speaking at the Interpoma apple industry trade show in Italy last week.
He told delegates the fruit has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties and could have great market potential.
However, Markus Bradlwarter, from the Alto Adige Variety Innovation Consortium, has been researching consumer acceptance of red-fleshed apples and found attitudes are ambivalent; while consumers show an interest in the new fruit and appreciate its quality they suspect that it is genetically modified.
“It will therefore be necessary to carry out a suitable communication campaign to explain the qualities and health benefits of red fleshed apples in order for them to be successful,” said Bradlwarter.
