Quality research of vegetables, fruit, flowers and plants

What makes your product irresistible? We examine the taste, appearance, shelf life and other characteristics of vegetables, fruit, flowers and plants. Combining consumer panels, sensory experts and laboratory analyses, we provide clear insights into the strengths of your product.

Our consumer panel of 250 participants evaluates taste and appearance – if desired, in a simulated retail environment. For in-depth flavour profiling, trained panels identify which taste attributes truly make a difference.

In our laboratory, we measure sugar, acidity, texture and nutritional compounds such as vitamin C and antioxidants. Using our flavour models, we can rapidly and reliably screen large numbers of fruits and varieties. We also perform shelf-life testing in climate-controlled chambers, assessing firmness, colour and quality under realistic storage conditions.

This gives you practical tools to improve your products, strengthen their market position and enhance commercial success. 

What makes us unique?

• Unique combination of objective measurements and consumer-focused research
• Extensive experience with fresh produce across the entire chain
• High-tech measurement setups and tailor-made climate rooms
• Independent, science-based advice
• Conducted by WUR – a leading authority in agri-food quality

Our flavour experts have developed models that quickly and reliably screen fruits for taste. Models are already available for tomato, strawberry, pepper and melon, with a predictive accuracy of 86%. These models provide large-scale insights into varietal differences, seasonal effects and breeding results. Panels remain essential, but flavour models accelerate research and strengthen product development.

The Tomato Flavour Model, in use since 2001 and regularly validated, has become the industry standard for communicating tomato flavour levels. Try the Tomato Flavour Tool by moving the sliders on the bars.