Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. §4/DV Le ‘Z- Marketing Research Report No. 578 ehydrofrozen U. S. DEPT. OF acry : IRICU! TURE NATIONAL AGRio*: ne ““RRARY Dp e FEB2 5 1963 CURRENT Stivieu NeGIRDS lices Their Potential in Selected Markets U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Economic Research Service Marketing Economics Division PREFACE This report is designed to provide producers, processors, distributors, and other interested persons with facts concerning the market potential for dehydrofrozen apple slices in institutional outlets. The study is part of a broad program of con- tinuing research aimed at expanding markets for farm products. Determination of the acceptability of products invarious forms--particularly newly developed products-=-= and of ways to reduce marketing costs can provide a guide to industry in the develop- ment of new markets or the expansion of present ones. The Economic Research Service conducted the research, with the assistance of the William E£. McIntosh Company, Geneva, New York, and the Waterman Fruit Products Company, Ontario Center, New York, processors of the test product. Personnel of the Western Utilization Research and Development Division, Agricultural Research Service, Albany, Calif., where the dehydrofrozen apple slices were originally developed, provided technical assistance in the planning and execution of the product tests. The project was under the general supervision of Philip B. Dwoskin of the Market Potentials Branch, Economic Research Service. CONTENTS Page Highlight s e ° e e e e e e e e ° e e ° ° ° 2 ° o ° ° ° 2 ° eo ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° e ° ° ° iii Introduction ° e ° e e e e ° ° ° e e ° ° ° e ° ° e e ° e e e es e e ° e 2 e ° ° e ° ° e 1 SID ICCULY Canale vasa wives abe oer, a Se Se, OMe ee © ae ew Wee ee oe Ge eo Oe 1 Back @round ets cepe aes cer ae) @ ee ee @ Se Oe eee ee Se eS ee we el 1 ene tes Gitiesrand mec nOdOlOpY.: «6: sos 9: 46-6. 6 se) © oe ee « Ps o Om we 3 mResults of the product tests=ephase 1 4.455 « ¥. 6 os 6 eo 8 Oe Oe ee 5 Balter Character istt@s: 5) sss eee 6: s ow ie @ eis lee 6 6 © oe _6 ea. em ee 5 Baker’s knowledge and use of dehydrofrozen apple slices . . «20 2» ee oe. 7 RMesmMitciOl tne peOduch bestsa= phased 5 4.6 ess So oo ee. # Oe a) Hes Re, ee -) Advantages found in the test: product. os) 6 s.% ss sie «6 * 6 8* © @ 6 & 6 *@ 6 9 Disadvantages s0u7id, in the test product, 4. 4-66-06 6:6 6 «+ ¥ 6 8 s,s 6 « oo, 10 Product Characteristics o:ic%, ws) oie O60 © 0% wre Bok we 0 6 oe oe we we LO Suggestions for product:improvements 4.4» « «01s. 4 2 #0 © « @ * o/s ow ae 13 pated 26 Siem. Cokes Scebal.s vedas (6-6 6) o> & 1.6 5 9 6a) ® 2.5 6:6 @ ee oe eo bt SLOrea pe ranean auciO. ess eee, 6 ow is) .e © 6. ¥. BGS Se, Oa oo See. @ ed ele es Price. eo 2 2 6 @ @£# @ © @ 6.60 @ 8.6 © CC @ © @ © @ @ Ge ees @ @ @ .¢ © @ © @ 6 © @ <6 16 Conclusion e e * e e ° ° e e ° ° 2 e es e ° °e ° ° e e ° ° s e ° ° e ° e ° ° ° ° ° ° e ° 20 ~ ili - HIGHLIGHTS A study of bakers’ acceptance of dehydrofrozen apple slices was conducted to determine their adaptability to preparation procedures used in bakeries. These apple slices are prepared by dehydrating fresh apples to about 50 percent of their original weight and then freezing them in the same manner as apple slices that have not been partially dehydrated. Dehydrofrozen apple slices require only about half the space needed for an equivalent amount of regularly frozen slices. These reductions in volume and weight result in substantial savings in freezing, packaging, transportation, storage, and other handling and distribution costs. Product tests in this study were conducted among bakers in three cities: Balti= | more, Md., Philadelphia, Pa., and Washington, D. C., during 1960 and 1961. Each © of 88 cooperating bakers was furnished with a supply of the test product roughly — approximating his average weekly usage of apples. After the bakers had an oppor= | tunity to use the apples, they were interviewed to learn of their experiences in | preparing them for pie baking. : Approximately 9 out of 10 respondents indicated that there were advantages to using dehydrofrozen apple slices. The majority of the advantages cited by the bakers dealt with convenience and quality. In spite of the fact that dehydrofrozen apples © require the additional step of reconstitution, respondents considered convenience to — be the most important advantage. Conversely, cooperators who had difficulty in preparing dehydrofrozen apple i slices cited as many as 4 disadvantages, but the majority mentioned only one--the |. time and labor required to prepare them for pie baking. Most of the bakers commented on differences in the appearance of products | made with dehydrofrozen apples and those made with their usual apple stock. Most of these comments were favorable to the test product. About 4 in 10 bakers considered the test product to be ‘‘excellent’’ and had no | suggestions for improvement. The remainder had suggestions to improve the mar- | ketability of the product. These suggestions included printing the instructions, | variety of apple, size of slice, and other information on the outer surface of the | package shell. Eighty-five percent of the respondents found the 15-pound package of dehydro- | frozen apple slices to be satisfactory in their baking operations. This is because ) the reconstituted amount of 30 pounds equals the amount of regularly frozen apple | slices that they usually purchased in one unit. ( | Conservation of storage space in the freezer was found to be one of the specific | advantages of the test product. Compared with conventionally frozen apples, they | require about 50 percent less freezer space, and, because the median amount of I freezer space available to small and medium-sized bakeries included in the sample | was only 135 cubic feet, this saving is important. The generally favorable reactions of the bakers cooperating in the study, espe-_ cially those using large quantities of apple slices in their baking operations, indicate that the dehydrofrozen product has excellent growth possibilities in this industry. } oe! AE DEHYDROFROZEN APPLE SLICES: THEIR POTENTIAL IN SELECTED MARKETS By Edward J. McGrath and Howard W. Kerr, Jr. agricultural economists Marketing Economics Division Economic Research Service INTRODUCTION Objective The purpose of the study was to obtain information on (1) problems institutional users have in using dehydrofrozen apples, with particular reference to how the product fits into production proceedings; and (2) relationships between the new product and the usual product used. Background Consumption of fresh and processed apples on a fresh equivalent basis declined from 35 pounds per capita in 1935 to about 26 pounds in 1961 (fig. 1). In the past 25 years (1935-59) the consumption of fresh unprocessed apples has declined from 70 to 60 percent of the annual crop, while the consumption of processed apples has increased proportionately. 1/ Similarly, the consumption of other fresh deciduous fruits has declined while consumption of processed forms has increased. Yet, today, only about 35 percent of the apple crop is processed, indicating that apples, as well as other deciduous fruits, have a long way to go before approaching the success achieved by the citrus industry through the innovation of frozen con= centrated citrus juices. In developing new fruit and vegetable products atthe Western Utilization Research and Development Division of the Agricultural Research Service, it has long been recognized by researchers that many dehydrated fruits and vegetables do not recover their fresh texture when reconstituted. With some products, irreversible changes take place when they are air-dried to the low moisture level necessary for preser= vation, On the other hand, developments in dehydration processes have resulted in -many highly acceptable products such as potato and sweetpotato flakes and granules, _tomato and fruit powders and crystals, and dehydrated onions, garlic, and other | seasonings, The suggestion was made that certain fruits and vegetables might be dehydrated /under controlled conditions only to the point where quality is not adversely affected-- thus gaining important weight and volume savings--and then might be preserved by freezing. This combination of processes was called ‘‘dehydrofreezing.’’ 2/ / United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Statistics, 1957 and 1961. 2/ U. S. Patent No. 2,477,605 was issued on August 2, 1949, to Louis B, Howard, William D. Ramage, and Clyde L, Rasmussen, assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture. APPLE CONSUMPTION PER PERSON OY eeeees orate eters aren: Bs O RMA KI KO RR EE baw 1935 1940 1945 1950 1960 CIVILIAN CONSUMPTION, FRESH WEIGHT EQUIVALENT. 1961 PRELIMINARY. % INCLUDES APPLES GROWN ONLY IN COMMERCIAL AREAS. O DRIED, FROZEN, CANNED JUICE. U. S| DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NEG. ERS 1252-62(7) ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE Figure 1 Dehydration to 50 percent of weight does not adversely affect quality of many | fruits and vegetables, Dehydration much past this point often brings about undesirable changes in texture and results in products that do not reconstitute properly. A considerable amount of water is evaporated in dehydrofreezing, but the re- sulting products still have a relatively high moisture content. Fresh apples, for example, contain about 85 to 90 percent water. Because the 50 percent of the fresh weight removed is all water, the dehydrofreezing process removes about 56 to 59 percent of the original water in the apple. The water content is thereby reduced | from about 85 to 90 percent of the fresh weight to about 70 to 80 percent of the | partially dried weight. Ordinary dried apples, on the other hand, contain approxi- mately 15 to 25 percent moisture. Dehydrofrozen fruits and vegetables retain quality comparable to those that are > frozen in the usual way. In addition, partial dehydration imparts certain additional | advantages, Frozen fruits, particularly those frozen with sugar, drip or bleed when thawed. This is avoided or reduced in dehydrofreezing. As an ingredient in manu- _ factured food products, partially dried fruits and vegetables are useful in controlling © moisture content. Fruits and vegetables which can be dehydrofrozen successfully have certain advantages over other processed products; (1) They have less weight and bulk; (2) there is little or no drip upon thawing; (3) they provide better moisture control when they are used in manufacturing food products; and (4) they rehydrate more | easily and completely and have better flavor, texture, and color than dehydrated | products. =-2Le« Many fruits and vegetables can be better preserved by freezing, in most important respects, than by any other known method. Because dehydrofrozen products compare favorable in quality with frozen products, they have the same commercial appeal. Another asset is that they incorporate some of the economic advantages of dehydrated products. A number of fruits and vegetables have been developed into dehydrofrozen products by the Western Utilization Research and Development Division. Among these are peas, carrots, apples, cherries, apricots and pimientos. A product test of dehydrofrozen peas was conducted in 100 Milwaukee, Wis., restaurants in 1956-57. 3/ Results of the study indicated that this product possesses excellent commercial possibilities. Dehydrofrozen peas are now in commercial production, This product has been tested and accepted by the Army and Air Force menu boards and is currently being purchased in large quantities by the U. S. Army Quartermaster Corps. Large quantities are also being used by soup manufacturers. Dehydrofrozen pimientos have been used in the manufacture of processed cheese where moisture control is important. Dehydrofrozen apple slices have been commercially available in limited amounts to the baking industry, and have met with varied success. Because of the success of other dehydrofrozen products, it was felt that a full-scale appraisal of the market possibilities of dehydrofrozen apple slices in an important commercial outlet such as the baking industry would be useful in predicting their commercial growth. To make this appraisal, information was needed on the size of specific potential markets; methods of handling, including pricing policies, transportation, and size of container. Dehydrofrozen apple slices were tested in three Eastern cities to get more informa- tion as to the acceptance of this product. The impact of this new form and method of processing should be of great im- portance to the fruit processing and distributing industries, since widespread com- mercialization could result in substantial savings in containers, shipping, storage, and handling costs. The Test Cities and Methodology The tests were conducted in Baltimore, Md., Philadelphia, Pa., and Washington, D. C. These cities were selected because they have populations large enough to support commercial bakeries of all types, using allforms of apples; and are represen- tative of a wide range of income and nationality groups. Also, a few bakers in these markets were users of dehydrofrozen apple slices. One of the commercial processors of dehydrofrozen apples was currently delivering apple products to each of the cities. Terminal refrigeration facilities were already available in these cities, The study was conducted in two phases, In the first phase bakers in each of the test cities were selected and personal interviews were conducted to determine the bakery’s characteristics. A supply of the test product was provided all participating bakers in the second phase. This was followed by a second personal interview to obtain the baker’s observations and experiences with the product. 3/ McGrath, E. J. and Sills, M. W. Restaurant Acceptance of Dehydrofrozen Peas. U. S. Dept. Agr. Mktg. Res. Rpt. 198. Oct. 1957. ean Phase I During the summer of 1960, all bakeries listed in the telephone directory of each city were telephoned to determine whether or not they prepared their own apple pies. Of the firms contacted, 397 prepared their own apple pies. At random, 208 of these firms were selected to participate in this initial phase of the study. The managers of these firms were interviewed and data were obtained regarding each bakery’s general characteristics. Also, in the second phase of the study the management was asked to test the dehydrofrozen apple product. Of the 208 firms interviewed in Phase I, 165 agreed to cooperate in Phase II of the study. Because the supply of dehydrofrozen apples available for the study was limited to 7,500 pounds, or 15,000 pounds on a reconstituted basis, it was decided that more reliable results could be obtained by having fewer firms use the product over a longer period than to have a larger number prepare the dehydrofrozen apples only once. For this reason, 88 of the original 165 cooperating firms were selected, again at random, to participate in thetests. A size distribution of these firms appears in table 1. Table 1.,--Location and size of 88 bakeries included in 3 test cities Size of bakery City ee a Total Small ‘ Medium “* Large cet : : : : : arge =: Number Number Number Number Number Paltanore,” Md... sssso5% 9 11 4 3 27 Philadelphia, Pa. ...: 8 25 5 2 40 Washington, D. C. ...: 6 11 0 4 21 TOtals vvads ¢uwee ow ee 23 47 9 9 88 The size of the bakery was determined primarily on the basis of quantity (fresh weight) of apples utilized during one week. Those using 50 pounds or less were classified as small; 51 to 150 pounds, medium; 151 to 300 pounds, large; and 301 pounds or more, extra large. Phase II During November of 1960, supplies of dehydrofrozen apples were distributed to © each firm with instructions or assistance in preparation of the test product for pie baking. The supply of apples was distributed proportionately to the number of bakers in each city. Thus, 2,310 pounds of dehydrofrozen apple slices were distributed to cooperators in Baltimore, 3,225 pounds in Philadelphia, and 1,965 pounds in Washington, D, Cs The bakeries were supplied with sample lots of dehydrofrozen apples approxi- mately equivalent to the amount of apple stock normally used during 1 week. Because firms classified as extra large used over 300 pounds weekly, the supply to these firms was limited to the quantity of apple stock used in one day or one 8~-hour shift. In January 1961, after all bakeries had used the dehydrofrozen apple slices, the managers or owners were interviewed to obtain their observations and experiences with the test product. RESULTS OF THE PRODUCT TESTS--PHASE I Bakery Characteristics Weekly Purchase of Fruit During an average l-week period, sample bakeries purchased 106,976 pounds of all kinds of fruit. Of this, various forms of apples comprised 55,671 pounds or 52 percent of the aggregate figure. Apple pies were the best sellers among all types of pies handled by bakers, and 95 percent of the bakers interviewed sold apple pies daily, The remaining 48 percent of fruit purchases was spread among many different varieties, and the record-keeping practices of the bakeries did not permit a break- down of these lesser used fruits. Quantities of fruit used by respondents varied only slightly from week to week. Bakery owners were asked to compare the quantities used during the week of inter- view with other weeks during the year. Approximately 60 percent of the respondents said there was no appreciable difference, whereas the other 40 percent were almost equally divided in opinion, saying they either used smaller or larger quantities during other weeks of the year. Someused more fruit during summer months because of availability while others used more during the winter because of the holiday season, Form of Apples Used Based on weight, frozen apples were used in the largest quantity--29,597 pounds or about 53 percent of all apples used in the average week. A total of 20,999 pounds or 38 percent of the aggregate quantity of apples used were in fresh form, and 4,402 pounds or 8 percent were canned apples. Dehydrofrozen apples were used in the amount of 673 pounds or 1 percent of total weekly volume. Although table 2 shows that most of the bakers in the 3 cities used canned apples, large firms purchased more of the frozen and fresh apples. Philadelphia bakers, in particular, used large amounts of fresh apples in their open-faced cakes. Table 2 shows that 54 of the respondents used canned apples, 27 used frozen apples, 39 used fresh apples, and 5 used the dehydrofrozen form, Fifty-six of the respondents used one form of apple exclusively and 32 used various combinations of two or more forms ofapples. The forms of apple used most frequently in combinations were fresh and canned apples. There was a definite relationship between forms of apple used and the size of bakery operation, Bakery men that operated small or medium-sized establishments used mostly canned and fresh apples. Owners of the large and extra-large-sized operations used frozen or fresh apples primarily. Few bakers in the large-sized groups used canned apples, but the majority did maintain a reserve supply. Table 2,--Form of apple stock used by 88 bakers in 3 test cities : : : ihotad, Apple stock : Baltimore : Philadelphia : Washington : 3 test 5 : : Cascades Baker Baker Baker Baker Canned: : Uses exclusively....: 13 5 9 27 Uses some I/siciccus $ 5 20 2 27 Total Uusers'< << src ow’ 18 DS 1. 54 Frozen: Uses exclusively....: 4 3 9 16 Uses some D/esvensee? 4 5 2 11 Votal wsérs, yous. <* 8 8 1d 27° Fresh: : Uses exclusively....: 3 9 OTs 12 Uses some T/ecsssscs? 3 Paps 2 Qui: Votal users. «sos: 6 31 2 39 Dehydrofrozen: Uses exclusively....: 1 (0) () 1 Uses) SiOme 7 oo were cele 2 0 2 4 Total wsers...¢e<6<.: 3 0 i) 5 1/ Used in combination with other types. Reasons for Using Various Forms of Apples When asked their reasons for purchasing a particular form of apple, bakers responded with a total of 169 reasons. These reasons (table 3) were clearly related and were sorted and summarized under five major categories: (1) Convenience--any form of apple that is easy to use or less trouble than other forms and is easily stored; (2) quality--the form of apple that has a desirable taste or appealing flavor and is of uniform texture and consistency; (3) price--the cost per pound for the particular form of apple is comparable or lower than any other form available; (4) versatility--the form of apple is suitable for all bakery products requiring apples; and (5) customer preference-=the form of apple that the baker thought was preferred by his customers, Convenience and quality were mentioned most frequently by respondents as reasons for using a particular form of apple. Nearly three-fourths of all reasons by bakers that used canned apples concerned the convenience ofthis form and only 1 out of 10 reasons related to quality. Conversely, nearly three-fourths of the reasons given by bakers that used frozen apples cited the quality of this form and about 1 in 4 mentioned convenience, Over one-half of the users of fresh apples listed quality as the reason for using and, as would be expected, none of the bakers considered fresh apples as convenient to use as the other forms available. Table 3.--Reasons given by bakery owners for using various forms of apples Total, Reason : Canned : Frozen : Fresh 3 forms Sn Replies Replies Replies : Replies Olive lt i yale) stctaaavavetace hee ee ate 8 31 27 : 66 Bonven fener .sse sls es csc es 57 9 0 : 66 YY! ClOsel cvlene: o ci.6) ii ele:jelehe.e, o/c ees 9 1 8 18 \iGiyorcn. a os Of le ie, ae ae ere eee 0 0 8 8 Customer preference.,eseee 2 2 2 6 Mitsicel lanie 0u'S's:< © “os. 0: e1senee 4 0 I 5 Mowea Webra 1516'S... chet se yer0(e.1e 80 43 46 Ca ove, NN Reasons relating to versatility were given only by the users of fresh apples. Users of canned or frozen apples, especially in the Philadelphia market, told of difficulties they experienced in preparing open=face apple cake and other similar products with canned or frozen apples. No users of fresh apples experienced similar difficulties. Baker’s Knowledge and Use of Dehydrofrozen Apple Slices During Phase I all bakers were asked if they had ever heard of dehydrofrozen apple slices. Only 29 of the 88 respondents had heard of the product although com- mercial packs had been available in each test city for as long as 3 years previously. Dehydrofrozen apple slices were new to 59 or approximately 2 out of every three respondents irterviewed (table 4). Respondents located in Philadelphia and Washington were least familiar with the test product. Approximately 70 percent of the respondents interviewed in each of these cities said they had never heard of dehydrofrozen apple slices, while dehydro- frozen apple slices were unknown to 59 percent of the respondents interviewed in Baltimore. All respondents unfamiliar with dehydrofrozen apple slices were given an explanation about the new product’s attributes and then asked if they thought a product of this type could be utilized in their bakery operation. The majority of them cone sidered the product potentially feasible, but also indicated they would like samples to use before evaluating its acceptability to their particular bakery operation. The 29 respondents who had heard of dehydrofrozen apple slices were asked if they had ever used them intheir bakeries, Sixteen had had experience in using these apples at some time previous to the product tests and 1] had never used them, Reluctance on the part of bakeshop employees to change and the unavailability of the product were the reasons most frequently cited by bakers (particularly those in the Philadelphia area) for not using dehydrofrozen apple slices, Price, inconvenient size package, and too much time to prepare were mentioned as other reasons (table 5). o 7 = Table 4,--Familiarity of 88 bakers with dehydrofrozen apple slices prior to the product tests, 3 test cities Respondents familiarity with the test product Test city : : "Wastoursent © Lotalgsail Had heard of ;: Had used : ae : eee Bakers Bakers Bakers Bakers Baltimore < 4-2-6 <6 6.6.62 bal 10 3 27 Philadelphia. ssc ot aly. 2 0) 40 Washington..cscssce: 6 4 2 21 none al Ly eaener ele carere ener: 29 16 by 88 < Table 5,--Reasons given by bakers for not previously using dehydrofrozen apple slices for pie baking, 3 test cities Reason : Baltimore : Philadelphia : Washington Bakers Bakers Bakers Avat labia ity Difficult to prepare .% « « « « © ) Prefer other forms « <-<-« «+ 3 Taste different. > co © © o« @ « « 1 No reasons given . oo .o.o-«e. aut, 11 RESULTS OF THE PRODUCT TESTS=--PHASE I After the 88 bakers in Phase II of the study had used the test supplies of dehydro- frozen apples, their reactions to the product were obtained. Questions were asked concerning advantages or disadvantages encountered, appearance of the apples in the end product, and suggestions as to improvement, price, and other pertinent information. Advantages Found inthe Test Product Approximately 9 in 10 bakers indicated there were advantages in using dehydro- frozen apple slices for pie baking. These advantages were grouped into 5 categories. The majority were classified as convenience or quality. A relatively small number of bakers cited versatility and better moisture control (table 6). Although the dehydrofrozen product requires the additional step of reconstitution in preparing apples for pie baking, respondents considered convenience the most important advantage. The disposal of empty cans is a problem for bakers using canned and frozen apples. Storage space in freezer cabinets is important to users of frozen apples; and obtaining fresh apples of good quality on a year-round basis, plus the time required inpreparing them foruse, is important to users of fresh apples. By packing dehydrofrozen apple slices in cardboard cartons with polyethylene liners, container disposal problems are reduced. These packaging materials are readily disposed of by compressing or burning. There is an increasing trend by bakery owners to use freezer cabinets as a method of reducing their production and marketing costs. A container of processed dehydrofrozen apple slices requires at least 50 percent less storage space than a conventional 30 pound tin of frozen apples, giving bakers using dehydrofrozen apples the convenience of more freezer space. However, economies associated with freezing bakery products are sometimes offset by the cost of freezer cabinets, emphasizing the need for proper use of available freezer space. Respondents located in the Philadelphia area cited versatility most frequently as an advantage in using dehydrofrozen apple slices. Many bakers in that area not only make apple pies but also a form of layer cake topped with apple slices. Generally, fresh apple slices are used in making this type of apple cake, but bakers indicated that dehydrofrozen apple slices could be substituted in this particular product or in any bakery product calling for fresh slices. Table 6.,--Advantages of dehydrofrozen apples cited by 79 bakers Number of times Advantage : cited by bakers Percent Convienden'Ce vic.ci6 oie o cveve 6 6 leo-8'o,* 98 54 Oiala ty. ss. @ oe Sie bees we exe ares 57 cul Versa i la ty. crcieleie sfeceteiere.e,sisi6 13 7 Better moisture control....: 4 2 Miscellaneous. ce0.c cece see e: 10 6 ADT Teplies. wswee sees Gea 6 t 12 100 a nn Disadvantages Found inthe Test Product “ Bakers were asked if they had experienced any difficulties in preparing dehydro- frozen apple slices for pie baking. Thirty-three experienced no difficulty, but 55 bakers cited problems in preparation procedures, The problems or disadvantages cited are summarized and classified into six general categories (table 7). Table 7,--Disadvantages of dehydrofrozen apples cited by 55 bakers Number of times Disadvantage Sived Won eters Percent Preparation required additional time or LGD OF ee \eretale ciel Sieh elere sees) eles erere oe aleve enelit 34 48.7 SlCes VoOVSRall pee ceWe anew ke es ae seco! £0 14.3 Datriculty to: TeEConSst1 Cuteiis eee crsic eles ciel 8 1.4 Cannot use for all bakery productsS....c.: 8 11.4 Inconvenient when compared to canned,..: 5 eee Mi's'Ge Plame Ous tele ateve is crerereterene le varane avenere otelerers 5 eel All Pep I DES. 6 iss. beleive. © a etee @ 0.66) 6 ere ee 6.0 70 LOOK The most frequently mentioned disadvantage was the additional time and labor required to prepare dehydrofrozen apples for pie baking compared to usual forms of apple stock, Reconstituting accounted for some of this additional time and labor, Other disadvantages mentioned were that there was some difficulty in reconstituting the product, and that dehydrofrozen apple slices could not be used for all bakery products. Product Characteristics Bakery operators rely on the attractive appearance of bakery products, sweet goods particularly, for achieving sales--especially impulse sales. Unlike bread, sweet goods are considered by many to be luxury food items and are not consumed regularly. However, many consumers who make regular purchases of bread, are -~10- attracted by the appearance of sweet goods and are sometimes stimulated into making additional purchases. Bakery operators know that consumers often buy because of an attractive appearance and therefore they attempt to improve the appearance of their products. The 88 cooperating bakers were asked whether they noticed any difference in appearance between the pies baked with usual apple stock and the test product, with the following results: Dehydrofrozen apple stock Noted Noted no compared to-- difference difference Total Canned 33 10 43 Frozen 13 7 20 Fresh 7 3 10 Various combinations of apple stock 7 4 Ls Total 62 24, “86. This total is not 88 because one respondent used dehydrofrozen apple slices exclusively and one respondent did not compare. Approximately two-thirds of the bakery operators contacted reported differences between apple pies baked with dehydrofrozen apple slices and their usual form of apple stock. Proportionately, users of canned apple stock were more apt to note differences in apple pies baked with dehydrofrozen apple slices than did bakery operators who used fresh or frozen apples. Most of the 62 respondents noticing differences in the appearance of products made with dehydrofrozen apple slices made favorable comments about the dehydro- frozen product. Table 8 lists the reactions of respondents comparing dehydrofrozen apple slices with other forms of apples. About 3 in 10 of the favorable comments referred to end product appearance, End products made with dehydrofrozen apple slices appeared more attractive than those made with the usual apple stock. Users of canned apples particularly were impressed with the appearance of products made with dehydrofrozen apples. Only a very few unfavorable comments were made. These for the most part came from users of frozen apples. No users of canned apples and only one user of fresh apples considered the appearance of products made with dehydrofrozen apple slices to be unfavorable, Users of both canned and fresh apples frequently mentioned the discrete slices and lack of mushiness of dehydrofrozen apple products. Apparently, bakery operators have mixed standards in rating the desirable color of any apple stock. Four users of canned apples, two users of frozen, and two who used a combination of apple stock regarded the color of the test product as favorable, whereas three users of canned apples, two users of frozen apples, and one user of a combination of apple stock made unfavorable comments about the color. The most frequently mentioned unfavorable comment was in regard to color, but respondents were not consistent in color dislikes. Approximately equal numbers of respondents regarded the color of dehydrofrozen apple slices as too light or too dark in end products. A few respondents commented favorable about the uniform slice size of the test product. Others considered the slices too small. Since the processor can usually regulate the slice size, this is not an insoluable detriment to potential market sales. = ll- *szemsue aTdty [nu fo asneoaq 79 ueyy aIOW [T2}O} PayTO SaeoduetTassJtp ynq ‘setd so soueszeodde ut saduetesstTp pezyou saayeq OMy-AYXTS /T 7 Z6 : Cal OT ET OV SPSS AES RSE e Sie ue @ ASKS SEC Ont TLy I a (e) 0 T (0) 30 2 see sishe Bice 8 SNOVUET LOOSEN Zz : 0) ) T ii seeeeee**euzOsTuNn sLOW SA2DTTIS c : O 0 0 C gee ae es ese SGoay SH T paxooT 6 . Z (e) Z C SOS © ep ere0 9 * #6 8 88 © 7G OD 19470qg OT i C C Zz v gs ney S ene (ele: to .s)s0y er ere cere, ce Ke evieie,*.° 7 7'o.4' 4. Cl : : edeys ydey ‘ysnu 4,uptqg aa : T v 0 ZI esse ese *1OUTAZSTP arTOW SaoTTS Ae : a4 € € ZT SPR OES 8 819), 0S: '6 8 POT Ul pexooT ysne : : >eTqeroaey Set Tdey : Ssot[dey Sotltdey SotrTdey Sot tdoay : : uoTzyeUTquos : yseig , ueZzoa gy ; pouueg TezyOL. . uoTyoOeVayY -- UTM poeazeduoo usyM JT sx003s aTdde woazy opew satd yytTm scorer Teyorgng seer e*snosueTTe0sty a Sik se Ses She eS SL Sh °°’ *T Tews 004 SadTTS °*poos se you L0TOD os*poos se you snp :eTqeroAejsuy ceceeerreeTeqVoyqng pezedwoo uaum satTdde uaezoayorphyop yytTM epew satd 074 sarayXeq 79 BY} FO SuUOT}ZOeaY--°Sg aTqey, = 12 - Suggestions For Product Improvement The cooperating bakers were asked to give suggestions for improving the accept-= ability of dehydrofrozen apple slices. Thirty-six of the 88 respondents considered the test product to be ‘‘excellent’” and could give no suggestions for improvement. Most of the suggestions given by the remaining 52 respondents involved marketability, although a few bakers suggested variations or changes in the preparational procedure. The following breakdown of recommendations totals 54 as 2 bakers gave more than one suggestion. Recommendations to processors » 6 6« #% % & Se @ es 6 © # & 46 e ° Package uniform apple slices--small, medium, and large... .» Darken=-apple slices. ..2ceecccteeercecee2r corre ee Improve texture of apple slices: ss «ass 6 «#6 6 6-8 @ § # % Decrease time needed for reconstituting. . . . « « © © © 0 © © e Packwith SUgaT ses 6 66 se 8 we. % Os 6 © eR wee ee % 6 8 Pack in smaller units. «esc ccerccscvreseee seven Lower. the price, scee © es cs 0 ee 8 6 6 8 6 8 tw eo oo Print instructions on outer container. . «os «.oe«ee seco o Decrease quantity of preservative used . . «oe e0ecoeco Print variety of apple on outer container, ..ssss¢*¢8sc688 Use waxed outer container . . oo «6 os 0 0 © © © © 0 © © © oo Use stronger inner bags « « « » « © © © © © 0 © © © © © oo Eliminate trace of core and seeds . secs cssesvecen ee os N SPR RF REP NNNNN DN W BA W Changes in preparational procedure: eo ee © © © © © © © © &@ © © © © © 8 Add sugar to water before reconstituting, . ...o+.c.vee+ececeo 4 Reconstitute under refrigerated conditions. . 1. ..«.s2e.e2eee0. 2 Use more water. ° o ° ° ° ° e ° ° ° ° o o ° Q e ° ° o ° oe e ° ° e 2 Total. ° ° e ° °o ° ° ° e ° ° ° eo id e ° ° e e e e e ° . ° ° o ° e ° ° e e e 54 The most frequently mentioned suggestion concerned the slice size of the test product. Twenty-three respondents said they used different sizes of apple slices and preferred that slices be sized and packed accordingly. Bakery operators who used automatic or mechanical pie fillers preferred small apple slices because more consistent fruit counts per pie are obtained. However, respondents who made open- face apple cake preferred large slices for appearance and ease of handling. Dehydro- frozen apple processors might fulfill these specific needs by packing units of varying sizes, but uniform to the package. Some of the recommendations particularly worthnoting were: Placing instructions for reconstituting on the container package; printing the size of slice and variety of apple on the container shell; and enclosing a brochure of recipes utilizing dehydro- frozen apple slices. One of the specific advantages of dehydrofrozen apple slices is the straight apple pack because freight and storage rates are paid only for apples - a large per- centage of the water and all of the sugar being eliminated. A few operators of small bakeries suggested the addition of sugar to commercial packs of dehydrofrozen apple slices, However, this would be a disadvantage for operators of large bakeries as they utilize a high volume ofapple stock and can reduce production costs by purchasing bulk sugar and adding it to the dehydrofrozen apple slices in the bakery. erie 2 Package Size Processors of dehydrofrozen apple slices packthemin polyethylene bags and card- board cartons in units of 15 pounds each, When reconstitued, each 15=pound unit of the product was the equivalent of 30 pounds of apple slices. Respondents cooperating in the study were asked their opinion of the package size in regard to their firm’s size of operation, Data indicate that 74 respondents or 84 percent of the total sample considered the 15-pound package of dehydrofrozen apple slices to be satisfactory for their particular bakery operations. Fourteen of the 88 bakery owners preferred package sizes other than 15 pounds (table 9). Table 9,--Bakers' opinions of the package size of dehydrofrozen apple slices Opinion : Responses : Percent A outers plict. kore dete creve, ole) eele tele iovetens 74 84 Prefer ssmad lexi. cic ere evseberetsteisie els 10 awk Preter Van oer siidcde ae 6 oeteele.e ss sis 4 5 MINGiaranIe, ty wet ak aie, apace eet enw one letoie rede acme 88 100 There appears to be a relationship between the size of bakery firm and the size of package desired. Small firms preferred a smaller package of dehydrofrozen apples and large bakeries preferred larger packages. Preferences were also based onthe quantity of apples used during one day or week. Some bakers found the 15=pound unit to be satisfactory because the reconstituted amount of 30 pounds equaled the amount of regularly frozen apples that they usually purchased in one unit. The majority indicatedthat they generally used about 30 pounds of apples plus 15 pounds of other ingredients for pie baking, which was about the maximum quantity they could prepare at one time. Others indicated that the size of their equipment was a limitation as to the quantity of apples they could prepare or use at one time. Most bakers foundthe 15-pound unit satisfactory and easy to reconstitute, even in a used “‘frozen egg’’ tin container. Storage and Handling Frequency of delivery of weekly supplies of frozen apples is shown in table 10. Thirty-eight percent obtained supplies once a week and surprisingly, 62 percent obtained supplies 2 to 3 times per week or as frequently as needed. All respondents who indicated they obtained deliveries ‘‘when needed’’ said it was necessary because they did not own freezers or freezer space available was used for purposes other than storing apples. Generally respondents conducting small or medium bakeries obtained frequent deliveries of apples, whereas, deliveries to large bakeries were generally once a week. - 14 = Table 10.--Frequency of delivery of frozen and dehydrofrozen apples nO nn ced ddd tEtEEss Essa Frequency per week Number of : users A : : : When 2 : ‘ needed a ——— City, Basle Out Crs etetoteretelereveks al ; 6 0 2 3 Phatadelphilai.cs «ss. ? 8 : 3 5 0 ) Warsihttmest one clesscsuele ens 13 : 3 ) 0 5 : : 1/ 32 : 12 10 2 8 a 1/ Represents 27 users of frozen and 5 users of dehydrofrozen apple SELCEeSi, Two-thirds of the bakers who used frozen apples owned freezers, but only two- thirds of this group used their facilities for storing frozen apples. The remainder considered other uses of existing freezer spacemoreimportant. Because distributors of frozen apples were generally willing to make frequent deliveries, some respondents used their freezer space for storing baked or unbaked goods. The use of freezer cabinets as a method of reducing or leveling production costs and gaining additional sales is a growing trend with many bakery operators. Pre- liminary results of another study indicate that some bakers have successfully demon- strated the utility of freezer facilities by increasing product output while maintaining constant labor costs; increasing gross sales by maintaining inventories of frozen bakery products, thereby, gaining sales normally lost because of unavailability and reducing product losses normally attributed to staleness. Conservation of storage space is a specific advantage of dehydrofrozen apple slices, They require approximately 50 percent less freezer space than conventionally frozen apple slices. This saving naturally would benefit all bakery operators that use freezer facilities. Available freezer space among the respondents using frozen apples ranged from 10 cubic feet to 9,000 cubic feet, The space generally used to store frozen apples ranged from 8 cubic feet to 1,400 cubic feet. Table 11 shows how bakery operators used their freezer space. Comparison of the medians indicates that small and medium-sized bakery operators use approxi- mately 9 percent of existing freezer space for storage of apple stock whereas operators of large or extra-large bakeries use approximately 13 percent. All bakery owners who stored frozen apples were asked if they could make good use of additional storage space. Slightly less than half indicated that they could use additional space for storing frozen bakery products or frozen fruit. Two respondents said they would like additional freezer facilities but could not expand because of the building size. Generally, respondents with surplus freezer storage space were owners of small or medium-sized bakeries. Normally, owners of large and extra-large bakery operations desired additional freezer space. = 15 = Table 11.--Freezer space available for storage of frozen apples by size of bakery Freezer space Bakery size Available 1/ “Used to store apples 2/ Median + Range * Median + Range > Cu, Ft, Cun ts Cu. Sit. Cina te Small and MeEdTUMs ses eee oe 2 135 10-480 Hg 8-100 Large and extra large....: 2,400 180-9,000 300 12-1,400 1/ Nineteen respondents owned freezers, 2/ Only 12 used their freezer to store apples. Price Bakers were asked whether they would purchase dehydrofrozen apple slices on a reconstituted basis, in preference to the usual apple forms, if prices were equal (table 12). Over 75 percent of the respondents indicated that they would, Five out of 6 users of canned apples; approximately 3 out of 5 users of frozen apples and about 3 out of 4 users of fresh apples were willing to purchase the test product if it were made available within the price range they normally paid for apples. Respondents were asked what price per pound they paid for apple stock. A wide range in prices was observed. Prices paid for frozen apples ranged from 12 cents to 20 cents per pound and the average was 16.5 cents. For canned apples, prices ranged from 13.8 cents to 17 cents and the average was 14.6 cents per pound on a gross weight basis, including the weight of the liquid. Respondents who used fresh apples paid an average price of 9.1 cents per pound and indicated only slight variance in the purchase price of fresh apples. The price for fresh apples did not include the costs of preparing them for use. Purchase prices for prepared fresh apples (peeled and sliced) were given by some Philadelphia bakery operators. They indicated a range in price between 11.7 cents and 17 cents per pound andthe average price was 15.5 cents per pound (table 13), Prices paid by bakers for all forms of apples in Philadelphia and Baltimore were relatively equal, The average price paid by Washington bakery operators was slightly higher; approximately 1 cent per pound more for canned apples and .8 cents more for frozen apples. In order to ascertain whether dehydrofrozen apples could be made available at comparable prices, processors of dehydrofrozen apples and regularly frozen apples were contacted to provide a breakdown of their charges to distributors in the test markets (these charges were nearly identical for each of the three cities) (table 14). These figures show dehydrofrozen apples could be made available at a savings of 1.4 cents per pound over regularly frozen apples. «= 16 = Table 12,--Bakery operators’ replies to the question whether or not they would be willing to pay the same price per pound for dehydrofrozen apples on a reconstituted basis as normally paid for usual forms of apples Usual form of apples : Yes : No : Total Bakers Bakers Bakers (Camu Cisteterer ote saberet crete hehe cerenstein: 35 7 42 OC CM oes wid! Sauce Gi aele\elern: mredemauaute: 15 9 24 Epis ieee crests anol eee ter cia eae ee 14 5 19 Numb erin ote bia KeEmisic ta cccuevetel cro ene 64 21 I/-. 85 1/ Does not total 88, because 2 respondents used dehydrofrozen apples exclusively and 1 respondent did not answer, Table 13.--Average price per pound paid by users of various forms of apples in 3 test cities ae ; : : Fresh Test cities Canned 1/ : Frozen : Fresh id eed Cents Cents Cents Cents Baltimore, Ma. eeceeceeee ees aD nS yee eaten --—-— piiladeliphia, Par. ve<