Abstract: This study analyzed 25 red Fuji apple samples collected from four typical production regions in China (the Bohai Bay Rim Region, the Old Course of the Yellow River, characteristic production regions, and Northwestern Plateau) to develop a standardized sensory attribute system and to characterize sensory quality differences among and within production regions. Through primary screening based on geometric mean values and secondary screening by multivariate statistical analysis, a total of 24 core sensory descriptors were identified, encompassing appearance (8), taste (3), aroma (5), and texture (8). Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) based on this sensory framework revealed significant differences among apples from different production regions in sweetness-acidity balance, aroma characteristics, and textural attributes. Overall, apples from the characteristic production regions showed higher sweetness, larger watercore areas, and stronger aroma intensity. Representative samples from Yantai in the Bohai Bay Rim Region (YT-01), Lingbao in the Old Course of the Yellow River (LB-01), Aksu in the characteristic production regions (AKS-02), and Liquan in the Northwestern Plateau (LQ) exhibited the best overall sensory quality. The sensory attribute system developed in this study provides a scientific basis for the quality evaluation, regional characterization, and product grading of red Fuji apples.

Key words: red Fuji apple; sensory wheel; multivariate analysis; quantitative descriptive analysis; regional differences