The main objective of this study is to present a food environment measure, the Produce Desirability (ProDes) Tool, to assess consumer desirability of fruits and vegetables (FVs) based on generalizable sensory characteristics that can be applied in diverse socio-ecological contexts. We implemented the ProDes Tool in rural and urban built food environments (grocery stores) in 11 counties in the frontier state of Montana, United States, towards elucidating access gaps to desirable produce based on rurality of location. Total ProDes scores were calculated by averaging the five sensory parameters of the tool (overall desirability, visual appeal, touch and firmness, aroma, and size) for individual and total FVs. We statistically analyzed the relationship of ProDes scores by FV type, rurality, Nutrition Environment Measurement Scores for Stores (NEMS-S), and price. Mean Total ProDes scores for all produce was 3.5 (SD = 0.7), or low to moderate, on a 7-point scale (0 to 6). Significant differences (p < 0.0001) in means of Total ProDes scores were found on the basis of rurality with FVs from the rural food environments having lower scores compared to the urban food environments. There was no significant relationship for Total ProDes Scores by NEMS-S Total Scores (p = 0.880; r = −0.019), NEMS-S Availability scores (p = 0.926; r = 0.012), NEMS-S Quality scores (p = 0.457; r = 0.095), and for the majority of NEMS-S acceptable ratings for individual produce. A significant negative relationship was found between price and the ProDes sensory parameter of touch and firmness (p < 0.0029) for total fruit. Findings support our overall hypothesis that FV desirability as measured by the ProDes Tool varies based on rurality of location of the built food environment in Montana. The lack of correlation of Total ProDes scores with NEMS-S scores rationalizes the need of the ProDes Tool to accompany existing food environment tools to more comprehensively characterize the food environment.

中文翻译：

---

在美国蒙大拿州更多农村建成的食品环境中，水果和蔬菜的受欢迎程度较低，使用 Produce Desirability (ProDes) 工具

本研究的主要目的是提出一种食品环境衡量指标，即农产品需求 (ProDes) 工具，以基于可应用于不同社会生态环境的通用感官特征来评估消费者对水果和蔬菜 (FV) 的需求。我们在美国蒙大拿州边境的 11 个县的农村和城市建筑食品环境（杂货店）中实施了 ProDes 工具，以阐明基于位置农村的理想农产品的获取差距。总 ProDes 分数是通过平均工具的五个感官参数（整体合意性、视觉吸引力、触感和硬度、香气和大小）来计算单个和总 FV 的。我们统计分析了 ProDes 分数与 FV 类型、农村地区、商店营养环境测量分数 (NEMS-S) 的关系，和价格。所有产品的平均总 ProDes 分数为 3.5 (SD = 0.7)，或低到中等，7 分制（0 到 6）。与城市食物环境相比，来自农村食物环境的 FV 的得分较低，在农村的基础上发现了总 ProDes 得分的显着差异 (p < 0.0001)。NEMS-S 总分（p = 0.880；r = -0.019）、NEMS-S 可用性得分（p = 0.926；r = 0.012）、NEMS-S 质量得分（p = 0.457）与 ProDes 总分没有显着关系; r = 0.095)，并且对于大多数 NEMS-S 可接受的单个产品评级。发现价格与 ProDes 的总果实触感和硬度 (p < 0.0029) 感官参数之间存在显着的负相关关系。调查结果支持我们的总体假设，即由 ProDes 工具衡量的 FV 合意性因蒙大拿州建成食物环境位置的乡村性而异。总 ProDes 分数与 NEMS-S 分数之间缺乏相关性，这使得 ProDes 工具需要与现有食品环境工具配合以更全面地表征食品环境。