Identifying ideal products using three different consumer profiling methodologies. Comparison with external preference mapping

The aim of the present work was to identify consumers’ ideal product by three consumer profiling techniques and to compare the agreement among the three techniques. Two studies were carried out in which consumers evaluated seven samples of orange-flavoured powdered drinks. In the first study 108 consumers scored their overall liking, whereas in the second one three groups of 50 consumers evaluated the sensory characteristics of the samples using projective mapping, a check-all-that-apply question or intensity scales. After completing the task consumers were asked to identify their ideal product.The different approaches yielded similar information regarding the sensory characteristics of the products and consumers’ ideal product, providing similar recommendations for product improvement. However, they differed in the position of consumers’ optimum product within the sensory space defined by the sensory characteristics of the evaluated samples. Projective mapping identified the consensus position of the ideal product within the range of sensory characteristics of the evaluated samples, providing similar results than external preference mapping. Differences and similarities between the methodologies are discussed, as well as potential applications.     

Sensory characterization of meat from pigs vaccinated against gonadotropin releasing factor compared to meat from surgically castrated,entire male and female pigs

Boar taint is a sensory defect mainly due to androstenone and skatole. The most common method to control boar taint is surgical castration at an early age. Vaccination against gonadotropin releasing factor (also known as immunocastration) is an alternative to surgical castration to reduce androstenone content. In this experiment, loins from 24 female (FE), 24 entire male (EM), 24 vaccinated males (IM) and 23 surgically castrated males (CM) were evaluated by eight trained panellists in 24 sessions. Loins were cooked in an oven at 180 °C for 10 min. Furthermore loins were evaluated by consumers and its androstenone and skatole content were also chemically determined. Meat from EM had higher androstenone and skatole odour and flavour than meat from FE, IM and CM and lower sweetness odour scores. High correlations were found between androstenone and skatole levels assessed by trained panelists, chemical analysis and consumers’ acceptability. Moreover meat from EM is mainly related to androstenone and skatole attributes.     

Characterization and differentiation of Italian Parma,San Daniele and Toscano dry-cured hams: A multi-disciplinary approach

This study aimed at characterizing the sensory quality of Italian PDO dry-cured Parma, San Daniele and Toscano hams, applying a multi-disciplinary approach. Ham sensory profile as well as physico-chemical, aromatic, morphological and textural characteristics was investigated. There was a great difference between Toscano ham and Parma and San Daniele hams, which were more similar even though differentiated. Toscano ham showed higher scores for pork-meat odor, saltiness, dryness, fibrousness and hardness; accordingly, this ham was described by a high NaCl content and by high values of instrumental hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess and chewiness. Parma ham was characterized by a cured flavor, whereas San Daniele ham showed a wider fatty area and higher pH values. Parma and San Daniele hams were also described by higher values of sweetness, RGB color values and water activity. Sensory characteristics evaluated by trained assessors were correlated to instrumental measures, indicating that instrumental devices can be effectively applied for dry-cured ham characterization.     

Establishing tenderness thresholds of Venezuelan beef steaks using consumer and trained sensory panels

The tenderness thresholds for ribeye steaks at 2 d postmortem were found by using sensory trained (n = 734 steaks) and consumers panel data (55 ribeye steaks and 296 consumers). Also, consumers’ perceptions of sensory attributes of beef steaks were assessed to establish their relationships and to determine acceptability levels. The tenderness threshold obtained by regression analysis from trained panelists was 37.98 N (3.87 kg). Customer satisfaction of 81% was obtained when beef steaks had Warner-Bratzler shear force values (WBSF) less than 40.13 N (4.09 kg), suggesting that 40.13 N could be considered as a tenderness threshold to segregate tough from tender steaks, for Venezuelan beef consumers. According to correlation and regression analyses, consumers focused on flavor to assign their overall liking score. Results suggest that consumers are able to detect changes in tenderness of steaks with different WBSF and that flavor drives customer satisfaction when the beef tenderness is acceptable.     

肉丸品质的质构与感官分析

质构是肉丸品质的决定因素,为正确合理地评价肉丸质构特性,该文对感官评定与仪器分析两种方法进行比较.选用10种市售肉丸,采用质地剖面检验法进行感官评定,质构仪(TPA模式)进行仪器分析.对肉丸质构的感官评定数据进行主成分分析(PCA),得到3个主成分,选取主成分中的主要感官指标研究肉丸感官性状,10种肉丸的感官性状差异显...     

Socio-economic factors affecting consumer behaviour for United States and Spanish beef under different information scenarios

This study analyzes the results of taste tests on US and Spanish-produced beef conducted with a Spanish consumer panel. The objective is to explore variation in the sensory and market evaluations of the beef products in relation to a series of socio-economic factors. The tasters are assigned to one of three different experimental scenarios based on the amount of product information disclosed. The results show that consumers’ evaluations differ according to the degree of product information provided and that the socio-economic factors with most effect on consumers’ evaluations were gender, age, and education level. Thus, the higher educated, higher income consumers reveal a preference for intrinsic attributes and for the US beef, as long as they are unaware of its foreign origin.     

Sensory Characteristics of Apple Juice Evaluated by Consumer and Trained Panels

ABSTRACT: To identify sensory characteristics of unclarified apple juice and to compare unclarified and clarified types, 140 consumers and 10 trained panelists evaluated 16 commercial apple juice samples (4 clarified and 12 unclarified). Unclarified and clarified juices were clearly separated by the first principal component (PC1), whose main factor was fresh, green, and sweet aroma. It was difficult to predict consumer preference by regression models using trained panel preference and analytical attributes. Mapping consumers' overall preferences on a sensory profile made by PC1 and PC2, the consumer panel preferred apple juice with moderately increased fresh and green aroma and thoroughly decreased sour and astringent.     

Consumers’ preferences for Iberian dry-cured ham and the influence of mast feeding: An application of conjoint analysis in Spain

This paper analyzes consumers’ preferences for Iberian dry-cured ham, one of the most typical and highly prized meat products in Spain. The data were obtained by a survey carried out between April and May 2006 with a sample of 417 consumers in Extremadura (SW Spain). Conjoint Analysis was used to estimate the relative importance of the main attributes affecting preferences for Iberian ham and to create consumer segments with similar preference profiles. Results have shown that Price and Type of ham are the most important attributes for the choice of ham. Simulation analyses determined the surcharge that consumers are willing to pay for an Iberian mast-fed ham instead of an Iberian ham, thus identifying an ideal cluster for Iberian mast-fed ham.     

Comparison of two sensory profiling techniques based on consumer perception

Eight chocolate milk desserts with different formulation were evaluated by two groups of consumers. Fifty consumers evaluated the samples and indicated their overall liking and answered a CATA question. Meanwhile, 40 consumers elicited up to four words to describe the desserts and completed a projective mapping task. Projective mapping and the check-all-that-apply question provided very similar sensory profiles for the evaluated milk desserts. Differences in the sensory characteristics of the samples were explained by differences in their formulations, which suggest the validity of the sensory profiles given by consumers. Projective mapping and the CATA question consisted on valuable tools to understand their perception of the sensory and hedonic characteristics of the desserts. These methodologies could consist on useful and interesting complimentary techniques to trained assessors’ data, being CATA question easier to understand and less time consuming for consumers.     

Sugar reduction in probiotic chocolate-flavored milk: Impact on dynamic sensory profile and liking

Reducing the sugar content of processed products has been claimed to be one of the most efficient strategies for decreasing sugar intake. The present work aimed at studying the influence of sugar reduction on the dynamic sensory profile and consumers' liking of probiotic chocolate-flavored milks using a novel temporal methodology, and to evaluate two alternatives (vanilla flavor and thaumatin) to attenuate the sensory changes caused by sugar reduction. Probiotic chocolate-flavored milks were formulated with different reductions in added sugar (0, 20, 40 and 60%). Vanilla flavor and thaumatin were added to the sugar-reduced samples at two concentrations. Samples were evaluated by trained assessors using Temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA). Additionally, consumers evaluated the dynamic sensory profile of a subset of the samples using TCATA and indicated their overall liking using a 9-point hedonic scale. Results from the present work showed that the main effect of sugar reduction on the dynamic sensory profile of the probiotic chocolate-flavored milks was related to changes in sweetness, bitterness and thickness. A reduction in added sugar of 20% led to changes in sweetness intensity, which were perceived by both trained assessors and consumers. However, consumers' liking was not significantly affected by sugar reduction up to 40%. The addition of vanilla flavor at suprathreshold concentrations was not efficient in increasing sweetness perception in chocolate-flavored milks with the lowest sugar reduction percentage, suggesting that it may not be a feasible alternative for reducing sugar in this product category. These results suggest that in many situations sugar content of food products could be decreased without a relevant impact on consumers' sensory and hedonic perception.