Effects of colorant concentration and ‘natural colour’ or ‘sodium content’ claim on saltiness perception,consumer liking and emotion,and purchase intent of dipping sauces

Natural colorant (no colorant, NC = 0%; moderate colorant, MC = 1.2%; high colorant, HC = 3.6% w/w) and salt (regular salt, RS = NaCl; reduced sodium, ReS = KCl; no salt, NS) were added in mayonnaise‐based dipping sauces to evaluate effects of colorant concentration and ‘natural colorant’ or ‘sodium content’ claim on saltiness expectation, consumer liking and emotion, and purchase intent (PI) of these products. Regardless of the salt type and content, increasing colorant concentration decreased colour liking scores while saltiness expectation tentatively increased as indicated by higher % of ‘too much’ responses for saltiness on a JAR (Just‐About‐Right) scale. At a given salt type and content, liking scores of salty taste decreased with increasing colorant concentration, both before and after the ‘sodium content’ claim was given to consumers. Emotion scores elicited by consuming dipping sauces were affected by colorant concentration. Positive emotions (good, interested, satisfied) decreased while negative emotions (guilty, unsafe, worried) increased with increasing colorant concentration. Statements of ‘natural colorant’ and ‘sodium content’ claim had minimal effects on elicited emotions and PI.     

Influences of a natural colourant on colour and salty taste perception,liking, emotion and purchase intent: a case of mayonnaise‐based dipping sauces

Effects of colourant and a ‘natural source’ statement on sensory liking, emotion, saltiness expectation and purchase intent (PI) of three dipping sauces containing shrimp head colourant [no‐colourant (NC); moderate‐colourant (MC, 1.2% colourant); high‐colourant (HC, 3.6% colourant)] were evaluated. Consumers disliked colour of HC compared to MC (4.65 vs. 6.24). Despite the same NaCl level, saltiness liking decreased with increasing colourant [6.38 (NC), 5.43 (MC), 3.97 (HC)]. Correspondence analysis biplot revealed that sauces with or without natural colourant were associated more with positive emotions. Positive emotion (good, interested, satisfied) scores decreased while negative emotion worried increased with increasing colourant concentration. The ‘natural source’ statement decreased guilty and unsafe scores but minimally affected PI of NC and MC. Saltiness expectation was not different between NC (off‐white colour) vs. MC (lighter orange) and between NC vs. HC (darker orange); however, consumers expected HC to be saltier than MC.