Long-term acceptability and choice of teas differing in sweetness

We measured people’s choice and changes in choice of three types of tea, each at a low and an optimum level of sweetness. Twenty-eight tea drinkers participated in an initial taste test session and 20 additional consumption sessions. During the first session they tasted the six tea samples, ranked them in order of preference, and otherwise familiarized themselves with the samples prior to the long-term experiment. In each of the 20 consumption sessions they selected a tea, drank it, rated how well they liked it, how tired they were of it, and their satisfaction with having chosen it. We observed four choice patterns: constant-switcher, acquired-liker, non-switcher, and systematic-switcher. Over the 20 sessions the liking of the low-sweet tea increased and the tiredness ratings of the optimum-sweet tea increased. These changes, however, did not increase the frequency with which they chose the low sweet teas. Initial liking significantly predicted choice for about half the panelists.     

Patterns of sweet liking in sucrose solutions and beverages

While preferred levels of sweetness are known to differ across individuals, investigations of hedonic responses to sweetness across multiple concentrations in both model system and beverage are limited. The objective of this study was to classify people according to their preferred sweetness in sucrose solutions and beverages. The stimuli were water and flavored beverages, each containing five levels of sucrose. A total of 200 female subjects rated liking and intensity of sweetness for sucrose solutions, and they conducted paired preference tests using the Monell forced-choice, paired-comparison, tracking procedure. These tests were replicated for the beverage. These evaluations were conducted on two separate occasions, once while the subjects were hungry and once relatively sated. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed three distinct clusters based on the hedonic ratings. Cluster 1 showed positive hedonic ratings with increased sucrose concentration in both systems. Cluster 2 showed positive ratings to sucrose increases in the beverage, but not in the sucrose solution. Cluster 3 showed an inverted-U shaped pattern. These patterns were confirmed by the result of the Monell test. Similar trends were observed when the subjects were asked to rate liking of chocolates and in ratings of preferences for commonly consumed sweet and savory food items.     

The effect of viscosity and volume on pleasantness and satiating power of rice milk

The present study examined the influence of two viscosity levels (62.3 and 3.2 mPa s relative) either matched for taste or non-adjusted, and two volumes (500 and 250 ml) in a rice milk beverage on satiety and pleasantness. The separate viscosity treatments were isocaloric. Seventy-one participants consumed one of the samples in a fasted state between the hours of 8:30–9:30 a.m. Participants rated thirst and hunger prior to consumption, and then thirst, hunger, overall pleasantness, pleasantness of taste, and pleasantness of viscosity immediately post-consumption. The time to consumption of lunch was measured using food diaries. This procedure was repeated for five consecutive days. Significantly greater reductions of hunger, and longer times to lunch were observed with the 500 ml treatments, but not with the thickened treatments. Results indicate that the volume of a rice milk beverage consumed in place of a breakfast has more satiating effect than the viscosity. Moreover, a change in overall pleasantness ratings, and pleasantness of taste ratings over time was found, demonstrating the importance of repeat testing for hedonic ratings of novel foods.     

The effect of frequency of consumption of artificial sweeteners on sweetness liking by women

ABSTRACT:  Research into sweetness perception and preference thus far has demonstrated that sweetness preference is related not to the total sugar consumed by an individual but the amount of refined sugar ingested. Research has yet to be conducted, however, to determine whether a diet high in artificial sweeteners contributes to sweetness liking and preference with the same result as a diet high in sugar. The purpose of this research was to determine if such a relationship exists with regard to diets high in artificially sweetened beverages. Seventy-one female participants were recruited and screened for sweetener consumption in beverages. Sixty-four of these individuals were selected for sensory testing. All participants evaluated orange juice samples (ranging from 0% added sucrose to 20% added sucrose) for liking of sweetness using a 9-point hedonic scale. Based on screening survey data, participants were categorized according to sweetener consumption group (artificial sweetener consumers and natural sweetener consumers) and by overall sweetened beverage intake (low or high, regardless of sweetener type normally consumed). Sensory data were analyzed to compare sweetness liking in each of these groups. Significant differences in liking were observed, with individuals in the high sweetened beverage intake group preferring sweeter orange juice than those in the low-intake group. Categorization by sweetener type resulted in no significant differences between the groups, indicating that regardless of the type of sweetener consumed in a beverage, liking of sweetness will be influenced in the same manner.     

Effect of background noise on food perception

We investigated the effects of auditory background noise on the perception of gustatory food properties (sugar level, salt level), food crunchiness and food liking. Participants blindly consumed different foods whilst passively listening to either no sound, or quiet or loud background white noise. The foods were then rated in terms of sweetness, saltiness and liking (Experiment 1) or in terms of overall flavour, crunchiness and liking (Experiment 2). Reported sweetness and saltiness was significantly lower in the loud compared to the quiet sound conditions (Experiment 1), but crunchiness was reported to be more intense (Experiment 2). This suggests that food properties unrelated to sound (sweetness, saltiness) and those conveyed via auditory channels (crunchiness) are differentially affected by background noise. A relationship between ratings of the liking of background noise and ratings of the liking of the food was also found (Experiment 2). We conclude that background sound unrelated to food diminishes gustatory food properties (saltiness, sweetness) which is suggestive of a cross-modal contrasting or attentional effect, whilst enhancing food crunchiness.     

Influence of sweetness on the sensory-specific satiety and long-term acceptability of tea

Our objectives were to investigate: (1) the effect of long-term exposure on acceptance of tea with two sucrose levels; (2) whether long-term consumption of tea at a specific sucrose level would shift the optimum sucrose level; and (3) whether sensory-specific satiety could serve as a rapid method for predicting the long-term acceptability of sweetened tea. This study had four parts: an initial taste test to determine the optimum and low levels of sucrose, a 6-week long-term acceptability test during which two groups of subjects consumed tea with the optimum and low sweetness levels, respectively, a second taste test, and a sensory-specific satiety test. Liking for the low sweet tea increased with repeated consumption, but this increase was not predicted by sensory-specific satiety. Liking, consumption and tiredness were complexly interrelated with each other and with measures of hunger and desire to consume the tea.     

Acceptance of sugar reduction in flavored yogurt

To investigate what level of sugar reduction is accepted in flavored yogurt, we conducted a hedonic test focusing on the degree of liking of the products and on optimal sweetness and aroma levels. For both flavorings (strawberry and coffee), consumers preferred yogurt containing 10% added sugar. However, yogurt containing 7% added sugar was also acceptable. On the just-about-right scale, yogurt containing 10% sugar was more often described as too sweet compared with yogurt containing 7% sugar. On the other hand, the sweetness and aroma intensity for yogurt containing 5% sugar was judged as too low. A second test was conducted to determine the effect of flavoring concentration on the acceptance of yogurt containing 7% sugar. Yogurts containing the highest concentrations of flavoring (11% strawberry, 0.75% coffee) were less appreciated. Additionally, the largest percentage of consumers perceived these yogurts as “not sweet enough.” These results indicate that consumers would accept flavored yogurts with 7% added sugar instead of 10%, but 5% sugar would be too low. Additionally, an increase in flavor concentration is undesirable for yogurt containing 7% added sugar.     

A comparison of aspartame and sucrose with respect to carryover effects in yogurt

Sensory profiling tests were carried out on natural, unsweetened yogurt consumed directly after yogurt sweetened with sucrose, aspartame or mixtures of aspartame + acesulfame K. There was no evidence that residual sweetness or bitterness from aspartame, either alone or blended, was perceived in the natural yogurt although sourness appeared to be masked. Natural yogurt had the highest bitter aftertaste when preceded by yogurt containing sucrose, which was explained as a contrast effect. In repeated consumption tests, flavored fruit yogurts tended to increase in sweetness and decrease in sourness over the rounds of repeated consumption, independent of sweetener type. Commercial samples of strawberry yogurt were not separated into groups according to sweetener type by a simple grouping test.     

添加复配糖对凝固型酸奶品质的影响

采用赤藓糖醇、罗汉果甜苷、甜菊糖苷以49.5:1:1进行复配混合作为蔗糖替代糖,同等甜度下复配糖与蔗糖比例为7.77:1。研究43 ℃发酵的添加复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶和添加同等甜度蔗糖的普通酸奶色、香、味等感官特性以及理化指标的差异性。利用电子眼、电子鼻、电子舌检测添加复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶和添加同等甜度蔗糖的普通酸奶的色、香、味,采用酚酞指示剂法、质构仪、流变仪、平板计数法测定添加复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶和添加同等甜度蔗糖的普通酸奶发酵过程中酸度、硬度、粘度、乳酸菌数量。结果表明:发酵结束时,添加复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶和添加同等甜度蔗糖的普通酸奶酸度范围在70.11°T~72.18°T,二者无显著性差异（P>0.05）;发酵过程中,在1~5 h内,添加4%、8%、10%、12%的复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶较同等甜度的普通酸奶产酸速率快,且差异显著（P<0.05）,而添加6%复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶在发酵1~3 h内较普通酸奶产酸速率显著增加（P<0.05）,4~5 h内两种酸奶产酸速率无显著性差异（P>0.05）。在发酵1~3 h内,添加蔗糖的普通酸奶和添加同等甜度复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶硬度、粘度增加缓慢;发酵3~5 h,添加复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶硬度、粘度增加速度高于添加同等甜度蔗糖的普通酸奶组,差异显著（P<0.05）。在发酵过程中,相同甜度下,添加复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶的乳酸菌增殖较普通酸奶快,且存在显著性差异（P<0.05）。相同甜度的无蔗糖酸奶感官评分高于同等甜度的普通酸奶;蔗糖浓度为4%、10%、12%的普通酸奶较添加同等甜度复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶,在气味和色泽方面存在显著性差异（P<0.05）,经挥发性成分分析,不同浓度的普通酸奶和无蔗糖酸奶共分别检测出31、44种挥发性成分,滋味无显著性差异（P>0.05）;而蔗糖浓度6%、8%的普通酸奶较添加同等甜度复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶,在色泽和气味上无显著性差异（P>0.05）,但在滋味上存在显著性差异（P<0.05）。因此,添加不同浓度蔗糖的普通酸奶和添加同等甜度复配糖的无蔗糖酸奶相比,具有显著性差异。     

The influence of sodium on liking and consumption of salty food

Excessive sodium (Na) intake has been linked to development of hypertension and related pathologies. In this study, we assessed if the sodium chloride (NaCl) concentration in a prototypical food influences the liking and intake of that food. In study 1, detection and recognition thresholds for NaCl were assessed, and perceived salt intensity and liking for hash browns of varying sodium concentrations (40 mg, 120 mg, 170 mg, and 220 mg Na/100 g) were compared in a lab setting. In study 2, detection and recognition thresholds for NaCl were assessed in a lab setting, and lunches consisting of hash browns, basic salad, and beverages were consumed freely in a dining setting on 4 separate occasions. Intake and liking ratings for hash browns were recorded after the lunch. In both studies, detection and recognition thresholds for NaCl were not associated with perceived saltiness, liking, or intake of hash browns. Liking and perceived salt taste intensity of hash browns were correlated (r = 0.547 P < 0.01), and in study 1 the 220 mg sodium hash brown was most liked (P < 0.05). In study 2, there was no association between Na concentration and liking or consumption of hash browns. In summary, liking of hash browns were influenced by whether testing was in a lab or dining room environment. In a dining room environment, large decreases (>50%) of sodium content of food were achievable with only minor decrease in liking and no effect on consumption of the food.     

Farm to Sensory Lab: Taste of Blueberry Fruit by Children and Adults

The average American child eats fewer fruits than recommended. Although taste is the primary motivator for food intake among children, little research has systematically measured children's liking of fruit and determined whether their preferences differ from adults. We phenotyped 49 children and their mothers to determine: (1) their liking of the taste of 3 blueberry cultivars (“Arcadia,” “Keecrisp,” and “Kestrel”) from 2 harvests for which total soluble solids were determined using a handheld Brix refractometer; (2) the association between liking and blueberry sugar content; and (3) the most preferred level of fructose, one of the primary sugars in blueberry fruit. Multiple methods, identical for all participants, assessed which cultivar they liked best. Dietary intake, determined via 24‐h dietary recall, revealed most children (73%) and adults (92%) did not meet dietary guidelines for fruit intake. We found that during the 1st harvest, Keecrisp was sweeter by 4° Brix than either Arcadia or Kestrel and was the cultivar most preferred by both children and adults. For the 2nd harvest, mothers liked each of the cultivars equally, but children preferred Arcadia, which was 2° Brix sweeter than the other 2 cultivars. Like other sugars, children's most preferred concentration of fructose was significantly higher than that of adults. In sum, children appear to be more sensitive to smaller variations in sweetness than are adults. Identifying drivers of fruit preference and assessing children's liking for whole fruits are important steps in developing strategies to increase fruit consumption among children.     

Dietary habits and the perception and liking of sweetness among Australian and Malaysian students: A cross-cultural study

This study examined whether the perception of, and preference for, varying levels of sucrose in water, orange juice, custard and biscuit were related to dietary intakes of sugar and sweet foods in 69 Caucasian Australian and 63 Malaysian university students living in Australia. The two ethnic groups were equally able to discriminate the relative differences in sucrose concentration among the test samples, and a similar percentage of each group were sweetness likers or dislikers. Some significant differences between the ethnic groups' sweetness intensity and preference ratings were observed, but the differences were food-specific and were not always apparent for the same sucrose level in the different test foods. Within each ethnic group, more subjects had greater difficulty discriminating different sucrose levels in a solid, high fat biscuit. The Australian group had higher mean liking ratings than the Malaysian group for the orange juice and biscuit samples. However, both groups preferred similar levels of sucrose in the juice, custard and biscuit, which were similar to the amounts of sucrose present in current commercial products. The hedonic response pattern to the sucrose solution was not a good predictor of the hedonic responses to the other test stimuli, which indicates that preferred levels of sweetness are food-specific. Sweetness intensity ratings were not significantly associated with any of the dietary intake variables or bitterness ratings to 6-n-propylthiouracil. However, subjects who preferred higher levels of sucrose in the test stimuli tended to have higher dietary intakes of sugar and sweet foods.     

Effect of successive stimuli on sweetness intensity of gels and custards

Variations of tastant concentration during the consumption of food products were shown to enhance taste intensity. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between the frequency at which tastant concentration is varied during the consumption of products and the occurrence of taste enhancement. For this purpose, the sweetness intensity of sequences of 4 successive sweet stimuli represented by cubes of a semi-solid gel or spoons of a model custard dessert was assessed. The intensity and the order of the stimuli within the sequences were varied to obtain 4 types of sucrose concentration profile (decreasing, increasing, middle peak and boundary peak) at 2 magnitudes of concentration differences (small and large). Sequences of 4 stimuli containing a constant sucrose concentration were used as a reference. The sweetness intensity of the sequences of successive stimuli was assessed using line scale and time-intensity ratings.Line scale ratings showed that the type of sequence had an effect on sweetness intensity. A sweetness enhancement relative to the reference was observed in sequences that ended with high-intensity stimuli, whereas sweetness suppression was observed in sequences that ended with low-intensity stimuli. The observed sweetness enhancement and suppression were attributed to serial position effects (i.e. recency effects).Time-intensity ratings indicated that each stimulus in the sequences was evaluated individually by the assessors. Sequential effects seem to have occurred during the continuous evaluation of successive stimuli, since preceding stimuli in the sequences affected the evaluation of posterior stimuli. Furthermore, the overall sweetness intensity of the different sequences was not enhanced in relation to the reference. The lack of taste enhancement in sequences exhibiting variations of sucrose concentration was attributed mainly to the long period at which sucrose concentration was varied during the evaluation of the sequences. It was confirmed that the frequency of variation of tastant concentration affects the occurrence of taste enhancement.     

Rejection thresholds (RjT) of sweet likers and dislikers

Sweetness is generally a desirable taste, however consumers can be grouped into sweet likers and dislikers according to optimally preferred sucrose concentrations. Understanding the levels of sweetness in products that are acceptable and unacceptable to both consumer groups is important to product development and for influencing dietary habits. The concentrations at which sucrose decreases liking (the rejection threshold; RjT) in liquid and semi-solid matrices were investigated in this study. Thirty six consumers rated their liking of 5 sucrose aqueous solutions; this identified 36% sweet likers (SL) whose liking ratings increased with increasing sucrose and 64% sweet dislikers (SD) whose liking ratings decreased above 6% (w/v) sucrose. We hypothesized that SL and SD would have different RjT for sucrose in products. This was tested by preparing 8 levels of sucrose in orange juice and orange jelly and presenting each against the lowest level in forced choice preference tests. In orange juice, as sucrose increased from 33 g/L to 75 g/L the proportion of people preferring the sweeter sample increased in both groups. However, at higher sucrose levels, the proportion of consumers preferring the sweet sample decreased. For SD, a RjT was reached at 380 g/L, whereas a significant RjT for SL was not reached. RjT in jelly were not reached as the sweetness in orange jelly was significantly lower than for orange juice (p < 0.001). Despite statistically significant differences in rated sweetness between SL and SD (p = 0.019), the extent of difference between the two groups was minor. The results implied that sweet liker status was not substantially related to differences in sweetness perception. Self-reported dietary intake of carbohydrate, sugars and sucrose were not significantly affected by sweet liker status. However the failure to find an effect may be due to the small sample size and future studies within a larger, more representative population sample are justifiable from the results of this study.     

Hedonic ratings and consumption of school lunch among preschool children

Hedonic ratings of lunch items belonging to 20 school meals were collected from 71 children, 4 to 5 years old, over 2 months. During the subsequent lunch, the leftovers of each individual and menu item were recorded. The most preferred dishes were second courses (mainly based on meat or fish) and the least preferred dishes were vegetables. For all dishes, hedonic ratings predicted the amount uneaten (r = −0.96). Ratings of parents who completed a questionnaire on their children’s preferences also predicted successfully the amount uneaten (r = −.91). The more frequently a lunch item was served at home, the less were the leftovers, but the predictive equation for vegetables vs. other items were clearly different. A composite hedonic response index (HRI), based on ratings of all lunch items predicted low waste index (WI). In conclusion, hedonic ratings of 4–5-year-old children were a valid and highly predictive measure of consumption. Low and variable ratings of vegetable dishes raise the question on how vegetables should be served to encourage their consumption in young children.     

Dynamic aspects of liking: post-prandial persistence of sensory specific satiety

The time dependence of the liking of foodstuffs was investigated in a study with 25 subjects, consisting of three parts: (1) on day one, a sensory specific satiety study, which was extended until 125 min after consumption; (2) on days two to seven, a repeated in home taste and evaluation study; (3) on day eight, a second sensory specific satiety study as in 1.In parts 1 and 3, subjects were asked to eat either cheese biscuits or pears in light syrup to satiety. The change in liking of both foodstuffs, after eating one of the two foodstuffs to satiety, was followed during 125 min. In part 2, the same subjects were asked to taste and evaluate each product at home, every day for six days.In the sensory specific satiety studies (parts 1 and 3) a significant decrease in liking was observed for the product eaten to satiety, as long as 125 min after consuming that product to satiety. For both products contrast effects were observed: the liking of the uneaten product increased after eating the other product to satiety, while the liking of the eaten product decreased. This contrast effect lasted longer after eating cheese biscuits to satiety, than after eating pears to satiety.In the in home taste and evaluation study, a significant and linear decrease in liking was observed for both products during six days. There was a significant effect (p < 0.05) of eating cheese biscuits to satiety in the sensory specific satiety study on day 1, on the liking ratings of the in home consumption study. No such effect was observed for the pears.The results indicate that sensory specific satiety is relatively strong for more than 2 h after consumption and can have effects on liking ratings for more than 24 h. These effects were different for the products tested. Based on these results, we suggest that combining eating a product to satiety and in home evaluation over several days, could possibly be useful as an accelerated method to predict changes in liking upon repeated consumption.     

The role of product familiarity and consumer involvement on liking and perceptions of fresh meat

The objective of this work was to compare consumer’s liking and perception of meat quality attributes as a function of their familiarity and involvement with fresh meat.Ninety-three meat consumers were classified on the basis of their familiarity with fresh meats. Socio-demographic differences between the clusters were found to relate to gender and age, and high familiarity (HF) consumers showed higher involvement with meat. HF consumers enjoyed consuming meat, and they associated a symbolic value to it. In addition, their liking ratings were higher than those of low familiarity (LF) consumers for both appearance and taste of three specific types of fresh meat over the course of product shelf-life. The perceived risks associated with meat consumption and product choice were similar between groups. Both consumer segments reported that the most important driver of fresh meat purchase is its appearance, while the role of extrinsic cues differed among the groups. The HF group needed more information when choosing meat. Regardless of familiarity level, liking was consistent with beef appearance as affected by storage, but the prediction of experienced sensory quality lacked consistency when the perceived intrinsic cue variation was not associated with meat freshness.