Dynamics of food preferences: a case study with chewing gums

The dynamics of food perception is critical in sensory science. However, although much research deals with time–intensity measurement as a tool for analytical sensory evaluation, it is striking that almost no published research investigates the dynamics of hedonic responses. Here we studied how consumers scored mint flavored sugar-free gums when the test duration varied. Six coated dragée-like gums from the French market were tested by each consumer according to three test conditions: 1 min of chewing, 5 min and half-an-hour. One and five minute tests took place in the sensory lab evaluation booths whereas consumers were free to move about for the 30 min modality. All consumers thus participated to a total of 18 sessions. Our main finding is that the average liking varies with the test duration but that this variation differs for the six products in a way that one of the initially least liked products becomes the most liked when it is chewed during 30 min. Also, the individual liking patterns and the resulting consumer segmentation varied widely across the three test conditions. Additionally, a Flash profile was performed with experienced subjects in an attempt to relate the observed differences in liking to the gum sensory characteristics. Trigeminal-related sensations seem to play an important role in these changes. Clearly such aspects are to be taken into account for new product development and market analysis. This kind of concerns may be even more challenging for hedonic evaluation of many non-food products.