A juicy orange makes for a tastier juice: The neglected role of visual material perception in packaging design

materialmodifier: An R package of photo editing effects for material perception research

In this paper, we introduce an R package that performs automated photo editing effects. Specifically, it is an R implementation of an image-processing algorithm proposed by Boyadzhiev et al. (2015). The software allows the user to manipulate the appearance of objects in photographs, such as emphasizing facial blemishes and wrinkles, smoothing the skin, or enhancing the gloss of fruit. It provides a reproducible method to quantitatively control specific surface properties of objects (e.g., gloss and roughness), which is useful for researchers interested in topics related to material perception, from basic mechanisms of perception to the aesthetic evaluation of faces and objects. We describe the functionality, usage, and algorithm of the method, report on the findings of a behavioral evaluation experiment, and discuss its usefulness and limitations for psychological research. The package can be installed via CRAN, and documentation and source code are available at https://github.com/tsuda16k/materialmodifier .

Sensory Perception Mechanism for Preparing the Combinations of Stimuli Operation in the Architectural Experience

Sensory stimuli in an architectural space play an important role in the human perception of the indoor environment, no matter whether they are static or dynamic, isolated, or combined. By enhancing some perceptions in the sensory stimuli, the overall perceptions of an architectural space can be improved, especially for an intelligent architectural space. As yet, there are few studies reported about the sensory perception mechanism for the sensory stimuli operation in the architectural experience. In this research, a wooden micro building was prepared for the study of the sensitivity level of participants to various sensory stimuli in the same and in different sensory domains. Participants’ visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile and kinaesthesia perceptions were discussed statistically in terms of the sensitivity level. Based on the study, the effect of a single dynamic sensory stimulus (a dynamically coloured light) on the participants’ perception was studied in a paper architectural model from two aspects including preference and emotion. The dynamically coloured light was discussed statistically in terms of the level of preference. The study showed that there are significant differences among participants’ levels of sensitivity to the different sensory domains and to the different sensory stimuli. In particular, the sensitivity level to the stimulus that is the colour of a space is the highest of all stimuli. As a single changing sensory stimulus, a dynamically coloured light can lead to significant mood fluctuations and changes in the preference level. In particular, yellow is the favourite colour of light. The object of this study is expected to provide a theoretical foundation that is related to sensory choice, sensory perception enhancement and the combination forms of sensory perceptions. Based on the theoretical foundation, the perception design of overlapped multi-sensory stimuli and a single dynamic stimulus can be conducted to improve the quality of the indoor environment of normal and intelligent multi-sensory architecture.

Harnessing Food Product Reviews for Personalizing Sweetness Levels

Sweet taste is innately appealing, ensuring that mammals are attracted to the sweetness of mother’s milk and other sources of carbohydrates and calories. In the modern world, the availability of sugars and sweeteners and the eagerness of the food industry to maximize palatability, result in an abundance of sweet food products, which poses a major health challenge. The aim of the current study is to analyze sweetness levels, liking, and ingredients of online reviews of food products, in order to obtain insights into sensory nutrition and to identify new opportunities for reconciling the palatability–healthiness tension. We collected over 200,000 reviews of ~30,000 products on Amazon dated from 2002 to 2012 and ~350,000 reviews of ~2400 products on iHerb from 2006 to 2021. The reviews were classified and analyzed using manual curation, natural language processing, and machine learning. In total, ~32,000 (Amazon) and ~29,000 (iHerb) of these reviews mention sweetness, with 2200 and 4600 reviews referring to the purchased products as oversweet. Oversweet reviews were dispersed among consumers. Products that included sucralose had more oversweet reviews than average. 26 products had at least 50 reviews for which at least 10% were oversweet. For these products, the average liking by consumers reporting oversweetness was significantly lower (by 0.9 stars on average on a 1 to 5 stars scale) than by the rest of the consumers. In summary, oversweetness appears in 7–16% of the sweetness-related reviews and is less liked, which suggests an opportunity for customized products with reduced sweetness. These products will be simultaneously healthier and tastier for a substantial subgroup of customers and will benefit the manufacturer by expanding the products’ target audience. Analysis of consumers’ reviews of marketed food products offers new ways to obtain informative sensory data.

The impact of packaging design on the perceived quality of honey by Brazilian consumers

This study aimed to construct and validate a scale to evaluate the honey consumer perception. Furthermore, the impact of packaging design on honey's perceived quality and purchase intention was evaluated. Brazilian consumers (n = 343) answered the 21 self-descriptive statements of the scale using 7-point Likert scales. Furthermore, six different packages were presented, and the consumer perception (health, origin, safety, and taste) and purchase intention were evaluated using 5-point and 7-point Likert scales, respectively. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and PLS path modeling were employed. The validated scale had 13 self-descriptive statements (indicators with factor loading higher than 0.4) and showed discriminant (heterotrait-monotrait ratio values < 0.85) and convergent validity (average variance extracted > 0.4) and adequate reliability (composite reliability > 0.70). The consumers associated honey with health properties and a safe product. Furthermore, they preferred honey purchased directly from producers due to its perceived quality (natural and pure). Honey packaged in glass jars with or without dipper was perceived as healthier, tastier, higher quality, and from trusted origin. Furthermore, glass jars were considered more practical and sustainable packages.

On the Questionable Appeal of Glossy/Shiny Food Packaging

Those stimuli that have a shiny/glossy visual appearance are typically rated as both attractive and attention capturing. Indeed, for millennia, shiny precious metals and glossy lacquerware have been used to enhance the presentation, and thus the perception, of food and drink. As such, one might have expected that adding a shiny/glossy appearance/finish to the outer packaging of food and beverage products would also be desirable. However, the latest research appears to show that many consumers have internalised an association between glossy packaging and greasy (or unhealthy) food products, while matte packaging tends to be associated with those foods that are more natural instead. Furthermore, it turns out that many consumers do not necessarily appreciate the attempt to capture their attention that glossy packaging so often affords. At the same time, it is important to recognise that somewhat different associations may apply in the case of inner versus outer food and beverage packaging. Shiny metallic (inner) packaging may well prime (rightly or wrongly) concerns about sustainability amongst consumers. Given the research that has been published in recent years, food and beverage manufacturers/marketers should think very carefully about whether or not to introduce such shiny/glossy finishes to their packaging.