Sound quality perception of loudspeakers evaluated by different sensory descriptive methods and preference mapping

Low-sugar egg-based dessert (sweet egg yolk drops): Characterization, consumer acceptance and driver of liking

The addition of sweeteners and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) to partially reduced-sugar syrup allows for the development of high-sugar egg-based desserts, which are a healthier alternative with good consumer acceptance. This study aimed to analyze the effects of different sweeteners and sugar reductions on physicochemical properties, consumer liking, and emotional responses of sweet egg yolk drops. Five experimental desserts were prepared: four with 25 % low-calorie sweeteners (erythritol, mannitol, sorbitol, and tagatose) combined with 25 % FOS in reduced-sugar syrup (50 %), and one as a control (full-sugar formulation). Substitution of erythritol (E50), mannitol (M50), and tagatose (T50) in the syrup significantly decreased the quality of the desserts. This implies a decrease in the sensory properties, leading to negative emotional responses among consumers. However, the application of external preference mapping (EPM) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) revealed that two of the four commercial desserts and one control sample (F100) included sorbitol desserts (S50). Desserts in this group that are related to specific attributes as drivers of liking, such as appearance, yellowness, sweetness, cohesiveness, and juiciness evoke positive emotional responses in consumers ('Auspicious', 'Glad', 'Attractive', 'Secure', 'Loving', 'Natural'). Therefore, sorbitol and FOS are suitable sweeteners in reduced-sugar syrups for producing egg-based desserts with reduced calories and improved consumer acceptance. This study thus paves the way for the development of healthy dessert products.

SENSORY PROFILE OF 3 IN 1 INSTANT COFFEE USING EMOTIONAL-SENSORY MAPPING, FLASH PROFILE, AND CATA (CHECK-ALL-THAT-APPLY) METHODS

Three in one instant coffee is popular among university students. A variety brands of such instant coffee are available on the market. However, the literature on the sensory aspects of the instant coffee is rather limited slim. The project aimed to test three-in-one instant coffee sachets for their sensory characteristics. Two methods, CATA (Attributes and Emotional Mapping) and Flash Profile (extension of Free Choice Profiling) were employed to generate the attribute profiles and emotional dashboard. Sixty IPB University students were selected as panelists. Sensory attributes terminologies and their relation to emotion were generated using Focus Group Discussion among instant coffee heavy drinker. Profile of coffee D showed a creamy texture, while sweetness and milky was dominant when it came to coffee B and coffee C. The creaminess in coffee G was strongly related to feelings of happiness in a consumer. In addition, the sweet and milky taste and flavor in coffee B was seen as a relaxing and luxurious feeling. A Preference Mapping was constructed, and it showed that sweetness, milky, and creaminess improved the liking of the student consumers that make coffee C the most preferred brand among the panelists. In short, the use of flash profiles and check-all-it-dilute/CATA (attributes and emotional) equipped with preference mapping can provide emotional attributes and dashboards that will be important to understand products more than just consumer liking.

Preference mapping of Slovak cheese

The production of steamed cheese has a long tradition in Slovakia. Some of these cheeses have even received the PGI designation, which is a designation granted to products with specific geographical characteristics (Slovenská parenica, Zázrivské vojky, Zázrivský korbáčik, and Oravský korbáčik). In our study, eight samples of various unsmoked steamed cheese from small dairy farms (samples D, F, G, and H) and medium-sized farms (A, B, C, and E) were evaluated. Our work aimed to determine whether there are significant differences in sensory characteristics between samples from small and medium-sized dairy farms and whether there are differences in the preferences between these samples for consumers. Samples were evaluated by sensory analysis, where the assessors evaluated the characteristics of color, odor, texture, flavor, and overall appearance on a nine-point hedonic scale. Differences at a statistically significant level in the attributes of odor, texture, flavor, and overall appearance were confirmed (p <0.05) between samples from small and medium dairy farms, no statistically significant difference was proved in the attribute color (p >0.05). The results were processed using PCA, whereas can be seen from the graphic representation the carriers of all evaluated attributes were samples from medium-sized farms (except for sample D, which belonged to the first group of samples together with samples from medium-sized farms). We constructed a preferential map by combining internal and external mapping, while the internal data were formed by data obtained from assessors using sensory analysis and the external data came from an online questionnaire. Using the preferential mapping technique, we found out that samples from medium-sized dairy farms were classified as the most preferred samples which correspond with the results of sensory analysis.