Consumer Perception and Liking of Parmigiano Reggiano Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Cheese Produced with Milk from Cows Fed Fresh Forage vs. Dry Hay

This study aimed to investigate consumer sensory profiles and liking of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese produced with milk from cows reared indoors and fed with different forage sources, i.e., dry hay and fresh forage. Two cheese samples were tested by 119 Italian subjects, following a protocol that included a Check-All-That-Apply method to assess the sensory profile, a Just-About-Right scale to evaluate the adequacy of attributes, and questions on liking (9-point hedonic scale). A questionnaire related to personal information and consumption habits was also submitted. The color of the two samples, based on image analysis, was different: the sample produced with milk from the dairy cows fed fresh forage had a higher intensity of yellow than the other; they were also described differently (p ≤ 0.05) by participants in the consumer test. Indeed, Parmigiano Reggiano produced with milk from the cows that were fed dry hay was mainly characterized by a "fresh milk" and "solubility", while the sample produced with milk from cows fed fresh forage was described as "yellow", "seasoned", "pungent", and with a "cheese crust" flavor. Even if no significant differences were observed between the two samples in terms of liking (p ≤ 0.05), the attribute "graininess" showed a great impact on liking ratings together with "yellow" (p ≤ 0.05), apparently corresponding to a specific expectation regarding the intensity of these attributes. Data were also analyzed according to the gender of consumers, highlighting that for women, the adequacy of "fresh milk", "sweet", and "graininess" greatly impacted liking for the cheese from cows fed dry hay.

Decoding the Different Aroma-Active Compounds in Soy Sauce for Cold Dishes via a Multiple Sensory Evaluation and Instrumental Analysis

Screening the suitability of soy sauce for specific cooking methods from various products is beneficial for the fine development of the soy sauce industry. Multiple sensory evaluation and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/olfactometry (GC-MS/O) analysis were combined to decode the suitability of soy sauces for cold dishes and characterize their differential aroma-active compounds. Thirty-two kinds of soy sauce with 42 sensory descriptors were determined via a check-all-that-apply analysis, and werefurther classified into six categories via a cluster analysis. The sensory evaluation results showed that seven soy sauce samples had the highest acceptance in each category. Solid-phase microextraction and solid phase extraction results combined with the GC-MS/O analysis results showed that a total of 38 aroma-active compounds were identified in seven soy sauce samples, among which 2-methoxy-phenol (6-93), ethyl acetate (2-48), 3-methyl-1-butanol (4-30), 3-methyl-butanal (5-24), methional (0-22), dimethyl trisulfide (5-19) and dimethyl disulfide (0-8) showed a higher relative odor activity value (ROAV). A partial least squares regression prediction combined with additional tests further confirmed that 2,5-dimethyl-pyrazine; 2,6-dimethyl-pyrazine; and 2-ethyl-6-methyl-pyrazine significantly contributed to the roasted attributes, methional significantly contributed to the sauce-like notes, ethanol significantly contributed to the alcoholic notes and 2-methoxy-phenol significantly contributed to the smoky notes. 2,5-Dimethyl-pyrazine; methional; 2,6-dimethyl-pyrazine and 2-ethyl-6-methyl-pyrazine significantly contributed to the caramel-like attributes.

Evaluation of the sensory properties of thickened and protein-enhanced ice cream using check-all-that-apply and temporal check-all-that-apply

Ice cream formulations with varying amounts of added whey protein were created for those living with dysphagia in long-term care facilities (LTCs) to improve protein and fluid intake. The samples of thickened ice cream included a control (0% whey protein [WP]) and formulations with 6% (6WP), 8% (8WP), 10% (10WP), 12% (12WP) and 14% (14WP) added whey protein by volume. The consistency of the samples was assessed using the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) Spoon Tilt Test, a sensory trial (n = 102) using hedonic scales and check-all-that-apply (CATA) and another sensory trial (n = 96) using temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA). The whey protein increased the acceptability of the thickened ice cream except for the 12WP and 14WP formulations. The formulations with higher amounts of whey protein were associated with bitterness, custard/eggy flavor, and mouthcoating. The TCATA identified that the addition of whey protein led to slippery, gritty, and grainy attributes being perceived in the thickened ice cream. The study identified that 10% whey protein by volume can be added to thickened ice cream without impacting its' acceptability and the 6WP, 8WP, and 10WP formulations were liked significantly more than the control (without whey protein).

Aroma Perception of Limonene, Linalool and α-Terpineol Combinations in Pinot Gris Wine

Aromatic white wines contain monoterpenes that can alter aroma qualities based on their concentration and enantiomeric ratios. Limonene has been identified as a monoterpene that is used to differentiate monovarietal white wines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of limonene on aroma perception at different enantiomeric ratios. Its interaction with linalool and α-terpineol compounds was also investigated. Eighteen model wines were created with different ratios and/or concentrations of limonene and diverse concentrations of linalool and α-terpineol. Triangle tests, check-all-that-apply (CATA) and descriptive analysis were used to evaluate the aroma of the wines. Results show that different limonene ratios had no influence on wine aroma. Descriptive analysis showed that the addition of only limonene influenced citrus characteristics depending on the concentration. Linalool addition did not alter aroma quality when the limonene was at low concentrations, but it did change aroma perception at high limonene levels. α-Terpineol only altered the aroma of the wine at medium and high concentrations. At high concentrations, linalool and α-terpineol presented tropical aromas with some floral notes, irrespective of limonene levels. Depending on the desired aroma qualities of the wine, altering the monoterpene content resulted in very different aromatic wines.

The Effect of Response Conditions on Food Images-Evoked Emotions Measured Using the Valence × Arousal Circumplex-Inspired Emotion Questionnaire (CEQ)

In 2020, a single-response-based, valence × arousal circumplex-inspired emotion questionnaire (CEQ) was developed. Using a between-participants design, previous studies have found that a multiple response (MR) condition better discriminated test samples (e.g., written food names) based on their evoked emotions than a single response (SR) condition. This research, comprising Studies 1 and 2, aimed to determine the effect of response conditions (i.e., SR vs. MR) on emotional responses to food image samples, using a within-participants design. In Study 1, 105 Korean participants were asked to select a pair of emotion terms (i.e., SR condition) or select all pairs representing their evoked emotions (i.e., MR condition) from a list of 12 pairs of emotion terms of the CEQ, in response to the 14 food images. Both SR and MR conditions were tested within a remote (online) session. To minimize both a potential carry-over effect of the "within-participants design" and an influence of environmental factors in the remote testing, Study 2 asked 64 U.S. participants to do so over two separated sessions on two different days in a controlled laboratory setting. In both Studies 1 and 2, participants selected the CEQ's emotion-term pairs in the MR condition more frequently than in the SR condition, leading to the MR condition's higher capacity to discriminate test samples. While the configurations of the correspondence analysis biplots drawn in the SR and MR conditions were similar, those in the MR condition were more likely to be similar to the configurations of the principal component analysis biplots drawn from the ratings of valence and arousal for food image samples. In conclusion, this study provides robust empirical evidence that the MR condition can perform better in capturing sample differences in food-evoked emotions, while the SR condition is also effective in characterizing emotional profiles of test samples. Our findings will provide practical insights to sensory professionals, enabling them to effectively leverage the CEQ or its variants when measuring food-evoked emotions.

Textural and Consumer-Aided Characterisation and Acceptability of a Hybrid Meat and Plant-Based Burger Patty

The hamburger has been targeted for substitution by numerous plant-based alternatives. However, many consumers find the taste of these alternatives lacking, and thus we proposed a hybrid meat and plant-based burger as a more acceptable alternative for these consumers. The burger was made from 50% meat (beef and pork, 4:1) and 50% plant-based ingredients, including texturised legume protein. Texture and sensory properties were evaluated instrumentally and through a consumer survey (n = 381) using the check-all-that-apply (CATA) method. Expressible moisture measurements indicated a significantly juicier eating experience for the hybrid compared to a beef burger (33.5% vs. 22.3%), which was supported by the CATA survey where "juicy" was used more to describe the hybrid than the beef burger (53% vs. 12%). Texture profile analysis showed the hybrid burger was significantly softer (Young's modulus: 332 ± 34 vs. 679 ± 80 kPa) and less cohesive than a beef burger (Ratio 0.48 ± 0.02 vs. 0.58 ± 0.01). Despite having different textural and CATA profiles, overall liking of the hybrid burger and a beef burger were not significantly different. Penalty analysis indicated that "meat flavour", "juiciness", "spiciness" and "saltiness" were the most important attributes for a burger. In conclusion, the hybrid burger had different attributes and was described with different CATA terms than a beef burger but had the same overall acceptability.

Consumer perception of salt-reduced bread with the addition of brown seaweed evaluated under blinded and informed conditions

BACKGROUND

Many consumers have a high salt intake and bread is a primary source because of its high rate of consumption. The inclusion of seaweeds has been proposed as an ingredient that could help reduce the salt content of food products. As such, the present study aimed to evaluate whether the amount of salt in bread could be reduced and the change in sensory properties be mitigated by the inclusion of brown seaweed. There were two different sensory trials conducted. In the first trial, participants (n = 102) evaluated bread made with brown seaweed (4% substitution for flour) with reduced amounts of salt (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%). The second trial asked participants (n = 98) to evaluate the control bread and the 20% salt-reduced bread in blinded and informed conditions. In both sensory trials, the breads samples were assessed using hedonic scales, just-about-right scales, and check-all-that-apply.

RESULTS

The results showed that the 10% and 20% salt-reduced breads were acceptable and associated with being soft, chewy and having no aftertaste. The other breads were associated with a dense, dry and strong aftertaste, along with not being salty enough for the consumers. When the breads were evaluated in informed conditions, the salt reduction label had a negative impact on the consumers' liking.

CONCLUSION

The research emphasizes that salt-reduced labels influence consumers' sensory perception. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Sensory characterization of yellow pea and ground chicken hybrid meat burgers using static and dynamic methodologies

To reduce animal protein consumption, new food products need to be created. Furthermore, there is a growing number of consumers who consciously act to reduce their meat consumption. Hybrid meat products (HMP) are food items that combine both plant and animal proteins. The objective of this study was to create a hybrid meat burger (HMB) using yellow pea and chicken and to evaluate the sensory properties of the new product using static (check-all-that-apply [CATA]) and dynamic (temporal check-all-that-apply [TCATA]) methods. Yellow pea flour was added to a chicken burger at 0% (control), 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. A sensory trial asked participants (n = 69) to evaluate the HMBs using hedonic scales and CATA. A second sensory trial asked experienced panelists (n = 14) to evaluate the items using TCATA. The addition of the yellow pea flour decreased the liking of the burgers, except for the 10% formulation. The burgers made with higher amounts of yellow pea were associated with off-flavors (beany and nutty; significantly different from the control) during both CATA and TCATA tasks and detracted from consumers' liking. Juicy, moist, meaty, salty, and soft attributes increased the consumers' liking. The study identified that the addition of yellow pea to chicken burgers is only acceptable to consumers in small quantities (10%). In addition, the yellow peas contributed off-flavors and a dry texture that was disliked by the consumers. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The environmental impacts of livestock production have created a need to incorporate more plant-based proteins into consumers' diets to increase sustainability. The market for meat alternatives, including hybrid meat products, is expanding; however, current products do not always meet consumers' expectations. Chicken is the fastest-growing meat sector in North America, and therefore this study's objective was to determine the sensory properties of a burger made from chicken and pulses (yellow pea). It was found that if 10% of chicken in a burger was substituted with yellow pea, then the sensory properties and consumer liking were not significantly affected.

Sensory Profiling and Liking of Salami and Pancetta from Immunocastrated, Surgically Castrated and Entire Male Pigs

Simple Summary

Alternatives to surgical castration are an important issue in pig production due to societal concerns regarding animal welfare. Castration of piglets is a common practice to avoid boar taint, an unpleasant taste (urine/fecal like) of meat from uncastrated male pigs. In view of abandoning surgical castration and introduction of new alternatives, such as raising entire male pigs and applying immunocastration, several new issues are emerging. These include boar taint occurrence in case of entire male pigs and a deteriorated raw material (meat, fat) quality, which can affect consumer perception. Therefore, more information is needed about the consumer acceptance of products from the different alternatives. In the present study, two types of dry-cured meat products were assessed to give some insights into the sensory characteristic and consumers’ liking of the products coming from immunocastrated, entire male and surgically castrated animals.

Abstract

Consumer studies on acceptability of pork from immunocastrates (IC) and entire males (EM) are of primary importance, if these alternatives are to replace surgical castration (SC) of piglets. Data on the sensory traits and consumers acceptance of IC and EM meat products are still limited. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to (1) describe the sensory profile by quantitative descriptive analysis and (2) test the perception and consumer liking of salami (dry-fermented sausage) and pancetta (dry-cured belly) from EM, IC and SC animals. The consumer tests included the scaling method and check-all-that-apply. Profiling showed that EM products were scored lower in the overall sensory quality compared to IC or SC. EM products differed mainly from IC and SC in the intensity of the manure, sweat odor and flavor, persistent impression and texture (hardness, gumminess and easy to fragment). Salami samples did not differ in liking. In pancetta, the differences were significant for odor liking and visual quality (expected liking). Consumers did not perceive EM products as inferior in terms of liking, while sensory profiling indicated differences for boar taint presence and texture. Using meat originating from IC did not result in any differences in consumers acceptance as compared to products from SC.

Differences in Hedonic Responses, Facial Expressions and Self-Reported Emotions of Consumers Using Commercial Yogurts: A Cross-Cultural Study

Hedonic scale testing is a well-accepted methodology for assessing consumer perceptions but is compromised by variation in voluntary responses between cultures. Check-all-that-apply (CATA) methods using emotion terms or emojis and facial expression recognition (FER) are emerging as more powerful tools for consumer sensory testing as they may offer improved assessment of voluntary and involuntary responses, respectively. Therefore, this experiment compared traditional hedonic scale responses for overall liking to (1) CATA emotions, (2) CATA emojis and (3) FER. The experiment measured voluntary and involuntary responses from 62 participants of Asian (53%) versus Western (47%) origin, who consumed six divergent yogurt formulations (Greek, drinkable, soy, coconut, berry, cookies). The hedonic scales could discriminate between yogurt formulations but could not distinguish between responses across the cultural groups. Aversive responses to formulations were the easiest to characterize for all methods; the hedonic scale was the only method that could not characterize differences in cultural preferences, with CATA emojis displaying the highest level of discrimination. In conclusion, CATA methods, particularly the use of emojis, showed improved characterization of cross-cultural preferences of yogurt formulations compared to hedonic scales and FER.

Consumer acceptability and chemical composition of whole-wheat breads incorporated with brown seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) or red seaweed (Chondrus crispus)

BACKGROUND

Seaweeds have been eaten in the diets of coastal cultures for centuries; however, consumption of seaweeds has been limited in Western diets owing to undesirable sensory characteristics and lack of familiarity. Apart from healthful bioactive metabolites, seaweeds are good sources of fibre and minerals. They are nearly a complete protein and have a low fat content (mainly mono- or polyunsaturated). The objectives were (i) to investigate if the addition of brown seaweed, Ascophyllum nodosum, or red seaweed, Chondrus crispus, altered the chemical composition and sensory properties of whole-wheat bread; and (ii) to determine what percentage the addition of brown or red seaweed to whole-wheat bread is acceptable to consumers. The two seaweeds were incorporated into separate batches of whole-wheat bread by percentage weight flour at 0% (control), 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%.

RESULTS

The products containing the highest amounts of A. nodosum and C. crispus had the highest ash and total dietary fibre. A. nodosum and C. crispus breads were acceptable at 4% and 2% levels respectively. The attributes of no aftertaste, soft, and chewy drove consumer liking of the whole-wheat bread, whereas attributes dry, dense, strong aftertaste, and saltiness detracted from liking.

CONCLUSION

This project's significance is to demonstrate the acceptability of seaweed in a Western population, which may lay the groundwork to encourage and promote the consumption of seaweed or to exemplify seaweed incorporation into foodstuffs. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dishes Adapted to Dysphagia: Sensory Characteristics and Their Relationship to Hedonic Acceptance

Dishes whose texture has been modified for dysphagia undergo changes in other sensory characteristics as well. Therefore, it is necessary to identify these characteristics in adapted dishes and their relationship to hedonic acceptance. In the present work, the sensory characteristics of five dishes adapted to dysphagia associated with cerebral palsy were investigated using the check-all-that-apply method. A hedonic evaluation with a panel of non-dysphagic judges was performed to relate the degree of acceptance with the sensory characteristics of the adapted dishes. The identification of the original non-adapted dish as well as the relationship between the hedonic evaluation by non-dysphagic judges and dysphagic judges were explored. The main attributes of the dishes adapted to dysphagia were "homogeneity" and "easy-to-swallow". Attributes that increased the hedonic evaluation were "flavorful", "flavor of the original dish", "soft texture", "easy-to-swallow", and "odor of the original dish". The attributes that decreased the hedonic evaluation were "thick mash" and "bland". The fish dish was the only one correctly identified more than 62.5% of the time. The adapted dishes received scores above 4.7 out of 9.0 in the hedonic evaluation. The most accepted dishes were the chicken stew and the chickpea stew. Except for the pasta dish, the test yielded similar results to those obtained with dysphagic judges. The texture-modified dishes were correctly characterized and accepted. This study shows that all the sensory characteristics of the adapted dishes are crucial for acceptance and identification.

Color-Induced Aroma Illusion: Color Cues Can Modulate Consumer Perception, Acceptance, and Emotional Responses toward Cooked Rice

Since rice is often cooked in many countries with different types of ingredients or seasonings, the surface colors of traditional rice meal items vary across cultural backgrounds. This study aimed to determine whether consumer perception, acceptance, willingness to eat, and emotional responses toward cooked rice samples could differ with their surface color cues. Milled rice was cooked with one of three food colorants: yellow, orange, and green, with milled (white) and un-milled (brown) rice cooked without colorants used as respective test and filler samples. Using a check-all-that-apply method, 98 rice consumers checked all aroma attributes they perceived by sniffing each of the four cooked-rice samples (white, yellow, orange, and green). They also rated the four samples with respect to attribute intensity, liking, emotional responses, and willingness to eat. The results showed that participants associated colored rice with specific ingredient-related aroma attributes (e.g., green color elicited sweet peas or spinach aromas). Color cues also affected ratings of attribute intensity, liking, willingness to eat, and emotional responses to cooked rice samples. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence that in the context of cooked rice consumption, color cues can elicit associated aromas and modulate consumer perception, acceptance, and evoked emotions to cooked rice.

Effect of CO2 Preservation Treatments on the Sensory Quality of Pomegranate Juice

Due to the interest in identifying cost-effective techniques that can guarantee the microbiological, nutritional, and sensorial aspects of food products, this study investigates the effect of CO2 preservation treatment on the sensory quality of pomegranate juice at t0 and after a conservation period of four weeks at 4 °C (t28). The same initial batch of freshly squeezed non-treated (NT) juice was subjected to non-thermal preservation treatments with supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2), and with a combination of supercritical carbon dioxide and ultrasound (CO2-US). As control samples, two other juices were produced from the same NT batch: A juice stabilized with high pressure treatment (HPP) and a juice pasteurized at high temperature (HT), which represent an already established non-thermal preservation technique and the conventional thermal treatment. Projective mapping and check-all-that-apply methodologies were performed to determine the sensory qualitative differences between the juices. The volatile profile of the juices was characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that juices treated with supercritical CO2 could be differentiated from NT, mainly by the perceived odor and volatile compound concentration, with a depletion of alcohols, esters, ketones, and terpenes and an increase in aldehydes. For example, in relation to the NT juice, limonene decreased by 95% and 90%, 1-hexanol decreased by 9% and 17%, and camphene decreased by 94% and 85% in the CO2 and CO2-US treated juices, respectively. Regarding perceived flavor, the CO2-treated juice was not clearly differentiated from NT. Changes in the volatile profile induced by storage at 4 °C led to perceivable differences in the odor quality of all juices, especially the juice treated with CO2-US, which underwent a significant depletion of all major volatile compounds during storage. The results suggest that the supercritical CO2 process conditions need to be optimized to minimize impacts on sensory quality and the volatile profile.

Comparison of consumer-based methodologies for optimizing the development of new products: A case study with probiotic chocolate flavored milk

Several studies have reported that most new products do not achieve satisfactory results when launched on the market. There is a need to increase the efficiency of the methodologies used in the development of new products to increase success rates. Rapid sensory methodologies named Polarized Sensory Positioning (PSP), Check-all-that-apply (CATA), Projective mapping (PM) or Napping were applied to obtain sensory and hedonic information of a new product, probiotic-added chocolate flavored milk, aiming at determining preference guides that can be used to obtain a high overall liking level. It was possible to develop a probiotic chocolate flavored milk with general positive overall liking. The preferred sample was formulated with high content of sugar and chocolate, concluding that these characteristics are preference guides. The results supplied by the consumers using different methodologies were consistent, although the methodologies differed in their ability for sample differentiation. CATA methodology allowed better discrimination between samples than the other methodologies, followed by Projective Mapping, PSP with scales and triadic PSP. We could confirm that those rapid methodologies of sensory characterization are efficient when applied to product development.Practical applications Using those methodologies, it was possible to develop a probiotic chocolate flavored milk that meets both, consumer's expectations in relation to nutrition and taste and functionality. The methodologies proved to be efficient in characterizing consumer preference guides, and therefore fundamental to the development of a product with higher overall liking.

Temporal dominance of sensations and check-all-that-apply analysis of restructured cooked hams elaborated with different salt content and pork quality meats

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of salt (NaCl) content of 1.2%, 1.6%, and 2.0% in the sensory characteristics of restructured cooked hams, formulated with abnormal (PSE; pale, soft, and exudative) and normal (RFN; reddish pink, firm, and non-exudative) meats. The products with 1.2% added salt had higher (P < 0.05) acceptance scores for flavor, regardless of the type of meat used. Hams manufactured with PSE meat and 1.2% salt content had higher (P < 0.05) overall impression scores and were associated with the terms "characteristic ham flavor", "juicy", and "soft" in the check-all-that-apply analysis. RFN meat samples with 1.6% and 2.0% salt content were respectively associated to "rubbery" and "firm" texture. The ham flavor was always reported at the beginning of the temporal dominance of sensation test, followed by the term "salty" for the samples with 2.0% salt and "meaty" in the samples with 1.2% salt. The term "umami taste" appears to be associated to that samples made with PSE meat. These results led to the conclusion that PSE meat had a positive effect on the sensory profile of restructured cooked hams, especially in those formulated with 1.2% salt.

Development of functional pasta with microencapsulated Spirulina: technological and sensorial effects

BACKGROUND

Spirulina microalgae have been added to food; however, there have been few reports on the methods used to protect the antioxidant potential against process conditions, and the effects on the sensory characteristics of products need to be better described. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence on the technological properties, sensory profile, and acceptability of the pasta with free or microencapsulated Spirulina biomass added. Pasta formulations included: free Spirulina (FSP), microencapsulated Spirulina (MSP), and empty microspheres (EMP), which were compared with the control pasta (CP).

RESULTS

The microencapsulation protected the antioxidant potential of Spirulina in 37.8% of the pasta cooking conditions. The microspheres presented low solubility in water (86 g.kg^-1 ) and high encapsulation efficiency (87.6%), this being appropriate for addition to products that need cooking in water. The technological properties of pasta (water absorption, weight gain, firmness, and adhesiveness) were affected, but the overall acceptability index (85.13%) was not influenced by the addition of microspheres, despite changes observed in the sensory profile obtained by the CATA (check-all-that-apply).

CONCLUSIONS

Spirulina could be added to pasta even without microencapsulation but the microencapsulation in alginate allows for the protection of the antioxidant potential of the biomass, representing a potential alternative for the bakery industry. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Consumer attitudes toward entomophagy before and after evaluating cricket (Acheta domesticus)-based protein powders

In recent years, the use of insects in food products has increased. Insects are a sustainable ingredient that is high in protein. However, consumption in Western countries is low, and this may be due to poor sensory qualities, expense, availability, and food neophobia. The objectives of this study were to determine Atlantic Canadian consumers' attitudes toward entomophagy and to assess consumers' perception of cricket-based protein powders. There were two phases to this study: in phase one, participants (n = 107) completed a survey about their attitudes toward consuming insects (Specific Beliefs and Attitudes about Insect Consumption Scale created by Ruby, Rozin, & Chan 2015), and in the second phase, participants (n = 102) were asked to evaluate four different protein powders (two contained crickets) using 9-point hedonic scales and a CATA questionnaire. Then, the participants were again asked to complete the aforementioned survey. Before consuming cricket protein powder, most participants thought that insects were a sustainable protein source, but also thought that the consumption of insects was undesirable. However, after consuming cricket protein powder, the participants were willing to buy cricket powder and were willing to recommend it to their friends. For insect consumption to become acceptable in the Western world, it will need to be integrated slowly to reduce consumers' fear and negative attitudes. Protein powders are consumed by many people in the Western world and are an excellent candidate to allow for the integration of insects into their diets. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study demonstrated that consumers in Atlantic Canada are more willing to eat insects after having tried them in protein powders. Additionally, protein powders represent a familiar context for consumers and allow for the acceptable integration of cricket powder. Consumers are willing to buy and recommend crickets to their friends after consuming them (in a processed form); however, they still have concerns that insects may carry harmful microbes and toxins.

Identifying the drivers of liking by investigating the reasons for (dis)liking using CATA in cross-cultural context: a case study on barbecue sauce

BACKGROUND

The present study cross-culturally investigated the drivers of liking for traditional and ethnic chicken marinades using descriptive analysis and consumer taste tests incorporating the check-all-that-apply (CATA) method. Seventy-three Koreans and 86 US consumers participated. The tested sauces comprised three tomato-based sauces, a teriyaki-based sauce and a Korean spicy seasoning-based sauce. Chicken breasts were marinated with each of the five barbecue sauces, grilled and served for evaluation. Descriptive analysis and consumer taste tests were conducted. Consumers rated the acceptance on a hedonic scale and checked the reasons for (dis)liking by the CATA method for each sauce. A general linear model, multiple factor analysis and chi-square analysis were conducted using the data.

RESULTS

The results showed that the preference orders of the samples between Koreans and US consumers were strikingly similar to each other. However, the reasons for (dis)liking the samples differed cross-culturally. The drivers of liking of two sauces sharing relatively similar sensory profiles but differing significantly in hedonic ratings were effectively delineated by reasons of (dis)liking CATA results.

CONCLUSION

Reasons for (dis)liking CATA proved to be a powerful supporting method to understand the internal drivers of liking which can be overlooked by generic descriptive analysis.