We consume foods in environments that can "spill over" into our perceptions of the food. Thus, we consider some foods "unsuitable" for certain settings, with others deemed more suitable for this locale. This has been studied for many years as sensory "context," with written descriptions, pictures, or videos of such contexts. We present a method generating virtual reality contexts without any specist programming knowledge, for a few hundred dollars. In an accompanying pilot test, perception of a sample was significantly influenced by the VR context in which it was delivered.
Plant breeders working with new or underrepresented horticultural crops often have minimal sensory resources available to aid in the breeding and selection of new varieties. Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) is a recently popularized horticultural crop in Western markets, however, plant breeding programs have little knowledge regarding the underlying sensory characteristics motivating this trend. We employed a multilayered, sensory-driven approach to understand the inherent consumer values, sensory attributes, and consumer preferences for kale types currently available on the market and novel genotypes from the Cornell AgriTech vegetable breeding program. Underlying consumer values related to storability, health and wellbeing, and sensory characteristics were identified through Qualitative Multivariate Analysis (QMA). A trained descriptive panel developed a lexicon of 44 sensory attributes common within kale germplasm, 21 of which exhibited significant differences among the 15 tested kale genotypes. Following a consumer test, four clusters of kale consumers were identified with agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) and external preference mapping was used to connect consumer hedonic scores with descriptive data. Consumers demonstrated a preference for familiar kale types (that is, curly types), while new test hybrids scored favorably within flavor and appearance modalities. Preference mapping highlighted the utility of plant breeding in developing products to expand the existing sensory space. This work provides important resources for horticultural crop selection efforts, and it serves as a strategic model for breeding programs working with new or unfamiliar traits.Practical Application: Plant breeders are responsible for selecting and improving traits that influence consumer acceptance, including quality traits such as appearance and flavor. Understanding the relative importance of sensory characteristics and the variation of these sensory characteristics can help plant breeders prioritize these traits within their program. We have developed a standardized sensory lexicon for kale and related leafy Brassicas, identified variation for texture and flavor in our breeding program, and gained a better understanding of consumer preferences to guide future breeding efforts.
This work focuses on the reuse of brewery spent grains (BSGs), the most abundant by‐product of the beer industry, today mainly used as animal feed. BSGs are rich in fibers and proteins as well as phenolic compounds, all of which are beneficial for human nutrition. Cereal bars containing 12% BSG were formulated and characterized instrumentally. Moreover, 159 panelists representative of young Italian consumers evaluated the bars in a central location test, along with a commercial cereal bar. Products were first evaluated blind, and then in an informed condition where additional product‐specific nutritional and sustainability information was revealed, thus the purchase intent was determined. While the control product outperformed the BSG bar in most of the hedonic and sensory measures, the BSG sample was perceived as “natural/made with natural ingredients” by a significantly higher number of panelists (49%) compared to the control (30%). Additionally, even in the lower performing formulation, a significant positive effect on purchase intent was observed when providing either nutrition (fiber content) or sustainability (use of upcycled ingredients) information. The acceptable price range for the BSG and the commercial bar was very similar, whereas the optimal pricing point for the BSG was lower than the control. For the BSG product, sustainability information had significantly higher impact on purchase intent than nutrition‐based information. Results highlight the importance of understanding consumer attitudes toward upcycling and the use of byproducts as ingredients in new food formulations. Practical Application Results show how providing information on product nutrition and sustainability can increase purchase intent in the context of a cereal bar containing upcycled ingredients. The findings of this study can help food and consumer researchers to develop acceptable products that include BSG as an ingredient, potentially replacing other cereals in the recipe. The use of this brewery by‐product could add value to the beer supply chain and to the final product as well, being also aligned with the current market trend of sustainability and functional health benefits.
The manufacture of single‐use plastic items uses fossil fuels, and releases greenhouse gases. Plastic waste is also harmful to humans and wildlife. Recent attention towards the regulation or elimination of plastic straws has led to the development of many alternatives to single‐use plastic straws, some intended to be disposed of immediately after use, and others to be cleaned and reused. Unfortunately, anecdotes are widespread of inferior sensory experiences from such alternatives, with straws either losing stability when wet, imparting negative flavor properties to a beverage, or feeling unpleasant in the mouth. Despite such reports, little formal research exists categorizing these alternatives. Here, we examine popular choices for straw materials in a focus group (n = 9) and in a consumer sensory test (n = 102), as well as testing the durability of straws when soaked in water. Cornstarch straws offered the most similar sensory experience to plastic, whereas options such as paper, wheat, pasta, and rice straws all scored low on mouthfeel and flavor liking, with off‐flavors commonly reported in beverages consumed with these straws. A Kano analysis (n = 193) to determine the factors consumers find essential in drinking straws confirmed the most important to be that no flavors were imparted to beverages when used. Finally, a consumer survey (n = 579) confirmed that straw consumers primarily use them out of default availability; most use them only if they are given without asking, and most would readily give up plastic straws, but may be unfamiliar with other options. Practical Application Plastic straws contribute to waste and result in the release of greenhouse gases in their manufacture. Despite this, they provide a superior sensory experience compared to other options. Here, we review aspects of this experience, along with consumers motivations for using straws.
Acid whey is a by-product generated in large quantities during dairy processing, and is characterized by its low pH and high chemical oxygen demand. Due to a lack of reliable disposal pathways, acid whey currently presents a major sustainability challenge to the dairy industry. The study presented in this paper proposes a solution to this issue by transforming yogurt acid whey (YAW) into potentially palatable and marketable beverages through yeast fermentation. In this study, five prototypes were developed and fermented by Kluyveromyces marxianus, Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Brettanomyces claussenii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (strain: Hornindal kveik), and IOC Be Fruits (IOCBF) S. cerevisiae, respectively. Their fermentation profiles were characterized by changes in density, pH, cell count, and concentrations of ethanol and organic acids. The prototypes were also evaluated on 26 sensory attributes, which were generated through a training session with 14 participants. While S. cerevisiae (IOCBF) underwent the fastest fermentation (8 days) and B. claussenii the slowest (21 days), K. marxianus and S. cerevisiae (Hornindal kveik) showed similar fermentation rates, finishing on day 20. The change in pH of the fermentate was similar for all five strains (from around 4.45 to between 4.25 and 4.31). Cell counts remained stable throughout the fermentation for all five strains (at around 6 log colony-forming units (CFU)/mL) except in the case of S. cerevisiae (Hornindal kveik), which ultimately decreased by 1.63 log CFU/mL. B. bruxellensis was the only strain unable to utilize all of the sugars in the substrate, with residual galactose remaining after fermentation. While both S. cerevisiae (IOCBF)- and B. claussenii-fermented samples were characterized by a fruity apple aroma, the former also had an aroma characteristic of lactic acid, dairy products, bakeries and yeast. A chemical odor characteristic of petroleum, gasoline or solvents, was perceived in samples fermented by B. bruxellensis and K. marxianus. An aroma of poorly aged or rancid cheese or milk also resulted from B. bruxellensis fermentation. In terms of appearance and mouthfeel, the S. cerevisiae (IOCBF)-fermented sample was rated the cloudiest, with the heaviest body. This study provides a toolkit for product development in a potential dairy-based category of fermented alcoholic beverages, which can increase revenue for the dairy industry by upcycling the common waste product YAW.
Consumer testing assays a panel's liking of a food or other sensory stimulus. However, liking can be influenced by mood, with people feeling more uncomfortable, or more unhappy reporting lower liking ratings than those in a higher affect. Though consumer testing typically takes place as a central location test (CLT, usually in a set of standardized sensory booths), the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a global pivot to home use tests (HUTs), where panelists can taste and smell samples unmasked more safely while in their own homes. Unfortunately, as this situation differs in many ways to a central location test, this puts the validity of longitudinal comparisons of liking scores under question. Further, as people across the globe report feelings of worry, unease, and stress during the pandemic, this may present a second source of variation in affect with previous years. We tested a set of snack bar samples both at home and in a central location, in repeated measures with the same panel, to test the validity of comparisons across locations. We further compared CLT results to those when testing the same samples in a previous year. Finally, we performed a metaanalysis of existing data on this subject. While liking behavior in CLTs did not differ between years, panelists rated some samples higher when in their own homes, in line with results from the meta-analysis of previous reports. Interestingly, panelists in the study also assigned fewer penalties in the HUT, implying a less analytical mindset when in the home. Results suggest that care should be taken when comparing results taken at home during the COVID-19 pandemic to those taken previously in a central location.Practical Application: Consumer testing is applied in the food industry to evaluate a panelist's liking for a food product or stimulus. However, liking is also dependent on factors extrinsic to the samples tested. Thus, with the switch to in-home testing due to COVID-19, we compared liking scores from in-home and central locations testing, with higher scores common in HUTs.
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