With increasing attention toward understanding underlying factors of food acceptability, it was investigated how different sensory profiles of berry and vegetable beverages impacted consumers' associations, emotions, view of appropriateness, and consequently liking acquisition. In total, 216 (F = 161, M = 55) subjects (18–66 years) participated in a CATA and liking evaluation. The beverages evoked associations, emotions, and appropriateness for use and these varied with changes of the perceptual properties of the product. Thus, CATA was an appropriate method to collect information about consumer responses beyond liking. Health was most frequently used to describe the beverages. However, associations related to excitement (delicious, good, and summery) and sensory perception (refreshing, mild, and fresh made) of the beverages had the largest influence on liking acquisition with delicious being most influential.
Practical implications
CATA including consumers' associations, emotions, and appropriateness for use questions was a suitable and valuable method for gathering information on consumer responses in order to move beyond basic liking indications. The outcome highlighted the importance of sensory quality, as the consumers found deliciousness more important for food acceptability than health when evaluating beverages.