Influence of information received by the consumer on the sensory perception of processed orange juice

Abstract

This study evaluated how the sensory perception of fresh and different types of processed juice changes according to the information received by 753 consumers. Fresh, pasteurized, commercially sterilized, frozen concentrated, fruit liquid concentrated, and powered drink mix orange juices were selected as the types of juice. Acceptance and check‐all‐that‐apply tests were carried out in three different conditions: (a) blind, (b) informed (juice processing characteristics, price, ingredients, and shelf‐life), and (c) given the information relative to each type of juice, although the samples tasted were identical and comprised a mix of fresh, sterilized, and powdered drink juices. Results showed that fresh juice was preferred in all tests (even in c, when the same juice mix was served for all samples) and that the acceptance of processed juices (mainly pasteurized, sterilized, and frozen concentrated) was higher in the informed tests. Moreover, the third test (serving the same juice mix) clearly showed how positive–negative information can change the consumer perception about the product. These results highlight the need to improve consumers' access to information about juice processes, helping them to be more aware of processed food products. Practical Application Consumers' rejection regarding processed juices is growing due to associating them with processed food and adverse health effects. Results of this study show that consumers easily recognize and prefer fresh juice and consistently reject processed samples when no information about the products is given. On the other hand, information on processing characteristics, ingredients, durability, and price positively influenced consumer acceptance of processed juices, especially those produced only with oranges (without sugar, water, or additives), regardless of the form of processing. Therefore, the juice industry can use consumer access to information about product characteristics as a marketing strategy.

How can previous knowledge about food science/technology and received information affect consumer perception of processed orange juice?

“…The stimuli were: freshly squeezed orange juice (FSOJ), “processed orange juice” (with no reference to which kind of processing was used, term used only in the blind test), NFC orange juice, UHT sterilized orange juice, FCOJ, FLC, and PDM. The stimuli were chosen to cover the most important products recognized on the Brazilian market as orange juice (Pereira et al, ). Table shows the characteristics of the selected products.…”

“…The results of these studies highlight that consumers have concerns about the negative impact of processed food on health (Pereira et al, ) and in the environment (Da Costa et al, ) and that aversion can be higher for food processed by innovative technologies due to the neophobia phenomenon (Cox & Evans, ; Matin et al, ; Vidigal et al, ). Rejection of traditional processed food (pasteurization, concentration, sterilization, freezing) also occurs, since law consumers normally do not have enough information about them to make a correct judgment (Pereira et al, ), resulting in misleading interpretations about nutritional characteristics and product safety (Gadioli et al, ; Lee, Lusk, Mirosa, & Oey, ). In this context, some studies showed that consumers gave higher scores in the evaluation of processed food when they received information about processing, product characteristics and/or health benefits (Cardello, ; Pereira et al, ), especially for novel food technologies (Cardello, ).…”

“…However, the consumption of processed foods has been on the rise over the years (Deliza, Rosenthal, Abadio, Silva, & Castillo, ), but now consumers look for processed foods with fewer or no additives, low fat and/or sugar, with nutritional and sensory properties preserved (Pereira et al, ; Savelli, Murmura, Liberatore, Casolani, & Bravi, ).…”

“…Several studies investigate how consumers perceive food technologies/processed foods. Examples of these studies are: how consumers' knowledge and beliefs about processed juices affect their sensory perception (Pereira et al, ); neophobia in relation to food technology (Cox & Evans, ); Check‐all‐that‐apply (CATA) methodology used to assess the impact of information received by consumers on sensory perception of food (Grasso, Monahan, Hutchings, & Brunton, ; Schouteten, De Steur, Lagast, De Pelsmaeker, & Gellynck, ); influence of information and beliefs about technology on the acceptance of novel food technologies (Cox et al, ); novel food technology and purchase intention (Cardello, ); relationship between neophobia level of the consumers and the acceptance of new food technology (Vidigal et al, ); consumers' attitude toward genetically modified foods (Da Costa, Deliza, Rosenthal, Hedderley, & Frewer, ); perception of the benefits of nanotechnology (Matin et al, ); consumer perception about a nontraditional and innovative fruit juice (Romano, Rosenthal, & Deliza, ); and the influence of information regarding health benefits on the acceptance (Vidigal et al, ).…”

“…Rejection of traditional processed food (pasteurization, concentration, sterilization, freezing) also occurs, since law consumers normally do not have enough information about them to make a correct judgment (Pereira et al, ), resulting in misleading interpretations about nutritional characteristics and product safety (Gadioli et al, ; Lee, Lusk, Mirosa, & Oey, ). In this context, some studies showed that consumers gave higher scores in the evaluation of processed food when they received information about processing, product characteristics and/or health benefits (Cardello, ; Pereira et al, ), especially for novel food technologies (Cardello, ). On the other hand, the results of other studies showed that the information provided was not enough to overcome consumer aversion to new food technologies (Cox et al, ).…”