THE EFFECT OF INFORMATION RELATED TO FAT CONTENT AND TASTE ON CONSUMER RESPONSES TO A REDUCED-FAT FRANKFURTER AND A REDUCED-FAT CHOCOLATE BAR

The effects of product information on responses to frankfurter sausages and chocolate bars were studied by comparing sensory and hedonic ratings in two conditions: blind tasting and tasting with information present. Furthermore, the effect of information alone was investigated by having the subjects rate the expected sensory and hedonic intensities of the products on the basis of packages with different claims. Three groups of subjects were tested by giving them different information: The basic group (no added claims, n=31), the reduced-fat group (products claimed to have reduced-fat, n=29) and the flavorful group (products claimed to have full meat/chocolate flavor, n=31). Product information increased the rated pleasantness of the frankfurter in all three information groups compared to the blind ratings. The information did not affect the pleasantness of the chocolate bars. The expected attribute intensities of the frankfurters and chocolates were rated lower by the reduced-fat group than by the other groups. Overall, the effect of product information was more clearly seen in ratings of sensory attributes than in pleasantness ratings.     

LIKING FOR ICE CREAM MEASURED WITH THREE PROCEDURES: SIDE-BY-SIDE, AFTER CONSUMPTION AND SINGLE SAMPLES

The purpose of this study was to compare how similar results are achieved by three different procedures of measuring liking for ice cream. Subjects (N=56) assessed their liking for three brands of vanilla ice cream on a 9-point scale in seven sessions within three weeks. The examined procedures were (1) tasting and rating all three brands simultaneously side-by-side within the same session, (2) rating each brand in separate sessions after ad libitum consumption and (3) tasting (without consumption) and rating each brand in separate sessions. The liking scores for brands differed significantly but the differences were small because all samples were well-liked. In all procedures, the ratings of liking differed clearly between those who ranked the brand first and those who ranked it second or third, even if there was a considerable number of tied first places. Correlations among the three different measurements of liking were relatively low for all brands of ice cream (r = 0.16 – 0.37). The most preferred brand for most respondents changed from one procedure to another. The perceived characteristics were close to ideal in all brands, and all three procedures gave similar mean results. The distance of mouthfeel, creaminess, sweetness, and vanilla aroma from ideal differed between those who liked the brand best and those who rated it second or third. These differences were larger in side-by-side and after consumption conditions compared to single sample presentation.     

PERCEIVED SALTINESS OF TABLE SPREADS OF VARYING FAT COMPOSITIONS

Four types of spread with 80% fat, but varying in the origin of the fat (milk/vegetable) and in the proportion of oil versus solid fat (0–90% vegetable oil), were manufactured at NaCl concentrations of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0%. Their saltiness and degree of melting in the mouth were rated using the time-intensity (TI) procedure. The perceived maximum saltiness of each NaCl concentration varied widely, samples with 80% milk fat + 20% vegetable oil being the most salty and those with 15% vegetable fat + 85% vegetable oil the least salty. The differences in saltiness were not directly related to the degree of melting in the mouth. The results demonstrate that extrapolating saltiness on the basis of NaCl contents over brands of products would be risky, since saltiness and NaCl contents are not necessarily correlated even in apparently similar products.     

PLEASANTNESS OF COOKIES, JUICE AND THEIR COMBINATIONS RATED IN BRIEF TASTE TESTS AND FOLLOWING AD LIBITUM CONSUMPTION

Four combinations of cookie and juice were presented to 42 subjects for ratings of pleasantness of the items and their combinations (Experiment 1). Pleasantness of juice contributed to the pleasantness of a combination more than that of cookie (multiple regression analysis). In Experiment 2, subjects (N=41) rated each combination after ad libitum consumption in four separate sessions. Pleasantness of a cookie contributed more to the pleasantness of a combination than that of juice, and the average R² obtained in multiple regression analysis was higher than in Experiment 1, suggesting that ratings after ad libitum consumption are more reliable. Pleasantness ratings explained ad libitum consumption of an item up to 23%, but perceived hunger and thirst, and consumption of the other item were at least equally good predictors. It is concluded that the pleasantness is only one among the multiple factors affecting amounts consumed in laboratory conditions.     

EFFECT OF PRICE ON PLEASANTNESS RATINGS AND USE INTENTIONS FOR A CHOCOLATE BAR IN THE PRESENCE AND ABSENCE OF A HEALTH CLAIM

The effect of price information on hedonic and use intention responses to a chocolate bar was investigated in the absence and presence of a health claim related to energy, satiety value and cholesterol content. First, Finnish students (n = 79) tasted and rated blind three chocolate bars (one regular, two containing functional ingredients). Second, one group (“Informed,” n = 40) evaluated the samples with the health claim and price information, the other group (“Control,” n = 39) as a regular bar with price information only. A separate focus group (n = 6) interview was conducted to obtain further views of the claim and samples. Neither the health claim nor the price affected pleasantness ratings, while the increasing price significantly reduced the likelihood of buying and preferred frequency of eating the chocolate bar in both groups. Price affected the likelihood of buying more strongly among females than among males, and involvement with chocolate bars affected the likelihood of buying in the control, but not in the informed group. The focus group interview indicated that healthfulness might be irrelevant for chocolate products. Overall, price heavily affected the likelihood of buying the target product, but price and the health claim were incapable of altering hedonic responses to it.