VISUAL HAZE DETECTION THRESHOLD ASSESSMENT BY ASCENDING METHOD OF LIMITS AND A TRANSFORMED STAIRCASE PROCEDURE IN APPLE JUICE SIMULATIONS UNDER " STORE LIKE" CONDITIONS

Visual haze detection thresholds were assessed in thirty panelists by two methods: the ascending method of limits and a transformed staircase procedure (UDTR, from Wetherill and Levitt 1965). The 3AFC test was used as the response procedure for both methods. Experimental samples consisted of an apple juice simulation (water with food coloring). Haze was added to the samples using formazin, and was calibrated to eleven levels ranging from 0.75–13.30NTU. Haze detection thresholds under store-like conditions (3.55 ± 0.57 mean ± S.E.] and 3.16 ± 0.50 NTU by the two methods, respectively) were higher than those found previously under more controlled viewing conditions. No differences were found between methods, genders, or order of method presentation ( p > 0.05); a practice effect showed a slight improvement in detection thresholds between sessions ( p = 0.05). Nonparametric tests confirmed the similarities in the threshold estimates from the two methods. The two methods estimated visual haze detection thresholds equally well. However, the ascending method of limits may be preferred method due to the shorter time involved in administration.