Lack of effect of taste and nutrition claims on sensory and hedonic responses to a fat-free yogurt

Abstract

Pleasantness and four sensory attributes of a fat-free strawberry yogurt were rated in three conditions in which different information about the sample was provided: ‘Strawberry yogurt’, ‘Fat-free strawberry yogurt’ and ‘New, tasty fat-free strawberry yogurt’. Seventy-eight subjects were tested in each information condition in a between-subjects design. The effects of information were studied in subject sub-groups based on scoring background scales on 1) Private body consciousness, 2) Food sensations, 3) Concern about food and health, and 4) Frequency of using low-fat products. Information about the sample did not affect pleasantness or sensory ratings. None of the background scales showed a significant interaction effect with information on pleasantness ratings. Sensory ratings of the sample corresponded to subjects' expected ratings of ideal yogurt, which may partly explain the lack of an information effect. Since the quality of the product was as expected, verbal information was not considered. Also, yogurt is already considered a low-fat and healthy product as such and information about its fat-content was irrelevant in this context.