Abstract
Facial expressions are in reaction to basic tastes by the response to receptor stimulation. The objective of this study was to assess the autonomic nervous system responses to basic tastes in chocolates and to identify relationships between conscious and unconscious responses from participants. Panelists (n = 45) tasted five chocolates with either salt, citric acid, sugar, or monosodium glutamate, which generated four distinctive basic tastes plus bitter, using dark chocolate. An integrated camera system, coupled with the Bio-Sensory application, was used to capture infrared thermal images, videos, and sensory responses. Outputs were used to assess skin temperature (ST), facial expressions, and heart rate (HR) as physiological responses. Sensory responses and emotions elicited during the chocolate tasting were evaluated using the application. Results showed that the most liked was sweet chocolate (9.01), while the least liked was salty chocolate (3.61). There were significant differences for overall liking (p < 0.05) but none for HR (p = 0.75) and ST (p = 0.27). Sweet chocolate was inversely associated with angry, and salty chocolate positively associated with sad. Positive emotion-terms were associated with sweet samples and liking in self-reported responses. Findings of this study may be used to assess novel tastes of chocolate in the industry based on conscious and emotional responses more objectively.
Highlights
Cocoa-based products, especially chocolate, have become exceptional food products in terms of nutrition as well as in indulgence in the day-to-day life of consumers [1]
The skin temperature (ST) showed a positive association with the sweet chocolate sample, which was the most liked product, and these results are in accordance with the results shown in previous studies, where the temperature was higher for liked food than for disliked food [27]
The consumers overall liking was highest for the sweet chocolate, which was determined by the conscious self-reported responses as well as the unconscious biometric and emotional responses
Summary
Cocoa-based products, especially chocolate, have become exceptional food products in terms of nutrition as well as in indulgence in the day-to-day life of consumers [1]. Chocolate is considered as a semi-solid suspension of fine solid particles obtained from sugar and cocoa in a continuous fat phase. As a result of the variation in the proportions of the constituents, the final products differ in carbohydrate, fat, and protein content [2]. It is important for industries as well as for researchers to identify the sensory perceptions of chocolate, mainly the appearance, aroma, texture, and flavor [3]. Despite the extensive sensory and consumer tests being used, limitations of traditional sensory profiling and hedonic scales still lead to a high failure rate of new food products in the market [4]
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