Preference for salts in cooking as perceived by sensory panelists

Abstract

AbstractThis study was conducted to determine if consumers have a preference for sea, table or kosher salt. Mashed potatoes were tested and accepted as an adequate carrier. Preliminary sensory research was conducted over two trial days in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department. The panelists (n = 100) conducted evaluations on three samples of mashed potatoes seasoned with three types of salt (sea, kosher and noniodized table) using preference testing. A control sample, unsalted mashed potatoes, was presented with each set. The objective of this study was to determine the ‘best overall salt flavor’. Consumers preferred the table and sea salt samples more than the kosher salt, but there was not a distinguishable difference between the table and the sea salts. However, there was no statistical preference by the participant for either of the salts.