Sensory characterization of conventional and organic extra virgin olive oil by Check‐all‐that‐apply and emotional responses methods

Abstract

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the sensory characterization of commercial and organic extra virgin olive oils by the Check‐all‐that‐apply (CATA) and emotional responses methodologies. The samples were evaluated for viscosity and yellow color by 120 consumers using CATA, acceptance test, purchase intention test, emotional responses, and ideal scaling, allowing the construction of two External Preference Maps aimed to associate the results from the overall impression with the terms from CATA and the emotional responses. The samples Conventional 2 and Organic 2 presented greater proximity with positive descriptors and emotions, while the samples Conventional 4 and Organic 4 were correlated with negative descriptors and emotions, which was also observed in the acceptance and purchase intention tests, showing the consumers' preference for softer products.Practical applicationThe results of this study showed that most consumers do not like the bitterness and piquancy present in olive oils. For them, the oil should be sensorially smooth. In return, they want to buy olive oils of the highest nutritional quality. This demonstrates that, most consumers are laymen and do not know that the greater the bitterness and spiciness the greater the presence of bi‐active compounds present in the products. This study makes it evident that we must inform consumers about how the sensory part is related to physical–chemical aspects of products. With the end of the study, it would be interesting for future studies, to identify the bioactive compounds present in the studied samples and to interrelate with the available sensory results.