Affect Consumer Acceptance Research Articles

An investigation of consumer acceptance of M‐banking

PurposeThis paper aims to identify and test the key motivators and inhibitors for consumer acceptance of mobile phone banking (M‐banking), particularly those that affect the consumer's attitude towards, and intention to use, this self‐service banking technology.Design/methodology/approachA web‐based survey was undertaken where respondents completed a questionnaire about their perceptions of M‐banking's ease of use, usefulness, cost, risk, compatibility with their lifestyle, and their need for interaction with personnel. Correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analysis, with Sobel tests, were used to determine whether these factors influenced consumers' attitude and intention to use M‐banking.FindingsPerceived usefulness, perceived risk, cost and compatibility were found to affect consumer acceptance of M‐banking. The results also support a mediation model, whereby attitude transfers the affects of the consumers' perceptions to their intention to use M‐banking.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample used in this study contained a skew toward younger male consumers, affecting the generalisability of the results.Practical implicationsDeveloping marketing programs that focus on creating a positive attitude toward M‐banking should attract consumers to this emerging electronic banking channel. Specifically, marketers should emphasise M‐banking's usefulness and compatibility with consumers' lifestyle, in addition to designing M‐banking systems that minimise risk and cost to the consumer.Originality/valueThis paper validates and further develops an existing attitudinal model in the M‐banking context, answering the call for additional research to generalise and improve the explanatory power of self‐service technology acceptance models to other groups and countries.

Impact of sensory differences on consumer acceptability of yoghurt and yoghurt-like products

The aim of this work was to obtain information about how perceptible sensory differences affect consumer acceptability for yoghurt and a yoghurt-like product. Descriptive sensory profiles of six commercial samples, three of plain yoghurt and three of plain fermented milk, were determined using a trained panel (n=10). Sample acceptance was determined by a group of consumers (n=120). Initially, two groups of consumers were identified using Cluster analyses. For one group 46 (38%) of the consumers, variability in sensory attributes did not affect sample acceptability. For the second group, of 74 (62%) of the consumers, variability in sensory attributes had a significant effect and three consumer subgroups with different preference criteria were detected. Partial least squares regression was used to determine the sensory factors driving liking/disliking for each consumer subgroup. The information obtained can be important in predicting or explaining the market response to these types of products.

Internet Banking Adoption: Comparing Developed and Developing Countries

The research examines and compares crucial factors affecting consumer acceptance of Internet banking services (IBS) in two groups of culturally different countries i.e. the developed (the United States and Australia) and developing (Malaysia) countries. To date, no prior research considers cultural differences in studying IBS adoption of these countries although IBS is a global service. The research model is based on UTAUT model with two additional factors. A questionnaire was distributed to 766 respondents from the three countries. Results reveal that for both the developed and developing countries, attitude toward using IBS is the most important factor followed by performance expectancy. Due to cultural differences between the developed and developing countries (e.g. uncertainty avoidance, individualism, and power distance), perceived credibility of IBS is relevant only in the developed countries. This research helps banks promote their service globally. It also enhances UTAUT model.

Inheritance and combining ability studies of pod physical and biochemical quality traits in vegetable pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp)

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp) is a popular vegetable crop in the Caribbean, grown for its immature green peas. Although breeding programmes, in the past, have made considerable strides in improving yield in a relatively photoperiod insensitive genetic background, the quality of peas continue to affect consumer acceptance. The mode of inheritance of a number of quality traits (physical and biochemical) known to affect consumer acceptance of pigeon peas was investigated in this study using a 6 × 6 half-diallel mating design and a M × N (5 × 6) mating design analysed using Griffing’s Method II Model I approach and the North Carolina design-II approach, respectively. The results showed that pod length, pod width, seeds per pod, shelling percentage and phenolic content were under the control of additive genetic effects with the non-additive effects generally being either not significant or much smaller compared to the additive genetic effects. Hundred seed weight was controlled by both additive and non-additive effects, while pod biochemical characteristics viz. sugar content, starch content and protein content, were governed by a preponderance of non-additive genetic effects. The strong genetic correlation between pod length, pod width and seed number indicates that these characteristics could be simultaneously improved in breeding programmes. The best general and specific combiners for the various characteristics were identified, and a method of improvement of quality in pigeonpea is discussed.

ACCEPTABILITY OF YOGURT AND YOGURT‐LIKE PRODUCTS: INFLUENCE OF PRODUCT INFORMATION AND CONSUMER CHARACTERISTICS AND PREFERENCES

ABSTRACT This work aims to investigate whether the information about product type and the nutritional label affects consumer acceptability of yogurt and fermented milk. Hedonic evaluations of seven commercial samples, three yogurts and four fermented milks were elicited from 120 consumers under blind tasting conditions, looking at a card with the product type and with the label nutritional facts and finally, tasting labeled products. For the whole group of consumers, nutritional information did not affect the acceptability of these products although analysis of individual consumer behavior showed that only for around 50% of consumers surveyed, this result reflects on their actual response. When data for subgroups of consumers of different gender or age or with different preference pattern were considered, differences in the influence of nutritional information on samples acceptability were detected. These results confirm that the data averaged from the consumer whole population cannot accurately reflect the real behavior of the population surveyed. More complete and valid information can be gained from analyzing the responses of the consumer subgroups of different characteristics or with different individual preferences. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSCurrently, there are a lot of new dairy products with different sensory and nutritional characteristics on the market. Confirmation or disconfirmation of the expectations generated by the nutritional information plays an important role in consumers' acceptance of these products. The results of this work provide information about the different conclusions that can be drawn when one considers average acceptance data for the whole population of consumers or average data of consumer subgroups (i.e., different gender, age or individual preferences).

Systems Mapping of Consumer Acceptance of Agrifood Nanotechnology

Application of nanotechnology in the agrifood system and the rising number of nanofood products on the market are creating concerns among consumers and other stakeholders. These concerns and other potential barriers to the commercialization of agrifood nanotechnology products may limit the ability to capture its full potential. Understanding the emerging trends and the links between underlying values, expressed attitudes, and actual behaviors involving consumer acceptance of agrifood nanotechnology is important for governance, risk regulation, and the achievement of the full potential of agrifood nanotechnology. The purpose of the study was to use systems mapping to examine and analyze critical links between consumer acceptance of agrifood nanotechnology and factors such as trust, stakeholders, institutions, knowledge, and human environmental health risks. The study used a meta-analysis of the risk perception literature and solicited the opinions of experts to develop the systems map. Factors affecting consumer acceptance of agrifood nanotechnology are dynamic, complex, interactive, and interdependent, and consumer decisions to accept agrifood nanotechnology were found to be the results of complex feedback structure. This study suggests several consumer policy and programmatic levels in the system toward enhancing consumer acceptance of agrifood nanotechnology products where warranted.

ESTIMATING SENSORY SHELF LIFE OF CHOCOLATE AND CARROT CUPCAKES USING ACCEPTANCE TESTS

ABSTRACT This study determined the sensory shelf life of a commercial brand of chocolate and carrot cupcakes, aiming at increasing the current 120 days of shelf life to 180. Appearance, texture, flavor and overall quality of cakes stored at six different storage times were evaluated by 102 consumers. The data were analyzed by analysis of variance and linear regression. For both flavors, the texture presented a greater loss in acceptance during the storage period, showing an acceptance mean close to indifference on the hedonic scale at 120 days. Nevertheless, appearance, flavor and overall quality stayed acceptable up to 150 days. The end of shelf life was estimated at about 161 days for chocolate cakes and 150 days for carrot cakes. This study showed that the current 120 days of shelf life can be extended to 150 days for carrot cake and to 160 days for chocolate cake. However, the 180 days of shelf life desired by the company were not achieved. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThis research shows the adequacy of using sensory acceptance tests to determine the shelf life of two food products (chocolate and carrot cupcakes). This practical application is useful because the precise determination of the shelf life of a food product is of vital importance for its commercial success. The maximum storage time should always be evaluated in the development or reformulation of new products, changes in packing or storage conditions. Once the physical–chemical and microbiological stability of a product is guaranteed, sensorial changes that could affect consumer acceptance will determine the end of the shelf life of a food product. Thus, the use of sensitive and reliable methods to estimate the sensory shelf life of a product is very important. Findings show the importance of determining the shelf life of each product separately and to avoid using the shelf time estimated for a specific product on other, similar products.

The effect of multiple yeasts co-inoculations on Sauvignon Blanc wine aroma composition, sensory properties and consumer preference

Abstract Consumer acceptance testing has been only recently applied in wine research, to assess wine sensory attributes that affect hedonic liking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Saccharomyces yeast co-inoculations on wine volatile composition and sensory profiles, and to determine if differences were sufficient enough to affect consumer acceptance. Fermentations were conducted using two- and three-yeast co-inoculations, and single strains. Yeast inocula differed substantially in volatile thiols and other flavour compounds, and in their sensory properties. Wines from four yeast inocula which showed large sensory differences were subjected to consumer testing by 120 consumers, with differences in overall liking found. Four clusters of consumers were identified, with one group strongly preferring the two-yeast co-inoculated wine with an intermediate sensory profile, while another group favoured the wine made using the three-yeast co-inoculation. This study has demonstrated that the yeast inoculum used to conduct fermentation affects consumer acceptance.

Allelic variations of functional markers for polyphenol oxidase (PPO) genes in Indian bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity causes undesirable browning and discolouration of products manufactured from bread wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) during processing or storage. PPO is a copper-containing metalloprotein which catalyses hydroxylation of o-monophenols to o-diphenols and oxidation of o-diphenols to o-quinones. Auto-oxidation and polymerization of quinones with amino acid group of cellular proteins results in dark and brown discolouration of products made from bread wheat grains (Anderson and Morris 2001). The darkening phenomena of such products may reduce the quality of products and thus affect consumer acceptance. Flour protein content has a negative association with flour PPO activity (Park et al. 1997) presumably because of reactivity of phenolic side groups (Demeke et al. 2001). In wheat, PPO genes belong to a multi-gene family and are classified into two clusters: kernel and nonkernel, based on gene expression sites (Anderson et al. 2006; Jukanti et al. 2006). Recently, Massa et al. (2007) reported 21 distinct PPO sequences in kernel-type genes in wheat and wild relatives. Many studies have implied that PPO activity is mainly conditioned by the genes located on homoeologous group 2 chromosomes in wheat and wild relatives (Demeke et al. 2001; Watanabe et al. 2004, 2006; Sun et al. 2005; He et al. 2007, 2009; Raman et al. 2007). The high activity PPO alleles on chromosomes 2AL and 2DL are most thoroughly studied and were first reported by Wrigley and McIntosh (1975). A relatively low PPO activity was also found to be associated with chromosomes 2B, 3D and 6B (Demeke et al. 2001; Fuerst et al. 2008). Functional Sequence tagged site (STS) markers for PPO genes on chromosomes 2A and 2D have been developed, based on DNA sequences in GenBank (Sun et al. 2005; He et al. 2007;

Cooking and Textural Properties of Some Traditional and Aromatic Rice Cultivars

ABSTRACTThe cooking quality of rice is the most important characteristic that affects consumer acceptance and different methodologies have been proposed for its evaluation. In this work, the quality of 11 rice cultivars, six traditional and five aromatic, was investigated. Image analysis was used as a tool for measuring the morphological characteristics of the kernel. To predict cooking quality, samples were analyzed for protein, starch, amylose, and pasting behavior; the hardness and the stickiness of cooked rice were measured by extrusion and compression tests. Results were statistically processed. The textural parameters were significantly correlated to each other and to the amylose content and the rheological characteristics of the cooked samples were statistically correlated with the amylographic indices, confirming the importance of the latter parameters as descriptors of the cooking quality of rice. Interesting differences were evidenced between traditional and aromatic rice cultivars.

Systems Mapping of Evidence Review and Expertss Opinion on Consumer Acceptance of Agrifood Nanotechnology

A systems map showing key components, stages, and the links between underlying values, expressed attitudes and actual behaviors involving consumer acceptance of agrifood nanotechnology has been developed. The purpose of the study was to use systems mapping to examine and analyze critical links between consumer acceptance of agrifood nanotechnology and other factors such as trust, stakeholders, institutions, knowledge, and human environmental health risks. The study used evidence review of the literature and experts’ opinion in developing this systems map. This study is the 1st to quantitatively rank barriers to commercialization of agrifood nanotechnology from experts’ perspective. Public attitudes and perceptions, and consumer acceptance; regulatory uncertainty; and, health and safety respectively are the most identified barriers in the literature and the results obtained from the value elicitation from experts compares favorably with evidence from the literature. This study is based on theory that accounts for the dynamic aspects of systems modeling, risk perception, and consumer acceptance. The research was done in four stages: The review of the literature to determine the key policy and programmatic intervention points in consumer acceptance of food nanotechnology applications and products as suggested by historical experience with other emerging technologies in agriculture and food; elicitation of experts opinion regarding the attributes that affect consumer attitudes toward agrifood nanotechnology products and applications; comparative analysis of the literature and experts opinion on the interactions between stocks & flows, consumers, processes, and institutions; and a systems modeling/mapping of consumer acceptance of agrifood nanotechnologies. The systems dynamics approach and the resulting systems map, though much simplified, have crucial implications in respect to consumer acceptance of agrifood nanotechnology. It is clear that factors affecting consumer acceptance of agrifood nanotechnology are dynamic, complex, interactive, and interdependent; and that consumer decision to accept agrifood nanotechnology is the results of complex feedback structure. This study therefore makes several policy recommendations with the overriding major issue being whether stakeholders in the agrifood system can cooperate and take specific steps toward reducing or eliminating consumer acceptance as a barrier to commercialization of agrifood nanotechnology innovation.Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Minnesota.

Consumer Acceptance of Technology Contact

Existing IS research on consumer acceptance of technology has mainly focused on web-based applications and online stores. However, the appearance of new technologies, such as RFID, mobile computing and sensor networks ,has driven retail companies to the development of several in-store technological applications in order to support consumer services. Marketing researchers have studied consumer acceptance of technology-based services, but they treat these services as a single homogeneous group by ignoring their design characteristics. However, recent study has shown that technology-based services can differ in the level of customer-technology interaction they require, and this service characteristic can affect consumer acceptance. Based on the conceptualization of technological application that support consumer services as service systems, and exploiting theories from service marketing, operations management and information systems, this paper describes the concept of technology contact, as a specific service characteristic, that is referred to the level of customer-technology interaction the service requires. Moreover, it defines technology contact of a service as a construct with three dimensions: time of interaction with technology, medium sophistication and task complexity. Then, we develop a conceptual model for consumer acceptance of technology-based services that includes the notion of service technology contact. It is hypothesized that technology contact, as a unique service characteristic, affects performance expectancy, ease of use and behavioral intentions, but these relationships are moderated by individual’s anxiety with technology and the type of shopping trip. The scenario of technology-based dynamic product information service in supermarket stores is used in order to empirically test our model. The technology contact of the service is manipulated at three levels using service scenarios with different supporting technologies (electronic shelf labels, electronic kiosk and PDA) that are presented to 575 grocery store shoppers. Results confirm the hypotheses and the paper concludes that the level of technology contact is an important service characteristic that should be taken into account when designing and evaluating technology-based services.

Impact of storage temperature and product pH on the survival of Listeria monocytogenes in vacuum-packaged souse.

Souse is a fully cooked, ready-to-eat gelled pork product. There is a zero-tolerance policy for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat products. The survival and/or growth of L. monocytogenes in souse is unknown. The effectiveness of three different souse formulations (pH 4.3, 4.7, and 5.1) for controlling the growth of L. monocytogenes at two refrigerated storage temperatures (5 and 10 degrees C) was evaluated. All products were vacuum packaged. Uninoculated product was prepared as the control, and other products were artificially surface contaminated with a three-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes (10(6) CFU/ cm2). Microbial counts were obtained on selective and nonselective media twice weekly through 8 weeks of storage. Souse did not support the growth of L. monocytogenes regardless of product formulation or storage temperature. At 5 degrees C, D-values for products with pH values of 4.7 and 5.1 were not different, but survival of L. monocytogenes in product with a lower pH (4.3) was decreased compared with survival in products with higher pH values (P < 0.05). Survival of L. monocytogenes was not impacted by storage temperatures (P > 0.05). Consumer acceptability (n = 75 souse consumers) of pH 4.3 products was not different from that for (typical) pH 4.7 products (P > 0.05). These results indicate that conventionally produced souse does not support the growth of L. monocytogenes and that inactivation of the organism is more likely in products formulated at a lower pH (< or = 4.3) without affecting consumer acceptance.

A Study of the Relationships among Consumer Acceptance, Oxidation Chemical Indicators, and Sensory Attributes in High‐Oleic and Normal Peanuts

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between overall acceptance, chemical indicators, and sensory attributes in roasted peanuts harvested from high-oleic peanut genotypes produced in Argentina. Oleic/linoleic ratio (O/L), peroxide value, p-anisidine value, conjugated dienes, consumer acceptance, and descriptive analysis were performed on roasted peanuts prepared using 16 genotypes of normal and high-oleic peanuts. Principal component and cluster analysis were performed on the chemical and sensory data from peanut genotypes. Acceptance was positively associated with O/L, crunchiness, sweetness, roasted peanutty flavor, and hardness. Acceptability was negatively associated with cardboard, oxidized, and sour flavors. The high-oleic genotypes, 4896-11-C, and 9399-10 showed high consumer acceptance with 7 or "like moderately" in a hedonic scale of 9 points. Some high-oleic peanut lines, such as 9399-10, could be used to replace normal peanuts without affecting consumer acceptance of peanut products processed from them and more stability due to the high-oleic condition.

Effects of cold storage and shelf-life on sensory quality and consumer acceptance of ‘Abate Fetel’ pears

Fruit products certified by quality labels should guarantee high levels of consumer acceptance, despite the unavoidable variability arising from growing conditions and postharvest responses. The quality of ‘Abate Fetel’ pear ( Pyrus communis L.) fruit was studied, after short or long cold storage, by analysis of physicochemical, texture and flavour traits, to investigate factors affecting consumer acceptance. Fruit from three orchards differing in location and design, monitored during 10 d of ripening at 20 °C, softened progressively to reach and exceed firmness adequate for consumption. Change in colour, in particular hue angle, paralleled softening. Sensory traits were investigated by evaluating fruit of three different firmness levels within the range of acceptable eating quality. Firmness differences were clearly perceived both by expert judges and by consumers, but did not influence the degree of liking. ‘Abate Fetel’ pear can maintain acceptable eating quality at 20 °C for 4–8 d after 13 weeks storage at −1 °C, or 2–6 d after 23 weeks storage at −1 °C. Changing texture parameters were perceived at eating, without compromising overall quality. Production system affected intrinsic quality parameters such as total soluble solids concentration, but did not influence consumer acceptance. In consumer tests conducted after 13 weeks of cold storage, high scores were recorded, with a 86% acceptance frequency and more than 40% of scores reflecting “like very much” or “like extremely”. After 23 weeks of cold storage a decrease in degree of liking was observed. The overall value of ‘Abate Fetel IGP Emilia-Romagna’ quality label was confirmed by consumer evaluations. However, the decrease in consumer acceptance after 23 weeks of cold storage indicates that caution should be used in using long storage durations.

CONSUMER ATTITUDE TOWARD SHELF‐LIFE LABELING: DOES IT INFLUENCE ACCEPTANCE?

ABSTRACT The aims of the present work were to study consumer attitudes toward shelf‐life labeling and to evaluate if shelf‐life information affects consumer acceptability, rejection to consume and rejection to repeat purchase. Six samples of dulce de leche with different plastic flavor intensities were presented to a panel of 50 consumers, who scored their overall acceptability and indicated their intention to consume and to repeat purchase of the samples. They also answered a multiple‐choice questionnaire regarding their attitude toward shelf‐life labeling. Knowing that the samples were near the end of their shelf life did not affect acceptability scores or consumer rejection to consume. Thus, consumer perception of the product was not affected by knowing that it was close to expiration. This is in agreement with the fact that most consumers (75%) first try an expired product before deciding what to do. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSNinety‐five and seventy‐nine percent of the consumers stated that they read shelf‐life information at purchase and consumption stage, respectively, which suggests the importance of proper shelf‐life labeling.Consumer rejection to repeat purchase was higher than rejection to consume. Thus, consumers seemed to consume a product although they might not actually like it or buy it again. Thus rejection to purchase or repeat purchase could be a more conservative criterion than rejection to consume in order to estimate sensory shelf lives or acceptance limits for sensory defects.

Consumer Acceptance of RFID Technology: An Exploratory Study

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is used in numerous applications and offers a plethora of interesting potential new applications. However, this potential raises issues that require addressing to achieve its widespread acceptance by consumers. This paper investigates the factors that affect consumer acceptance of RFID technology. The purpose of this effort is to develop and test a theoretical model that contextualizes the technology acceptance model (TAM) within the context of RFID technology. The research model proposes that convenience, culture, privacy, regulation, and security are the principal factors influencing the consumerspsila acceptance of RFID. However, the results show that convenience, culture, and security are significant predictors. This study is the first in the RFID literature to use the TAM for explaining consumer acceptance of RFID technology. The findings suggest that: (1) higher perceived convenience of RFID technology leads to greater acceptance of this technology; (2) societal beliefs, value systems, norms, and/or behaviors influence the extent of consumer acceptance of RFID technology; and (3) higher perceived importance of and less willingness to sacrifice personal information security lead to lower intention to use RFID technology. Contextualization of TAM to RFID technology makes this study relevant to practitioners because the results can provide insight to organizations using or exploring the use of RFID technology.

Nondestructive Determination of Total Soluble Solid Content and Firmness in Plums Using Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy

The fruit industry requires rapid, economical, and nondestructive methods for classifying fruit by internal quality, which can be built into the processing line. Total soluble solid content and firmness are the two indicators of plum internal quality that most affect consumer acceptance. These parameters are routinely evaluated using methods which involve destruction of the fruit; as a result, only control batches can be analyzed. The development of nondestructive analytical methods would enable the quality control of individual fruits. Near-IR spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to assess total soluble solid content (SSC, degrees Brix) and firmness (N) in intact plums. A total of 720 plums (Prunus salicina L. cv. 'African Pride', 'Black Diamond', 'Fortune', 'Laetitia', 'Larry Anne', 'Late Royal', 'Prime Time', 'Sapphire', and 'Songold') were used to obtain calibration models based on reference data and near-IR spectral data. Standard errors of cross-validation (SECV) and coefficients of determination for cross-validation (r(2)) were (0.77 degrees Brix; 0.83) for total soluble solids content and (2.54 N; 0.52) for firmness. Results suggest that NIRS technology enables fruit to be classified in terms of total soluble solid content and firmness, thus allowing increased sampling of each production batch and ensuring a given quality with greater precision and accuracy.

Qualidade de película de famílias clonais de batata

Aparência geral dos tubérculos é um caráter importante para o melhoramento genético da batata, por afetar consideravelmente na aceitação do produto in natura pelos consumidores. Dentre seus caracteres componentes, destacam-se a coloração e a lisura da película dos tubérculos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a resposta de seleção esperada para caracteres de qualidade de película (lisura e coloração) e aparência de tubérculo em três famílias de batata. Os experimentos foram realizados no campo experimental da sede da Embrapa Clima Temperado, na primavera de 2004 e 2005, utilizando três famílias em segunda e terceira gerações clonais respectivamente. Nos tubérculos, foram avaliados os caracteres lisura e coloração de película e aparência geral de tubérculo. Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente segundo modelo REML/BLUP, de modo que distinguissem os efeitos fixos e os aleatórios, realizando-se ainda comparação de médias entre as famílias, correlação entre os caracteres, cálculo de herdabilidade e resposta à seleção. Pode-se verificar que, na geração de populações superiores em qualidade de película, é necessária a inclusão de genitores de película lisa e clara. Lisura de película e coloração de tubérculo são correlacionados com o caráter aparência geral de tubérculo, mas com menor herdabilidade que seus componentes.

Chemical Properties and Consumer Perception of Fluid Milk from Conventional and Pasture-Based Production Systems

The continued popularity of organic and natural foods has generated interest in organic milk, and use of pasture for dairy cattle is a requirement for organic production. This process may improve the health benefits of fluid milk via increases in the unsaturated fatty acid content, including conjugated linoleic acid. Because pasture-based (PB) systems vary in types of forage, it is important to understand the impact of feed on the composition and flavor of fluid milk. The objectives of this study were to compare the chemical and sensory properties of PB milk with conventional fluid milk from Jersey and Holstein cows and to evaluate consumer acceptance of those milks. Fluid milk was collected throughout the 2006 growing season from Holstein and Jersey cows located in 2 herds: one fed a PB diet and one fed a conventional total mixed ration (TMR) diet. Milk was batch-pasteurized and homogenized. Sensory analyses, descriptive profiling, difference testing, and consumer testing were conducted on pasteurized products in separate sessions. Instrumental volatile analysis and fatty acid composition profiling were also conducted. The instrumental and sensory analyses differentiated the PB and TMR milks. Greater percentages of unsaturated fatty acids, including 2 common isomers of conjugated linoleic acid, were measured in PB milks. Trained panelists documented greater intensities of grassy and cowy/barny flavors in PB milks compared with TMR milks when evaluated at 15°C. Volatile compound analysis by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry separated PB and TMR milk samples. However, analyses showed no compounds unique to either sample. All identified compounds were common to both samples. Consumers were unable to consistently differentiate between PB and TMR milks when evaluated at 7°C, and cow diet had no effect on overall consumer acceptance. These results indicate distinct flavor and compositional differences between TMR and PB milks, but the differences were such that they did not affect consumer acceptance. The current findings are useful to consider as interest in PB dairy production systems grows.