Just-about-right Research Articles

Use of rice flour to produce plant-based yogurt alternatives.

Plant-based yogurt alternatives (YAs) are in demand due to the societal prevalence of milk sensitivities and allergies and some consumers abstaining from animal-derived products. Producing rice flour YAs has considerable potential because rice flour is hypoallergenic, more economical compared to plant milks, and there are no commercial rice-based YAs. A new higher protein variety of rice was developed, Frontière, which is sold as both brown and white rice. Therefore, the overall goals of this study were (1) to compare physicochemical properties of YAs from Frontière brown (Frontière brown rice flour [FBRF]) and white (Frontière white rice flour [FWRF]) high-protein rice flours to regular protein level rice flours and (2) to evaluate the sensory quality of Frontière YAs compared to commercial plant-based oat yogurt. Rice flours were fermented with Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (a probiotic) to produce FBRF- and FWRF-YAs. A consumer study was conducted to compare FBRF- and FWRF-YAs to a commercially available oat-based YA. Consumers rated the YAs using 9-point hedonic and just-about-right (JAR) scales. Protein, fat, and ash levels were greater, whereas starch levels and peak viscosities were lower for BRFs than for WRFs. The use of BRF resulted in longer fermentation times but higher bacteria counts for YAs. FWRF-YA was preferred in terms of overall flavor and liking, sweetness, and tartness. Purchase intent (PI) for FWRF-YA increased 2.6 times after providing a health claim. This research showed that rice flour can be used to produce YAs with probiotic counts above the minimum recommended, which provides added health benefits for consumers. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This research provides a possible new use of Frontière high-protein rice flour to produce plant-based yogurts. This will help the rice industry by adding value, and those who are vegan, allergic to casein, or lactose-intolerant will have another option for a plant-based yogurt. Moreover, the greater levels of probiotic bacteria found in the brown rice flour YAs can potentially provide greater health benefits, making brown rice flour a better choice for making rice-based YAs.

Developing an Acceptable Nixtamalised Maize Product for South African Consumers: Sensory, Survey and Nutrient Analysis.

South Africa produces high-quality maize, yet food insecurity and malnutrition are prevalent. Maize is a staple for most South Africans and is often eaten as pap, gruel cooked from maize meal (corn flour) and water without diet diversification. Considering the reliance on maize in low-income communities, could nixtamalised maize products be developed that are nutritious, homemade and consumer-acceptable? Nixtamalisation could offer a solution. However, its acceptability and nutritional benefits remain in question. We aimed to develop a product using consumer-led methods. Consumer panels evaluated and selected products using overall acceptability (9-point hedonic scale), Just-About-Right (JAR) and penalty analysis. Consumer-acceptable nixtamalised chutney-flavoured maize chips were moderately liked (7.35) and reached acceptable JAR scores (74.2%). The nixtamalised products were liked and liked very much (56%), 61% of panel members agreed and strongly agreed to purchase and prepare, and 50% to consume nixtamalised products. Nutrient analysis of the chutney chips showed high energy (2302 kJ/100 g) and total fats (23.72), of which saturated fats were 11.47%. Total fibre (17.19 g/100 g), protein (6.64 g/100 g), calcium (163.3) and magnesium (53.67 g/100 g) were promising, while high phosphorous (566.00 mg/100 g) may indicate anti-nutrients present. Nixtamalisation can alleviate food insecurity and malnutrition in countries such as South Africa.

Supercritical fluid extrusion of dairy and fruit products to generate GOS-enriched and nutritionally superior snack puffs

The consumption of ultra-processed snacks is often considered unhealthy because such foods generally are energy-dense with low nutritive value. They contain high levels of starch, fat, and sugar and low levels of essential nutrients such as fiber, protein, and bioactive compounds. Nutritionally balanced snack foods that cater to today’s on-the-go lifestyles and do not get in the way of better eating are in high demand. The present study aims to create nutritionally attractive extruded puffs by valorizing food manufacturing byproducts and to elucidate the uniqueness of hybrid extrusion processing and its effect on product quality parameters. Supercritical fluid extrusion (SCFX) was used to transform apple pomace, starch or dairy ingredient-based formulations into value-added products in a zero-waste system. Acid whey, a byproduct of yogurt and cheese manufacturing, was used in lieu of water in the extruder to mitigate environmental issues related to its disposal. The SCFX system was also used for in-process polymerization of galactose, sourced from lactose hydrolyzed skim milk powder (LHSMP), with lactose from milk protein concentrate (MPC) and acid whey sources to produce galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), a prebiotic associated with various health benefits and making the product acceptable to lactose intolerant consumers. Analysis of the extruded puffs showed that a combination of pomace and dairy ingredients significantly improved the nutritional profile of the product, notably increasing the fiber (5.0 g/30 g serving), protein (13.6 g/30 g serving), bioactive compounds (phenolics 21.4 mg GAE/30 g and vitamin C 0.3 mg/30 g serving), minerals, and GOS (0.4 g/30 g serving) contents. A sensory acceptance test (n=91) showed that incorporation of fruit and dairy by-products in snacks either improved or maintained Just About Right (JAR) scores compared to Market Keto puffs. Overall, utilizing fruit pomace and acid whey in extruded products made by SCFX is not only able to generate nutritious and functional snacks with balanced nutrients profile, derived from inexpensive agro-food by-products feedstock, but also can help mitigate environmental and waste issues.

Sensory Evaluation of Flakes from Purple Sweet Potato Flour with the Addition of Edamame Flour Using the Just About Right (JAR) Method

Sensory Evaluation of Flakes from Purple Sweet Potato Flour with the Addition of Edamame Flour Using the Just About Right (JAR) Method

Factors affecting consumer perception and acceptability of chocolate beverages

Factors influencing consumer acceptability of hot cocoa-based beverages prepared with pure cocoa powders were studied. Five samples originating from various regions were selected, including alkalized and non-alkalized (natural), and regular and fat-reduced cocoa powders. Sensory evaluation of the samples was conducted using a 5-point just-about-right (JAR) scale and a 9-point hedonic scale, with a total of 116 participants. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) highlighted the relationship between acceptability and alkalization, fat content, and phenolic composition. Alkalized samples received higher scores than natural ones in color (6.9 vs 5.6), smell (5.9 vs 5.7), flavor (5.8 vs 4.9), texture (6.0 vs 5.7) and overall (6.0 vs 5.2), while regular cocoa powders received higher scores than low-fat samples in color (6.6 vs 5.8), smell (6.3 vs 5.4), flavor (5.9 vs 4.8), texture (6.2 vs 5.6) and overall (6.1 vs 5.1). A phenolic content above 30 g GAE/kg d.w. decreased consumer liking. Comprehensive insights on the effect of fat reduction and alkalization on physicochemical and sensory properties of cocoa are provided, contributing to the array of factors influencing the acceptability of cocoa. It is important to note that the origin may also influence cocoa composition, underscoring the need for further studies to explore this.

Instrumental and sensory tools to evaluate the production potential of a new type of sparkling wine from umbu (Spondias tuberosa)

Umbu is a native fruit from the Brazilian Caatinga Biome, which is a source of income for families involved in extractivism. This fruit is highly perishable and production losses have been experienced. The production of sparkling wine can be a strategy for better use and to add value to this fruit. Furthermore, consumers have been attracted to innovative beverages, produced with alternative raw materials and with an exotic and pleasant aroma. The potential for producing sparkling wine from umbu was evaluated through physical-chemical, instrumental (gas chromatography with detection by mass spectrometry and olfactometry) and sensory analyses (acceptance test, Just-about-right (JAR) scale, and penalty analysis). Both the base wine and the sparkling wine meet all regulatory physicochemical parameters. The volatile profile of umbu pulp contains mainly terpenes (55%), while esters predominated in the base and sparkling wines (32 and 33%, respectively). In sparkling wines, hexanoic acid (3114 mg L−1) and linalool (1266 mg L−1) were the major compounds. Among the 26 odor-active compounds of sparkling wines are mainly ethyl esters with fruity aroma (acetate, decanoate, and 2-phenylacetate; OSME area: 4.8, 4.8, and 5.0%, respectively), and terpenes with floral notes (p-cymene, geranic oxide and linalool; OSME area: 8.5, 7.4, and 6.9%, respectively). The acceptance and purchase intention tests endorsed the commercialization expectation, although JAR scale and penalty analysis showed that the umbu aroma and sweetness may be improved. The potential of umbu for the production of sparkling wines has been proven, which satisfies the current market demand for innovative beverages.

Development of Health-Promoting Edible Cricket Products by Using Sensory Evaluation Techniques.

In the fields of food science and technology, sensory evaluation is extensively studied to assess personal perception and acceptability. However, studies on Thai consumers' personal perceptions of and acceptability of food products containing crickets have not been conducted. The overall goal of this study was to find out how well-liked two food products containing house crickets were by Thai customers in good health regarding their sensory qualities. The 3-point Just-About-Right (JAR) scale measured the foods' sensory characteristics, including thickness, color, odor, sweetness, and saltiness. Food product approval among consumers was assessed using the 9-point Hedonic scale. Nutrient density was measured using the nutrient-rich foods (NRF) index, highlighting the potential health benefits of these products. For every attribute, the goodness-of-fit score of the cricket puffed rice (CPR) was higher than 70%. The cricket-galangal chili paste (CGCP) received a score of greater than 70% for color and odor, but the sweetness was required more since it had a JAR score of 53.3 percent. The customer acceptance scores of CPR and CGCP were 6.63-7.60 and 6.60-7.50 on the 9-point Hedonic scale. The NRF indices of the CPR and CGCP were 19.19 and 20.44 (intermediate levels). There was no need for improvements in the cricket puffed rice product, but cricket-galangal chili paste should be improved. Further study on nutrition facts is required.

133 The effect of sire lines and endpoint cooking temperature on consumer eating experience and visual appeal in pork loin chops

Abstract Prior research and public perception of pork suggest breed influence visual characteristics like color and size and palatability traits like tenderness and flavor of pork chops. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess consumer perception of visual appeal and palatability of pork loin chops from three sire lines cooked to two different degrees of doneness (DOD). Boneless pork loins from three sire lines (Duroc, Berkshire, and Synthetic) were aged to 14 d post-mortem. Loin quality was then measured, and 2.54-cm chops were frozen from each loin. Chops from each sire line were overwrap-packaged in sets of two and displayed in a retail case with two representative packages per sire line. Panelists rated each package for color, marbling, and size on a just about right (JAR) scale and then indicated their overall liking of each package. Chops from each sire line were cooked to either 63°C or 71°C, cut into 1-cm cubes and two samples from each chop were served to each consumer. Panelists rated 6 samples, each sire line and DOD, for tenderness, flavor, and juiciness on a JAR scale and then rated overall liking. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in SAS 9.4 with panelist age range serving as an influence effect for all panel data. Berkshire chops did not differ (P > 0.08) in redness from other chops, but required 0.13 kg less force to shear, and had a 16.23 cm2 smaller LEA compared with Synthetic and Duroc chops (P < 0.02). Duroc chops had the greatest marbling (P < 0.04) but did not differ in visual color score from other treatments (P > 0.10). There were no differences in consumer visual evaluations (P > 0.45), with traits from all sire lines averaging between 43 and 57 (JAR = 50). Sire line also did not alter visual liking (P = 0.94). There were tendencies for interactions (P > 0.09) between DOD and sire line for consumer sensory evaluation. In general, consumers rated Berkshire chops cooked to 63°C more favorably than other sire line and DOD combinations. Consumers rated chops with different DOD similarly for tenderness and flavor, but tended to score juiciness of chops cooked to 63°C closer to JAR (P = 0.07). Duroc chops were the least tender and least acceptable (P < 0.05). Berkshire chops were juicer than Duroc and Synthetic chops (P < 0.02). Overall, consumers scored all chops between 3.1 and 12.3 units below the JAR line (100-unit scale) regardless of sire line or DOD for tenderness, juiciness, and flavor with overall acceptability within 10 units of neither like nor dislike, which may be indicative of consumers general negative perceptions of pork loin chops.

The effect of molasses addition on physicochemical and sensory characteristics of tempeh-based soy sauce

Tempeh is an indigenous traditional fermented food from Indonesia that is rich in protein and phenolics. Unfortunately, tempeh is highly perishable, with a shelf life of 36-48 hours at room temperature. Making soy sauce from tempeh can increase tempeh’s functional value and shelf life. However, tempeh-based soy sauce has different sensory characteristics than koji-based soy sauce. Therefore, molasses can be used to increase consumer preferences. Molasses is a sweetener that has a unique aroma of caramels and dark color. This research aims to determine the effect of molasses addition on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of tempeh soy sauce based on consumer preferences. Four different concentrations of molasses (0%, 2%, 4% and 6%) in tempeh soy sauce were used in this research, with commercial soy sauce as a benchmark. After soy sauce was fermented for 2 months, L*, a* and b* values, total dissolved solids (TDS), hedonic and just about right (JAR) tests were analyzed. Results showed that adding molasses significantly increased L*, a*, b* and TDS values. Commercial soy sauce and tempeh-based soy sauce with 4% molasses and 6% molasses additions were not significantly different and were the most preferred. Based on the penalty test, commercial soy sauce and the addition of 4% molasses do not have the characteristics of entering the critical corner.

Utilization of banana peel as functional ingredient in pudding: physicochemical and sensory aspects

This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical characteristics and sensory perception of pudding with banana peel addition. Banana peel from two varieties, Ambon and Kepok, was incorporated into pudding formulation with a concentration of 3% and 6%, respectively. All samples were analyzed for physicochemical properties (moisture content, dietary fiber content, texture, color, and syneresis) and sensory penalty analysis using the JAR (Just About Right) method. Pudding with Ambon peel addition was superior in dietary fiber content, hardness, and sensory acceptance. However, pudding with Kepok peel performed better lightness and syneresis. Higher banana peel concentration significantly increased dietary fiber content and overall liking but significantly decreased pudding syneresis. The JAR penalty analysis revealed that the lightness and the banana and milk aromas affected the products’ overall liking. Pudding with 6% Ambon peel showed an optimum performance among samples, containing 88.76% moisture content, 5.57% dietary fiber, 1.29 N hardness, 2.5% syneresis, and 7.14 hedonic score, indicating this product was perceived as like by panellist. According to the mean drops analysis, this product should improve the lightness and milk aroma to gain consumer acceptance.

Consumer insights into the at-home liking of commercial beers: Integrating nonvolatile and volatile flavor chemometrics.

Consumer acceptability of beers is influenced by product formulation and processing conditions, which impart unique sensory profiles. This study used multivariate techniques to evaluate at-home consumer sensory acceptability of six commercial beers considering their style, fermentation type, and chemical composition. Samples included top-fermented beers (American India Pale Ale and Stout) and bottom-fermented beers (Pilsner, zero-alcohol Pilsner, Vienna Lager, and Munich Dunkel). Beer consumers (n = 50) conducted sensory hedonic, check-all-that-apply (CATA) and just-about-right (JAR) tests. Chemometric variables included iso-alpha-acids, hordenine, and volatile aromatic compounds, quantified by chromatographic methods, whereas bitterness units (IBU) were determined spectrophotometrically. Lager beers had higher acceptability than top-fermented beer (p < .05) for all attributes. Light-colored beers and medium-height foams had the highest liking scores for visual sensory attributes. Higher concentrations of bitter-tasting molecules, hordenine, and acidity decreased the liking scores of top-fermented (Ale) beers, as a sensory penalty analysis suggested. In contrast, the most favored beers (Pilsners and Munich Dunkel) contained higher fusel alcohol esters linked to fruity aromatic notes. Although a low conversion rate of fatty acids into fruity esters was noted in nonalcoholic Pilsner, its overall liking score was not statistically different from the alcoholic version. However, consumers perceived the nonalcoholic Pilsner as less bitter than its alcoholic counterpart even when IBUs were nonsignificantly different. This study emphasized the significance of understanding beer chemometrics to comprehend consumer acceptability, highlighting the crucial role of bitter molecules. Hence, hordenine, acidity, and volatile contents provided additional and valuable insights into consumer preferences.

Consumer perception of decocted coffee leaf tea originated from different altitude

It is commonly known that plantation location influences the composition of the coffee component as well as the leaves. Therefore, it was expected that the difference location will also affect the quality of decocted one. In this current study, effect of plantation location is investigated on Arabica and Robusta coffee leaf tea. Two different coffee plantations were chosen as the region of observation (560 ASL and 1700 ASL). All the coffee leaf tea was brewed by decoction method, in which sensorially optimized by Just about Right (JAR) method. The sensory attributes of concern were included sweet, sour, bitter taste and astringent mouth-feel. Considering consumer preference on the brewed coffee leaf tea, the decoction brewing condition were set on 95°C for 5 minutes. Additionally, coffee leaf tea grown at higher altitudes exhibits significantly greater total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (p < 0.05). Not only does this tea have higher TPC and antioxidant activity at higher altitudes, but it also shows superior consumer sensory acceptability. This may be supported by the fact that higher altitude coffee leaf tea has more diverse sensory driver components than that of lower altitude coffee leaf tea as suggested by LC-MS.

Are peppery notes the main negative driver of liking for young French consumers in a Duras red wine made from a cool and wet season?

It has been shown that rotundone, the only identified aroma compound imparting peppery notes in red wine, was neutrally or positively perceived by consumers, except for young non-anosmic respondents who disliked it. This work aimed to explore the main negative driver of liking for this target of consumers in a peppery Duras red wine from a cool and wet season and for which other penalties might apply. A convenience panel of one-hundred and thirty-four young French consumers from Ecole d’Ingénieurs de Purpan in Toulouse (18–24 years) was recruited for the study. Panellists were asked to rate their overall liking on a 9-point hedonic scale of such wine and their perception of seven sensory attributes on a 5-point just-about-right (JAR) scale, with 3 corresponding to the central just-about-right word anchor. Results from penalty analysis demonstrated that a lack of fruity notes followed by an excessive sourness and an excessive intensity of peppery notes were the main penalising sensory characteristics. The findings, that are still preliminary and would deserve to be confirmed using a panel composed of young consumers with other social and cultural background, highlight that the intensity of peppery notes was not the main negative driver of young consumers’ liking of Duras wine produced during a vintage year with unfavourable cool and rainy climate conditions. However, the results of this study encourage Duras producers targeting such consumers to propose a wine exhibiting a good balance between fruity and peppery notes and a moderate acidity level that could be achieved during such season through deacidification. This research is a good illustration of the fact that the penalty analysis method can be implemented on a single wine sample.

Sensory Perception and Willingness to Pay for a Local Ancient Pear Variety: Evidence from In-Store Experiments in Italy.

Product optimisation is one of the most crucial phases in the new product development or launch process. This work proposes applying penalty analysis to investigate the impact of not just-about-right (JAR) sensorial aspects on willingness to pay (WTP) and an overall liking for a local Italian ancient pear variety and to verify the mediating role of pleasantness in the relationship between not-JAR sensory attributes and consumers' WTP using structural equation model (SEM). One hundred and twelve non-expert participants recruited during an in-store experiment evaluated overall liking and JAR attributes and were involved in an in-field experimental auction based on the non-hypothetical Becker-DeGroot-Marshak (BDM) mechanism. The participants' average WTP for the sample was EUR 3.18 per kilogramme. Only juiciness and sourness significantly impact consumers' overall liking but not on consumers' WTP. Moreover, pleasantness did not mediate the relationship between non-balanced sensorial aspects and WTP. In conclusion, the penalty analysis for attributes not being JAR in monetary and hedonic terms is a beneficial research approach for a deep-inside evaluation of the potentiality of the product in the marketplace, providing helpful directions for product optimisation. Results show market potential for the local ancient pear variety 'Angelica'.

Consumer Perception and Sensory Drivers of Liking of Fortified Oat Milks.

Oat milk was fortified with β-glucan at a level that attains health benefits and protein at a level equivalent to that of cow's milk. This study aimed to identify consumer perceptions and evaluate the sensory attributes of fortified plain and chocolate oat milks. Oat milk consumers (n = 106) evaluated four samples: C (Control), 0Pro (6.25 g/L β-glucan), LPro (6.25 g/L β-glucan and 15.23 g/L oat protein), and HPro (6.25 g/L β-glucan and 30.45 g/L oat protein); and they completed free-word association (FWA), liking ratings, just-about-right (JAR), check-all-that-apply (CATA), and conjoint analysis (CA). Oat milk was associated with sensory descriptors, environmental sustainability, and health benefits. C and 0Pro products were liked significantly more than LPro and HPro. C and 0Pro oat flavors and thicknesses were rated "just about right" by majority of the participants, while LPro and HPro were rated "too much". Positive CATA attributes were "smooth", "fresh", and "oat-like" while negative attributes were "rancid", "sandy", and "grainy". The CA results showed consumer interest in oat milk fortified with oat protein, containing β-glucan at a level recommended for health benefits, and with protein levels higher than cow's milk. Based on the results, β-glucan-fortified oat milk is acceptable while oat protein fortification requires reformulation or substitution with another source.

Analytic-holistic cognitive styles affect consumer responses to food and beverage samples during sensory evaluation

Recent studies have shown that the analytic-holistic theory is applicable in sensory science-related areas. Analytic and holistic cognitive style groups have been found to have significantly different perceptions and behaviors within food-related scenarios. These differences were further investigated and identified within the current study, focusing on specific areas of common sensory tests and analyses where analytic and holistic cognitive style groups may differ from one another. Before the main study, 419 volunteers were classified into three groups based on their scores to the Analysis-Holism Scale (AHS). The extreme groups (65 adults for each) were identified as the “analytic” and “holistic” cognitive style groups, respectively. Participants evaluated fruit-flavored beverages and fruit samples for their impression of the intensity or hedonic aspects in the study conducted over two sessions. Each session either employed solely category or line scale for the questions. Analyses focused on the analytic and holistic group comparisons in mean, variance, penalty analysis, and pre- and post-AHS score differences. Results showed that the holistic group exhibited significantly higher mean scores and standard deviations in the hedonic ratings of fruit samples than the analytic group did. Compared to the analytic group, the holistic group showed significantly smaller mean drops in overall liking across the five Just-About-Right (JAR) questions related to flavors or tastes of the mixed-fruit flavored water. A significant difference between the AHS scores measured before and after the sensory evaluation was observed in the holistic group, but not in the analytic group. In conclusion, our findings provide empirical evidence that cognitive styles affect consumer responses to food or beverage samples during sensory evaluation tasks. This implies that sensory professionals may consider these analytic-holistic contrasts while exploring consumer responses to their target samples.

Sensory Acceptance and Characterisation of Turmeric- and Black-Pepper-Enriched Ice Cream

This study investigated the sensory characteristics and overall acceptability of turmeric- and black-pepper-enriched ice creams. For this purpose, a control sample (C) and a series of flavoured ice creams were prepared as follows: samples with 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% of turmeric powder (T0, T1, and T2), and samples with a mixture of turmeric (0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0%), and 0.02% of black pepper (T0p, T1p, and T2p). Participants (n = 103) were asked to rate the acceptability of the ice creams using a nine-point hedonic scale, the liking of attributes by a five-point scale, the evaluation of attributes intensity by a just-about-right (JAR) scale, and attribute characterisation through a CATA test. They were also asked about their purchase and consumption intention of prepared ice cream samples. The addition of turmeric powder significantly (p &lt; 0.05) affected the sensory properties of the ice cream, whereas no correlation was found between the addition of black pepper and consumers’ ratings of the evaluated samples. According to the results, besides the control sample, the ice cream with 0.5% of turmeric powder and 0.02% black pepper (T0p) had the most desired attributes and the highest score for overall liking (6.94). In conclusion, these valuable spices could be used in the production of ice cream with potential functional properties.

Identifying sensory attributes of Korean rice wine (makgeolli) using sensory evaluation and chemical analysis.

Makgeolli is a traditional alcoholic beverage in Korea; however, research on makgeolli is limited in foreign markets such as New Zealand. This study seeks to identify sensory descriptors that best describe makgeolli among New Zealand consumers. Four methods of making makgeolli have been identified based on different processing times and the number of fermentation stages. Chemical analysis and sensory evaluation were carried out to establish the different sensory and flavor properties of the four different makgeolli samples. Chemical analysis using SPME-GC-MS was employed to understand the volatile compounds present in the four makgeolli samples, while two sensory tests were carried out simultaneously using Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) and Just-About-Right (JAR). A total of 45 volatile compounds were identified using SPME-GC-MS, and examples of major volatiles include 2-methyl-1-propanol (alcoholic flavor), limonene (citrus-like flavor), and hexanal (green/grass-like flavor). One hundred and twenty-nine subjects (n=68 females) completed the sensory evaluation and were analyzed for this study. Female subjects tend to rate overall acceptance of makgeolli higher than male subjects; both subjects preferred 1SF-YN with the highest mean hedonic score, and the least preferred makgeolli was 1SF-N. From CATA, attributes such as apple, apricot, peach, sweet taste, and bubbly texture were statistically significant when describing makgeolli. For JAR, a high proportion of subjects indicated that sourness was too much in three of the four makgeolli samples. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Research on rice wine in Western markets such as New Zealand is limited, and this study gives insight into how New Zealand consumers perceive Korean rice wine (makgeolli). Sensory participants in this study indicated that makgeolli is too sour and lacks sufficient sweetness in the majority of the samples examined. When launching makgeolli to the New Zealand market, practitioners need to optimize sweetness and reduce sourness to increase overall liking. Sensory terms used by subjects describing makgeolli include cider, apple, and sour.

Sensory Analysis of Sorghum Noodles (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) using Just Abour Right Scale

Sorghum is a cereal that grows a lot in Indonesia, however, its utilization is still lacking due to the tannin content in sorghum which causes a bitter taste and a gritty texture. Fermentation is one of the solutions to improve the sensory quality of sorghum, the tannins in sorghum are degraded in the fermentation process into simpler compounds. Utilization of sorghum into sorghum noodles is expected to increase public interest in consuming sorghum as a local food ingredient. Process of sensory analysis of sorghum noodles using the Just about right (JAR) scale and penalty analysis method.Sensory analysis of sorghum noodles using the JAR scale and penalty analysis aims to develop and improve the characteristics of sorghum noodles. The method used in this research was a Randomized Block Design with two factors, namely the composition proportion of sorghum flour: palm flour and fermentation time, so that six combinations were obtained with three repetitions. The proportions of sorghum flour and palm flour include T1 (40:60), T2 (60:40), T3 (80:20) and fermentation time 0 hours (M1), fermentation time 48 hours (M2). Characterization of sorghum noodles was carried out to obtain sorghum noodles with the best treatment using the de garmo method.Sensory analysis using the JAR scale method and penalty analysis showed that taste, texture and appearance had an OAL of more than 20% with a P value ≤ 0.05, so that these three attributes need development to improve the characteristics of sorghum noodles. The development of sorghum noodles was carried out by fermenting sorghum flour with the sample code M2T2 which aims to degrade tannins. The results of the development showed that the OAL for fermented sorghum noodles was less than 20% and P value ≥ 0.05, which means that the opinion of the panelists on the characteristics of sorghum noodles was "JAR" or correct and accepted.

The impact of personally relevant consumption contexts during product evaluations in virtual reality

Using immersive technology to restore relevant context in consumer sensory testing facilitates evaluations reflective of real-world experiences, enabling data collection with improved discriminability and reliability. Prior research has applied the same contextual environment to all participants without accounting for varying individual consumption habits. This study investigated how personal relevance (usage frequency) of the consumption environment influenced perception and acceptance. Sixty-two consumers evaluated four granola bars on overall liking, attribute intensity, and appropriateness of attribute level via Just-About-Right (JAR) questions under two 360° virtual environments individually selected as each subject’s most and least frequently used scenarios. To assess repeatability, subjects replicated the test three weeks later. Across participants, results indicated the products were rated similarly between environments. However, an individual’s responses were more reliable when made in the more relevant consumption scenario as demonstrated by higher correlation coefficients obtained between replicates. Additionally, penalty analyses revealed products tended to be penalized more for being not-JAR in the more relevant environment. Participants reported higher presence in the less relevant environment (p < 0.001) whose 360° videos tended to be livelier. Nonetheless, subject engagement was equally high in both environments (p > 0.05). These findings demonstrate that providing a personally relevant scenario for consumer testing generated more repeatable data to obtain reliable consumer insights. Differences in liking penalty between environments suggests evaluating products in a more familiar setting may allow consumers to draw more stable references for comparisons based on past experiences, resulting in a more severe decrease in acceptance when products fall below expectations.