Perception Of Sensory Attributes Research Articles

A unified framework for perceived magnitude and discriminability of sensory stimuli

The perception of sensory attributes is often quantified through measurements of sensitivity (the ability to detect small stimulus changes), as well as through direct judgments of appearance or intensity. Despite their ubiquity, the relationship between these two measurements remains controversial and unresolved. Here, we propose a framework in which they arise from different aspects of a common representation. Specifically, we assume that judgments of stimulus intensity (e.g., as measured through rating scales) reflect the mean value of an internal representation, and sensitivity reflects a combination of mean value and noise properties, as quantified by the statistical measure of Fisher information. Unique identification of these internal representation properties can be achieved by combining measurements of sensitivity and judgments of intensity. As a central example, we show that Weber’s law of perceptual sensitivity can coexist with Stevens’ power-law scaling of intensity ratings (for all exponents), when the noise amplitude increases in proportion to the representational mean. We then extend this result beyond the Weber’s law range by incorporating a more general and physiology-inspired form of noise and show that the combination of noise properties and sensitivity measurements accurately predicts intensity ratings across a variety of sensory modalities and attributes. Our framework unifies two primary perceptual measurements—thresholds for sensitivity and rating scales for intensity—and provides a neural interpretation for the underlying representation.

Temporal precision and resolution of TDS and TCATA used with consumers

Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) and Temporal Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA) make it possible to capture temporal changes in the perception of sensory attributes within a product. However, temporal measurements bring new sources of uncontrolled variability that can make them imprecise, particularly with consumer panels. This article aims to demonstrate the importance of considering this imprecision when interpreting temporal data. First, the levels of imprecision due to non-repeatability or disagreement were assessed. The precision of TDS and TCATA was shown to be low, mainly due to disagreement caused by high heterogeneity in total durations of perception. Then, a new framework of analysis has been introduced. It allowed testing of differences in the median times of selection or unselection of attributes. A new representation of TDS and TCATA data has been proposed to visualize and objectify uncertainty in periods of perception. The conclusions obtained with the new framework were compared to those obtained with the usual analyses based on the evolution of citation rates over time. It was shown that the interpretation of TDS/TCATA curves and difference curves can be tricky without guidelines regarding the minimum size of differences that can be considered significant and interpretable. Finally, it was shown that the temporal resolution of the methods was about 10% of the total duration of the perception. These findings question the ability of TDS and TCATA to capture subtle temporal differences. Therefore, recommendations were made for interpreting temporal data in a way that robust conclusions can be drawn.

Chokeberry Pomace as a Component Shaping the Content of Bioactive Compounds and Nutritional, Health-Promoting (Anti-Diabetic and Antioxidant) and Sensory Properties of Shortcrust Pastries Sweetened with Sucrose and Erythritol.

In this study, an attempt was made to develop shortcrust pastries containing different amounts of chokeberry pomace (0%, 10%, 30%, 50%), modulating their degree of sweetness via the application of sucrose or erythritol. The obtained products were assessed for their nutritional value (energy value, protein, fats, dietary fibre, sugars, minerals). Bioactive compounds, as well as antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties in an in vitro model and sensory attributes, were also analysed. Increasing the proportion of chokeberry pomace in shortcrust pastries improved their nutritional value, especially their energy value (reduction of nearly 30% for shortcrust pastries with 50% pomace sweetened with erythritol), nutritional fibre content (10-fold higher in shortcrust pastries with the highest proportion of pomace) and potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron content. Chokeberry pomace was also a carrier of 14 bioactive compounds. The most beneficial antioxidant and anti-diabetic effect was shown for shortcrust pastries containing 50% chokeberry pomace. In addition, it was shown that the use of erythritol as a sweetener has a beneficial effect on the perception of sensory attributes. Finally, it was shown that the developed products could be excellent alternatives to traditional shortcrust pastries and, at the same time, be a good way to utilize waste from the fruit industry.

Intrinsic and extrinsic attributes related to the influence of growing altitude on consumer acceptability and sensory perception of fresh apple.

Growing altitude might have an effect on the quality of fresh apple and therefore on the perception of sensory attributes and on acceptance by consumers. On the other hand, extrinsic information provided to the consumer might affect consumer acceptability and sensory perception of the fruit's main quality traits. The main objective of this work was to study the effect of the growing altitude on the physico-chemical attributes (soluble solid content (SSC), flesh firmness, fruit weight (g), and titratable acidity (TA)), consumer acceptability, and perception of the main sensory attributes (sweetness, acidity and texture) of two reference apple cultivars ('Golden D.' and 'Reineta') by using a panel of 195 consumers. A secondary objective was to study whether extrinsic information about cultivar and growing place have an effect on the consumer perception and acceptance of fresh apple. Significant effects on physico-chemical and sensory attributes were found for 'Golden D.' and 'Reineta' apple cultivars due to the growing altitude, and they were perceived by consumers. Moreover, extrinsic information about the cultivar and the growing site influenced consumers' sensory perceptions significantly. This work demonstrated that differences between apple fruit grown at different altitudes can be perceived by consumers. We demonstrated the importance of providing consumers with information about the cultivar and the growing place to increase their acceptance and support local produce. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

PDO labels and food preferences: results from a sensory analysis

PurposeThe paper aims at investigating whether and how the product designation of origin (PDO) label influences consumers' acceptance, attributes' perception and purchase intention of PDO foods.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs an experimental lab study based on the affective test of acceptance methodology with a nine-point hedonic scale. Three PDO foods are compared with similar non-PDO samples concerning cheese, cured ham and olive oil categories.FindingsThe presence of PDO labels enhances the consumers' acceptance as well as their perception of sensory attributes. A critical role of the brand name as an enhancer of consumer acceptance also emerges, highlighting the relationship between brand-name and PDO label.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation is related to the lab study methodology, which employs a small number of participants and occurs far from a “normal” situation of consumption. The acceptance test, moreover, does not provide explanations about motives underlying the differences in consumers' perception and preferences.Practical implicationsPractical implications are suggested for food companies concerning the management of both PDO labels and brand strategies and the product's properties that could improve the sensory perception of consumers and their overall product's acceptance.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the debate on consumer behaviour towards PDO foods by adding evidence about the positive influence of such a certification on individual preferences on the basis of a sensory methodology that has been little employed for studying the domain of product certifications.

Perception of sensory attributes and marketing tools of selected milk brands

The research has shown that in the last 5,000 years the human evolution has made the greatest leap in the human history. As a result of these changes, thanks to relatively recent discovery of a specific gene, even adult Europeans can digest milk. In their nutritional guidelines based on the scientific evidence, the official health organizations and institutions recommend drinking milk and eating low-fat dairy products such as yoghurts or cheese. The human body absorbs the necessary amount of calcium in the easiest form from cow's milk. Calcium is the essential element not only for healthy bones and teeth but it is also the important factor for the transmission of nerve impulses, it supports heart activity, helps reduce high blood pressure and "bad" LDL cholesterol levels and alleviate allergic reactions. It has impact on proper blood clotting, affects sperm mobility, helps prevent arthritis or can also contribute to better sleep. Milk is a valuable food not only for calcium content but also for selenium which slows down the aging process and contributes to the protection of the immune system. Acid dairy products prevent the digestive disorders, protect against gastrointestinal infections and improve skin condition. Despite all these positive aspects the consumption of milk, as well as dairy products, has the downward trend in Slovakia. In the last decade, the consumption was at a historical minimum and below the recommended annual dose, which is 91 liters of milk per person. Therefore, the main objective of this research paper was to examine the quality of milk produced by two selected competing companies and identify the various factors affecting consumers´ decision-making process when purchasing milk and dairy products. The attention was concentrated on the sensory attributes (colour, appearance, smell, taste and quality) and marketing tools (brand, packaging, label and price). The primary data were obtained by the questionnaire survey, which was conducted in the Slovak Republic with 284 respondents. For a deeper analysis, the data were evaluated by the statistical methods. Based on the results of the blind testing it was determined that even though the quality of monitored milk is the same, the respondents prefer the sensory attributes of Rajo semi-skimmed milk. When it comes to brand, packaging, label and price Tami semi-skimmed milk also lagged behind.

Influence of organic labels on consumer's flavor perception and emotional profiling: Comparison between a central location test and home-use-test

Organic food products are often perceived as healthier by consumers, but the question remains if organic labels might influence consumer's perception of specific sensory attributes and emotional associations and to which extent this effect goes beyond the lab context. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the potential effects of organic labels on the overall liking and emotional and sensory profiling, comparing measurements obtained from a CLT and HUT test.In this study, 76 consumers participated at a central location test (CLT) and 75 during a home-use-test (HUT) to examine the effect of organic labeling on pairs of three food products (i.e. yogurt, potato chips and juice). While the same food product was used, one sample of the pair was labelled as conventional and the other as organic.Results showed that providing an organic label leads to a higher overall liking, willingness to pay and lower kcal estimation of a food product regardless of the evaluation context. Also, the perception of sensory attributes was altered by providing the organic labeling, but mainly for the juice and yogurt sample. Moreover, organic labeling evoked more positive emotions and less negative emotions of the food products.While previous research indicated that organic labeling might affect consumer's perception of food products, this study shows that this effect is consistent regardless of the evaluation context (HUT and CLT). Although some context effects occurred on the emotional profiling of the food products, more research is warranted given the different eating conditions when conducting HUT. Furthermore, policy makers should be aware of the health halo effect as consumers tend to significantly lower the kcal estimations when an organic label is provided.

Which characteristic of Natto: appearance, odor, or taste most affects preference for Natto

BackgroundIn Japan, consumption of Natto, a fermented bean dish, is recommended because of its high quality protein, digestibility in the gut and its preventive effect on blood clot formation due to high vitamin K content. However, consumption of Natto in Kansai and the Chugoku area (the western part of Honshu) is less than that in the other areas of Japan probably because of a “food related cultural inhibition”. In this study, we determined which characteristic of Natto (appearance, odor or taste) most affect subjects’ perception of sensory attributes by observation of brain hemodynamics in relation to subjects’ preference for Natto.FindingsIn this experiment, we defined each subject’s changes in brain hemodynamics as (+) or (−) corresponding to an increase or a decrease in total hemoglobin concentration after stimuli compared to that before stimuli. As a result, there was no relation between preference for Natto and change in brain hemodynamics by the stimuli of “looking at” or “smelling”, while there was a significant relationship between preference and stimulus of “ingestion”; (+) : (−) = 21:15 in the subjects of the “favorite” group and (+):(−) = 30:7 in the subjects of the “non-favorite” group (P = 0.034).ConclusionThis result indicated that characteristic “taste” of Natto most affects preference for Natto.

The effect of oral and product temperature on the perception of flavor and texture attributes of semi-solids

This study examined the effect of oral and product temperature on the perception of texture and flavor attributes. A trained panel assessed 21 texture and flavor attributes in one high-fat and one low-fat product of two semi-solids: custard dessert and mayonnaise. The products were evaluated at 10, 22 or 35 °C in combination with oral temperatures of 27, 35 and 43 °C.Results showed that modulation of product and oral temperature had significant effects on a number of attributes. Flavor intensities, melting mouth feel, and fat after feel increased, while subjective thickness decreased with increasing product temperature. Neither product- nor oral temperature had an effect on over-all creaminess. Oral temperature affected a number of mouth feel attributes: melting, heterogeneous and smooth. Furthermore, large differences existed in ratings between the high- and low-fat products of custard and mayonnaise, and they were more prominent in mayonnaise.We conclude that the effect of oral temperature on the perception of sensory attributes in semi-solids was small, but present, while the product temperatures influenced the ratings greatly.

The role of intra-oral manipulation in the perception of sensory attributes

To gain insight into the effect of oral processes on perception, we defined a set of five specific oral manipulations and investigated their effects on the perception of low and high fat versions of two semi-solid foodstuffs, vanilla custard desserts and mayonnaises. Behavior modifications ranged from simply placing the stimulus on the tip of the tongue to vigorously moving it around in the mouth. Sensory ratings for mouth-feel and flavor attributes were made 5 s after placing the stimulus in the mouth, and after-feel attributes were rated immediately after swallowing. Most attributes showed a similar pattern, with lowest attribute ratings where the tongue's movement was restricted and gradually increasing ratings with increasing complexity of the tongue movements. An individual's normal oral processing behavior typically resulted in the most intense sensations of flavor and mouth-feel. Residence time for all mouth-feel attributes, except prickling, was determined by the time required for tongue movements. The exact tongue movements required for sensations appeared to be related to food groups and individual foods, rather than to specific mouth-feel attributes.

Context Effects in Evaluation of Chocolate Quality Through the Experimental Design–Cross-Cultural Study

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was twofold. First, to find out whether there are any differences in sensory sensitivity of Belgian and Polish panelists evaluating plain chocolate products. Second, to investigate the influence of quality and quantity of cocoa mass on perception of sensory attributes. Starting from the identical procedure of screening and training, panelists were selected in two-stage process. Later on, they were subjected to 6 training sessions using reference samples. Spectrum Descriptive Analysis was developed to describe intensities of sensory attributes. Finally, the panelists evaluated all chocolate products that were manufactured according to the experimental design. The central point sample, which represented the medium values of cocoa components, appeared in all tasting sessions (high-, medium- and low-intensity contexts). Data analysis was carried out in four stages. At first, all individual panelists were assessed due to the two-way analysis of variance for all sensory attributes...

Relation Between Parotid Saliva Flow and Composition and the Perception of Gustatory and Trigeminal Stimuli in Foods

GUINARD, J.-X., C. ZOUMAS-MORSE AND C. WALCHAK. Relation between parotid saliva flow and composition and the perception of gustatory and trigeminal stimuli in foods. PHYSIOL BEHAV 63(1) 109–118, 1998.—The objective of this study was to investigate whether and how parotid saliva flow and composition correlated with the perception of gustatory and/or trigeminal stimuli in foods. Thirty (15 male and 15 female) subjects tasted seven foods or beverages (lemonade, beer, wine, soup, methyl cellulose, peanut butter, and crackers) with three levels each of a gustatory or trigeminal stimulus and rated the perceived intensity of the corresponding sensation over time using the time–intensity (TI) method while their parotid saliva was being collected. Salivary flow rates of males were significantly higher than those of females for all stimuli ( p < 0.001). That did not translate, however, into consistent differences in perception of sensory attributes between males and females. Significant positive correlations were found between saliva flow and (1) TI parameters for adhesiveness of peanut butter and cohesiveness of mass of crackers ( p < 0.05 or lower) and (2) time from intake to swallowing of crackers and peanut butter ( p < 0.05). No correlations were found between saliva composition (e.g., sodium and total protein) and TI parameters. These results indicate that parotid saliva flow may correlate with the perception of some texture and mouthfeel attributes (presumably through oral work and bolus formation) but not with that of the taste attributes examined in this study (at the concentrations studied).