12-6 |
Effect of repeated product consumption: Measuring the potential for introducing an unfamiliar flavor into a market |
V. LOTONG, Food Technology, Chulalongkorn Univ., Phyathai Rd., Patumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand, E. Chambers, IV, Dept. of Human Nutrition, Kansas State Univ., 143-D Justin Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-1407, and D. H. Chambers, Sensory Analysis Center, Kansas State Univ., 139-A Justin Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506. Globalization trends in foods and flavors are rapidly increasing. However, a flavor that is popular in one country may not be accepted in others because of familiarity and cultural preferences. Novel foods can become accepted over time as the food becomes more familiar, but the question of how to get people to purchase and eat unfamiliar foods or flavors still exits. The objective was to determine the effects of repeated product consumption over a 3-week period on product acceptance to better understand its use as a tool for measuring the potential for introducing an unfamiliar flavor into a market long term. The study was conducted in Bangkok, Thailand to test the method in a non-western culture. Home-use consumption and four central location tests were conducted over 3 weeks. Trends in product consumption and acceptance changes were tracked to determine effects of familiarity or boredom on three flavors of salty extruded-snack samples: an unfamiliar flavor, the unfamiliar flavor modified with a familiar flavor, and a current familiar flavor in the market (control). The results indicated that increasing its degree of the familiarity could increase the acceptance of the unfamiliar flavor. Combining the unfamiliar flavor with an appropriate familiar flavor helped increase initial acceptance. Consumption of the modified flavor over 3 weeks increased acceptability of the unfamiliar flavor, indicating that consumers probably became familiar with and learned to like that unfamiliar character. Thus, the unfamiliar flavor had potential to be more accepted after the modified version was consumed. The method of repeated product consumption along with acceptance tests during the consumption period could be used as a tool for measuring the potential for introducing an unfamiliar flavor into a market in a relatively short period. This method can help product developers and marketers in better selecting products for the market.
Session 12, Sensory Evaluation: Methods and consumer testing
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