49B-31 |
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R. K. GALLARDO, Departament of Food Science and Technology, Mississippi State University, BOX 9805, Mississippi State, MS 39762, P. C. Coggins, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, Mississippi State Univ., 207 Herzer Bldg., Campus Mailstop 9805, Mississippi State, MS 39762-9805, and M. A. Hattaway, Department of Food Science and Technology, Mississippi State University, Box 9805, Mississippi State, MS 39762. Freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) is new to consumers in the United States. This product could have consistent demand if properly targeted in the market. There is a lack of knowledge about consumer’s perception with the product and its attributes. The primary objective of the study was to determine the consumer’s perception on overall acceptability and sensory attributes of freshwater prawns. A Quantitative Affective Test was used. Eighty people from Mississippi State University including students, staff and faculty were asked to participate in the sensory test. Participants were given a set of two samples of peeled and cooked freshwater prawns, one with cocktail sauce and the other without cocktail sauce. They were asked to complete a questionnaire to indicate if they knew of the product, if they consumed it, the frequency of consumption, their preferences related to overall appearance, flavor and texture. Also panelists were asked to indicate if they liked the freshwater prawns’ attributes such as fishy, marshy smell, bland, shrimp like and lobster like. Finally demographic information was obtained. Seventy panelists out of a total of eighty stated that they knew the product. Thirty two percent of them assessed that they preferred to consume prawns boiled. The frequency of consumption of the prawns was once every 6 months on average (less frequent than marine shrimp; which is consumed once every 3 months on average). Sixty five percent of the panelists expressed that they liked the product, eighty percent of them liked the overall appearance, fifty six percent liked the overall flavor and seventy four percent liked the overall texture. The attribute most liked was the shrimp like flavor and the least liked was the marshy smell. The study constitutes a useful tool to design marketing strategies and plans for the successful introduction of the product into the American market.
Session 49B, Aquatic Food Products: General
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