1,721,012 research outputs found
Variability in the temporal perception of polyphenol-related sensations in extra virgin olive oil and impact on flavor perception
Full text linkPolyphenol-related sensations (PRS) in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), i.e. bitterness, pungency and astringency, are often identified by consumers as negative drivers of preference. A deep comprehension of how these sensations interact is a fundamental step to better understand consumers’ preferences toward EVOO. Perception of PRS proved to be variable on an individual basis, but studies that involve the EVOO matrix and that consider the whole consumption experience are lacking. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the variability in PRS perception in EVOO and to evaluate the impact of this perceptual variability on flavor perception over time.
For this study, 11 Italian EVOOs were initially considered as well representative of the expected variability in terms of olive tree cultivars and areas of production. Projective Mapping followed by Ultra-Flash Profile were used to get the six EVOOs that formed the most diverse subset with respect to PRS. A panel of 19 assessors (9 females) was characterized for the perception of bitterness, astringency and pungency through intensity evaluation of water solutions with five levels of increasing concentration of the solute related to a specific PRS, independently for each oral sensation. PRS perception responses were used to split the panel into two groups, one with a higher level of perception to PRS (HP-PRS) and one with a lower level of perception to PRS (LP-PRS).
After training on EVOO descriptors, both groups evaluated the samples dynamically and in triplicate, using Temporal Check-All-That-Apply methodology. Differences in PRS perception were confirmed in EVOO samples and were shown to impact flavor perception over time. Pungency and astringency were the major modulators of the temporal flavor perception, whereas bitterness had a negligible role.
The findings in this study are a contribution to improve the understanding of dynamics of perception in EVOO and provided insights that may be helpful to promote EVOO sensory evaluatio
Exploring food choices versus healthy food among Italian adolescents with varied levels of food neophobia
No full textVariabilità individuale nella percezione dell’olio extravergine di oliva: sensazioni critiche e flavor
Full text linkValorizzazione sensoriale a supporto della biodiversità: il caso studio del miele millefiori trentino
No full textThe development of sensory education modules to encourage healthier eating behaviour in adolescents
Full text linkIndividual sensitivity to critical oral sensations and effect on dynamic sensory perception: a case study on extra virgin olive oil
No full textThe extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is highly appreciated for its unique flavour. The interplays between the phenolic fraction, responsible for the chemosensory profile, and the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), responsible of a wide range of aromas, make the EVOO perception a complex and dynamic sensory experience. Dynamic sensory methodologies (e.g. Temporal Check-All-That-Apply - TCATA) allow to temporally investigating the evolution of perceptions and the interaction among sensations during food tasting. Individual variability in sensitivity to oral sensations (e.g. Bitterness) has already demonstrated to influence food perception, suggesting an effect on the dynamic perception and on the interactions among sensations. In this context, the aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of individual sensitivity toward critical chemosensory sensations (bitterness, astringency and pungency) on the dynamic sensory perception of EVOOs.
Six Italian EVOOs (different phenolic and VOCs profile) and two tasting conditions (pure oil and oil in combination with bread) were tested. After training on sensory descriptors, a panel of 20 assessors (50% females) evaluated the samples in triplicate trough TCATA methodology. Individual sensitivity toward bitterness, astringency and pungency was assessed trough intensity evaluation of five water solutions with increasing concentration.
Physiological curves allowed obtaining clusters with different sensitivity toward bitterness, astringency and pungency. Preliminary data elaborations indicate that variability in sensitivity toward the tested oral sensations seems to affect the dynamic perception of EVOOs, suggesting a different sensory experience during their consumption depending on the person.
Next step is to couple dynamic sensory profiles with Nose Space analysis of VOCs through a Proton Transfer Reaction-Mass Spectrometry, to study the relationship between VOCs release and dynamic sensory perception. The optimized combined methods will be applied to discriminate EVOOs within the project “VIOLIN” (Project AGER2-Rif.2016-0169 funded by Cariplo Foundation), aimed to valorise and promote the PDO Italian EVOO
A bootstrap-based approach for sample size calculation when traditional estimations are not possible
Full text linkA screening tool for sustainability: a preliminary study on an Italian consumer sample
No full textIt is known that consumers’ quality perception and acceptability of a product is based both on the intrinsic properties and on the extrinsic characteristics, linked with label information (Fernqvist & Ekelund, 2014). In recent years, there has been a rapidly growing interest in these external characteristics, especially those sustainability-related. Furthermore, their effect on consumer acceptability is found to vary depending on consumer consciousness to the information given (Endrizzi et al., 2015).
Here we present the results of a preliminary study, which aim to explore a screening tool able to segment consumers according to their attitudes towards sustainability in order to be used in testing acceptability of food products of animal origin.
The 15-item Welsh screening tool for sustainability (Poortinga & Darnton, 2016), was conveniently translated in Italian and then submitted to 79 consumers who rated their degree of importance, agreement and concern on a 9-point scale depending on the response option expected by each statement. Few self-reported food behaviours were also included in the questionnaire to cover the food sustainability domain (not present in the Welsh questionnaire) in terms of food diet (omnivorous, flexitarian or vegetarian/vegan), the percentage of weekly food waste, and that of organic and zero food miles products weekly purchased. Willingness to pay more for an organic, attentive to animal welfare, environmental friendly or mountain pasture product was also recorded.
A combined approach of hierarchical and k-means clustering analysis identified three consumer segments (Pragmatists 42%, Sustainability-oriented 39% and Unattached 19%) that relate differently to personal value dimensions, views on sustainability and sustainable living, perception on climate change and energy security, living place attachment, self-reported food behaviours and distinct gender composition.
These preliminary results highlight that the associations between the screening tool and self-reported food-related behaviours support the validity of consumer segmentation for the Italian sample
Studio sulle scelte alimentari degli adolescenti considerando i diversi livelli di neofobia
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