Journal of Sensory Studies最新文献

Color of wine gives information on many aspects of the product, and it is one of the main parameters defining wine quality. Consequently, color is an important attribute described in the Designations of Origin (PDO)'s technical specifications. In this paper, color reference grids for color sensory evaluation of white, rosé and red wines (linked to a specific methodology and controlled illumination) are developed, presented, and validated. The color intensity and color hue parameters of 2353 wines of different types have been analyzed using these reference grids during the period 2021–2023. Considering the results obtained, the usefulness of having a double color measurement (color intensity and color hue) is questioned and discussed.

The duo-trio is one of the basic sensory discrimination methods. There are various variants of the duo-trio including the double duo-trio (DDT), the dual reference duo-trio (DRDT), the paired duo-trio with AB and BA pairs (PDT_AB), and the paired duo-trio with same (AA or BB) and different (AB or BA) pairs (PDT_SD). Thurstonian models, that is, psychometric functions for the duo-trio and its four variants, DDT, DRDT, PDT_AB, and PDT_SD, are reviewed and developed in this paper. The theorized performances, that is, statistical powers of the four variants were explored and compared with the conventional duo-trio. R codes are developed and provided for analyses of the data of the duo-trio and its variants.

Cannabis consumers' preference while selecting cannabis products, specifically dried flower, has been undergoing a drastic change as more consumers have begun considering the impact that flavor has on their purchasing intent of different cannabis species (including Indica, Sativa, and or hybrid varieties). As such, the objective of this study was to quantify consumers' sensory perceptions of cannabis strains currently on the market. The researchers used Natural Language Processing (NLP) and online North American cannabis retailers, cannabis user reviews, and other informative cannabis websites to identify 107 different descriptors. Cannabis consumers (n = 123) were asked to complete a free word sorting task on the 107 most frequently cited sensory descriptors identified using NLP, as well as identify which attributes they associated with high and low-quality cannabis. The consumers sorted the descriptors into 10 different categories (fruit, berry/dried fruit, savory, floral, spices, spicy, potent, smoke, roasted, and confectionary). As the cannabis market continues to grow and mature in North America, this study presents a baseline of how consumers describe different cannabis varieties.

The key packaging element in healthy snacks is the ingredient. This research highlights the use of eye tracking by companies to achieve greater effectiveness on the consumer's attention. Three healthy snacks were presented to analyze whether there are differences in their attention, choice, and purchase intention according to the type of ingredient. An eye-tracking device and a questionnaire were applied and the results showed that the central area of the packaging of healthy snacks in which the ingredients are shown attracts more attention. Positive relationships between the choice of a snack and the intention to purchase it, and between the total fixation duration and the choice of a product were found. Food products with more hedonic components (flavor, e.g., chocolate) were much more visually attractive and captured more attention. At the same time, those products with less desirable or palatable ingredients were chosen less.

Practical Applications

This research provides insights into how packaging design influences consumer perceptions of healthy snacks. Food packaging plays a crucial role in capturing consumer attention and communicating information that affects their purchasing decisions. In this context, understanding how consumers direct their attention and what information they consider when evaluating products is essential for professionals in fields such as food science, marketing and graphic design, where the use of eye-tracking devices is key. Furthermore, resistance to less desirable or unfamiliar products hinders purchase intent, suggesting the need to improve their appeal and communicate their health benefits. This study confirms that, when designing the packaging of healthy snacks, it is necessary to focus more on the central part of the packaging, which should show the composition and its appearance with a real image of it.

This study aims to determine if children follow the same cortical activation patterns as adults when responding to two-point discrimination sensory stimuli during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We recruited 15 children with typical development, aged between 8 and 16 years. These participants were asked to complete a two-point discrimination test (task block) while undergoing an fMRI scan. In the two-point stimulus test, strong activation compared to baseline was observed in the left and right frontal orbital cortex. The inferior parietal lobe also exhibited activity, particularly on the right side, with activation in both the supramarginal and angular gyri. Further activity was evident in the left supramarginal gyrus and the left paracingulate gyrus. This novel study on fMRI two-point discrimination testing in children shows the activation patterns in key brain regions involved in somatosensory discrimination and decision making.

Practical Applications

This study provides crucial normative data on cortical activation patterns during two-point discrimination testing in typically developing children. Such data serve as a valuable reference point for future research investigating sensory processing and cognitive function in pediatric populations. Researchers can use these findings to establish benchmarks and compare cortical activation patterns in children with neurodevelopmental conditions. This information is essential for exploring pathology, which may affect tactile sensation techniques and developing targeted interventions tailored to individual needs in pediatric treatment. Additionally, it lays the groundwork for further exploration into the neural mechanisms underpinning somatosensory discrimination, potentially leading to advancements in understanding and treating sensory-related disorders in children.

Chronic stress has been linked to changes in taste or odor perception. People with high levels of perceived chronic stress consume more fatty foods. However, few studies have investigated whether perceived chronic stress is associated with altered fat perception. High-stress (N = 33) and low-stress (N = 31) participants were pre-screened using the simplified Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale (SCPSS). Oral and olfactory discrimination of fat between milk samples with different fat contents (0%, 2%, and 3.5%) were assessed using the A-Not A with reminder task (A-Not AR). Perceived creaminess, fattiness, and liking for fat taste/flavor were measured using Likert scales. Dairy intake was measured using the food frequency scales and the 24-hour food recall questionnaires. No significant difference in fat discrimination performance was found between the high- and low-stress groups. Compared with the low-stress group, the high-stress group showed reduced pleasantness ratings for the whole milk fat flavor and taste (with nose clips). In addition, the high-stress group ate less vegetables and fruits than the low-stress group. For people with high levels of perceived stress, the observed altered fat sensory preference may contribute to the consumption or choice of certain foods.

Practical Applications

The perception of fat contributes to food consumption. The current results suggest that a high level of perceived stress is associated with decreased hedonic food-related fat sensory perception, which contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying stress-related eating behavior and may help future research on dietary or psychological interventions for stressed populations.

CATATIS is a recently developed method for the analysis of multiple binary datasets such as Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) data. CATATIS yields a homogeneity index reflecting the overall agreement among the panelists and weights associated with the panelists that highlight the extent to which they agree with the general point of view. These weights are used to compute an average group configuration, which is submitted to Correspondence Analysis to derive a perceptual product map. Here, CATATIS is extended to situations where the data are not binary. In particular, we focus on the case of data from a CATA experiment with repetitions and data from a Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) experiment. Furthermore, a hypothesis-testing framework based on permutations is set up to assess the significance of the weights associated with the panelists. Finally, the general strategy of analysis is illustrated using data from real case studies pertaining to CATA and RATA experiments.

Practical Applications

Evaluating panel performance is often important in sensory studies, especially in industrial contexts. While many professionals are familiar with evaluating the outputs of conventional descriptive analysis, the increasing adoption of rapid sensory methods calls for methods and tools tailored to different sensory tasks. Our paper introduces an approach (CATATIS) to enhance the interpretation of the outputs of CATA and RATA tasks, focusing on attribute consistency, overall panel agreement, and individual weights associated with panelists. The approach is demonstrated through concrete case studies. CATATIS, together with its extensions, are available in XLSTAT software and in the R package ClustBlock.