Journal of Sensory Studies最新文献

Food neophobia inhibits consumer acceptance of insect-based products due to unfamiliarity and insufficient information. Nevertheless, positive information and imagery, emphasizing health benefits and hedonic qualities, may lessen these barriers. Hence, Study 1 (N = 543) investigated whether combining message with product imagery versus only message positively influenced purchase intention for insect-based biscuits, and whether food neophobia moderated the aforementioned effect. Study 2 (N = 805) explored whether messages highlighting hedonic versus healthy goals mitigated the food neophobia effect on purchase intention for insect-based biscuits, and whether perceived product sustainability mediated this effect. Study 1 revealed a positive purchase intention combining message with product imagery; however, low food neophobia moderately reduced this effect. In study 2, participants exposed to healthy goals were more prone to purchase and attributed higher sustainability to insect-based biscuits. Connecting visual representations, health-related benefits, and perceived product sustainability in marketing messages may encourage purchases of insect-based biscuits and minimize food neophobia. Practical applicationsThis study offers important insights for marketing professionals and companies looking to promote insect-based food products, an emerging niche facing acceptance challenges. Study results reveal that a focus on product imagery and messages about health and sustainability benefits may enhance the intention to purchase insect-based biscuits and reduce the effect of food neophobia. Further, an emphasis on healthy and sustainability aspects of insect-based products could trigger consumer curiosity and interest, particularly in Brazil, where these products are gaining visibility in the marketplace. Other practical strategies involve pairing insect-based ingredients with familiar products (e.g., snacks, protein bars), together with transparent communication of the nutritional composition and environmental advantages of insect-based products through for example, food fairs and events, which may further promote trust and safety around these products. These strategies can further enhance acceptance of—and attenuate food neophobia towards—insect-based products, thus supporting the development of a more innovative and sustainable food industry.

The content of pungent compounds in chili peppers does not always directly correlate with the perceived intensity of spiciness in humans. This discrepancy highlights the complex nature of spiciness perception and underscores the need for a comprehensive approach that combines both instrumental analysis and sensory evaluation. We combined instrumental analysis (u-HPLC) with sensory evaluation by descriptive analysis with trained panelists. To examine how the food matrix affects spiciness perception, we compared water and oil extracts of chili pepper powder. Our findings revealed a notable matrix effect: oil extracts were perceived as less spicy than water extracts within the same capsaicinoid content. This phenomenon could be attributed to several factors, including a coating effect where oil might inhibit direct contact between capsaicin and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptors and flavor interference from other compounds extracted by oil. This suggests that spiciness perception is not solely determined by capsaicinoid content but also by the complex interactions between the capsaicinoid and the food matrix.

This study aimed to investigate the degree of FN in a representative population of Korean adults and the effects of FN on food recognition, consumption experience, liking, and willingness-to-try across four food categories with varying levels of familiarity. Significant differences in FN were observed based on gender, region of residence, education level, occupation, income, and international experience. Lower familiar food categories resulted in greater differences in liking and willingness-to-try scores among the three groups. Prior consumption experience correlated with higher liking and willingness-to-try scores. Higher FN levels were associated with lower liking and willingness-to-try scores. The influence of consumption experience on liking and willingness-to-try varied with FN level, being more pronounced in the high FN group. These results support that FN affects consumption experience, liking, and willingness-to-try food items.

As consumers gravitate toward luxury brands, marketers face the challenge of conveying perceptions of luxury through package design. This study focused on packaging that only displays the brand logo. Using chocolate, we investigated the impact of packaging design elements on consumers' perceptions of luxury and product quality. We employed a 2 (white space: large, small) × 2 (typeface: luxurious, casual) × 2 (visual texture: luxurious, casual) between-participants design, exposing 1193 participants to one of eight package designs. Large white spaces and luxurious typefaces enhanced perceived luxury and product quality, respectively. Luxurious visual texture enhanced luxury perception and product quality evaluation when paired with casual typefaces, but not with luxurious typefaces. Thus, the boundary conditions for the effect of visual texture may depend on the typeface. Our findings contribute to the literature on luxury perception and package design and provide practical implications for brands that want to enhance the appeal of their brands/products.

Acute stress has been proposed to affect the ability to detect or identify odors in humans. However, whether and how acute stress affects odor discrimination remain less explored. Forty-six healthy males (mean age 21.3 ± 1.7 years) participated in an acute psychosocial stress (Socially Evaluated Pressor Cold Test, SECPT) and a control session in randomized order. Odor discrimination performances were assessed using the “Sniffin’ Sticks” discrimination test, the binary odor mixture discrimination task (ABX task), and the enantiomer discrimination task. Salivary cortisol, subjective stress, and emotional states were measured throughout the experiment. After the SECPT, participants showed an enhanced “Sniffin’ Sticks” discrimination score, but no changes beyond chance level were identified in the ABX discrimination task or enantiomer discrimination task. Moreover, there was a negative correlation between the peak level of subjective stress after acute stress exposure and a decrease in stress-related ABX discrimination performance. Furthermore, state anxiety level was positively associated with an increase in stress-induced camphor (+) (−) discrimination score. These results were discussed in light of task features and the complexity of odor discrimination as a high-order cognitive ability. Future studies should investigate the specific qualities of odors involved in discriminating between them and how they may be affected by acute stress. Stress-related emotional states and measurements of odor quality discrimination should also be taken into careful consideration in the future. Additionally, the results should be interpreted with caution as only male participants were included in this study.

The study investigates whether the perception of metallic taste (MT) is an aroma or a taste. MT tends to disappear with nasal occlusion, indicating it might be an aroma. However, it also occurs after neurological injuries that affect taste through the facial nerve. The perception of an iron sulfate solution applied to different parts of the tongue (related to the facial and glossopharyngeal nerves) was assessed in 120 healthy volunteers with either open (n = 60) or closed (n = 60) noses. Nasal occlusion significantly reduced the perception of iron sulfate, eliminating it in 31.7% of participants but not completely in the remaining 68.3%. With open noses, the intensity was significantly stronger when applied to the glossopharyngeal nerve region than to the facial nerve. These differences disappeared with nasal occlusion. The conclusion is that metallic perception involves both retro-olfactory and gustatory components, suggesting it is a metallic flavor.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05227157