Consumer acceptance and perception of braised meat in soy sauce for older adults determined using fast profiling methods

This study investigated consumer acceptance and perception of traditional Korean food, braised meat in soy sauce, among older consumers to determine the product’s potential in the senior-friendly food market. Sorted napping (SN) was used to assess similarities in the sensory characteristics of eight samples based on consumer evaluations. The 82 older adults, participating in the study, evaluated the sample acceptance, attribute intensity, and attitudes toward the samples. They used check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions to select liking and disliking factors. In the SN, the participants differentiated between senior-friendly and general products. Additionally, groups that appeared in the SN were similar in the order of the overall liking scores, and it was observed that overall liking correlated with the perceived similarity of the sample. The feasibility of using SN in older populations has been confirmed. This study revealed a lower acceptance of senior-friendly food samples, highlighting the need for quality improvements in terms of appearance, odor, and taste. The taste, texture, and familiarity of the samples influenced the consumer attitudes of older adults. The food products (BGP, SGP, CGB, and BGB) were highly preferred for their chili pepper flavor, brown and soy sauce flavor, smoked smell, meat grains, and chewiness. Conversely, senior-friendly products (HSB, HSP, and SSP) were disliked because of their rancid smell. In conclusion, this study provides crucial information for the senior-friendly food industry to meet food quality requirements based on the sensory characteristics perceived by older adults.