Estelle Petit, Institue Paul Bocuse, France
The study of food preference and eating behaviour in natural settings
Studying consumers’ preference raises the question of judgment variability, linked to the sensory quality of the products but also to inter - subject differences and the influence of context. To this end, other competences such as psychology and sociology need to be addressed.
Indeed the diversity observed between individuals' hedonic judgments implies that socio-cultural aspects must be taken into account, in particular through the study of the semantic value of products. The subjects' past experience, especially their product usage and knowledge, influences their activity, their motivation and their perception. There is neither a single perception nor a single perceptive judgment of a given product but a plurality of view points.
Moreover, context effects are well described today and various factors modulate preferences: interpersonal conditions, label, price, physical environment etc. Thus, it is clearly essential to consider sensoriality in a synthetic perspective determined by the object, the subject and the context’s - the restaurant’s - characteristics.
By considering food preference in this triad perspective, new methodologies are developed, based on choices and decision making theories, on usages and practices descriptions, on perception and cognition models. More specifically, experimental environments mastering the food, the eater and the meal environment are now available through experimental restaurants where cooks control the recipe, where consumers are clients and where the ambiance is also controlled. Then, sensory evaluation methodologies e.g. pair comparison, overall liking, are used in combination with more ecological approaches–e.g. choices with various information or prices, video of behaviours and other methodologies originating from the social sciences such as observation and experimental sales.
Estelle Petit is a Project Manager at the Paul Bocuse Institute for Research. Estelle Petit has a Masters Degree in Sensory Properties of food and drink products from the University of Bourgogne and Agrosup Dijon. She is in charge of “studies and advice” at the Institute. Her role is to help professional people find tools and scientific innovations as well as applied solutions to any problems they may encounter.
Betina Piqueras-Fiszman, Wageningen University, Netherlands
Everything Else in Sensory and Consumer Research
This presentation will overview research highlighting the importance of considering contextual factors in the measurement of emotion-related responses to food products. These responses are highly dependent on the perceived food-context appropriateness, on the evoked contextual information and on how this information is delivered to the consumer.
In addition, studies will be described that demonstrate how the various sensory attributes of the non-edible items associated with eating and drinking can influence overall multisensory food experience and intake.
By considering the product, the consumer and context together, this body of research advances our knowledge of how extrinsic and contextual factors influence product perceptions and emotions.
Dr. Betina Piqueras-Fiszman is Assistant Professor at the Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group in Wageningen University. From an interdisciplinary approach, her work has extensively investigated the influence of extrinsic and contextual factors on consumers’ experience of food. She’s also interested in consumer behaviour and in studying the possible combination of direct and indirect methods. Betina is actively publishing in this area and she is also author of the freshly released book The perfect meal: The multisensory science of food and dining.
Qian Yang, University of Nottingham, UK
Individual variation in Perception: Relative Effects of PROP and Thermal Taster Status
Individual variation in perception has long been investigated, particularly in relation to PROP taster status (PTS). Recently, a new marker has been identified, known as Thermal Taster Status (TTS), whereby individuals are categorised as either thermal tasters (TTs) or thermal non-tasters (TnTs) based on their ability to perceive taste solely from temperature stimulation1. This study investigated the relative impact of PROP and Thermal Taster Status on oronasal sensitivity at both detection and supra-threshold levels.
Detection thresholds (ASTM E679)2 and intensity measures (rated on gLMS)3 for stimuli from a range of modalities were determined for up to 124 subjects pre-screened for PTS and TTS.
No significant differences in detection thresholds were found within either PTS or TTS groups with one exception: TTs had a lower threshold for sucrose (p=<0.05). At supra-threshold level, PROP supertasters (pSTs) and medium-tasters (pMTs) rated stimuli higher than non-tasters (pNTs) and a consistent trend was observed that TTs rated stimuli higher than TnTs, although only ratings for temperature (warm and cold) reached significance. Global analyses applied across each modality, showed that in general TTs rated gustatory and trigeminal modalities significantly higher than TnTs, whilst this was not the case for olfactory stimuli, indicating that the mechanism for increased perception may be located in the oral cavity.
PTS and TTS were shown to be independent phenotypes, but interestingly, ANOVA revealed significant interactions between TTS and PTS across the three modalities. For example, within pMTs, TTs rated stimuli intensity higher than TnTs, while the opposite trend was observed for pSTs. The intensity advantage gained by thermal tasters appears to be more relevant for pMTs than the already highly sensitive pSTs.
This study has advanced our understanding of how combinations of different phenotypes can affect oral sensitivity. Future studies will investigate how this can be linked to food choice behaviour.
References:
- Cruz, A. and B.G. Green, Thermal stimulation of taste. Nature, 2000. 403: p. 889-892.
- International ASTM, Standard practice for determination of odor and taste thresholds by a forced-choice ascending concentration series method of limits, E679-04, 2008.
- Lim, J.Y., L. Urban, and B.G. Green, Measures of individual differences in taste and creaminess perception. Chem Senses, 2008. 33(6): p. 493-501.
Qian Yang is a PhD student who just entered her fourth year study, under the supervision of Professor Joanne Hort in Sensory Science at the University of Nottingham. Her research focuses on investigating individual variation on perception. More specifically, her research interests include:
- examining the impact of thermal taster status (TTS) and PROP taste status (PTS) on oronasal sensitivity across a range of taste, trigeminal and olfactory stimuli, as well as strawberry flavoured drink;
- exploring whether there is any relationship exists between both TTS and PTS, and levels of food neophobia, food involvement and other personality trait;
- the use of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to understand the impact of TTS on flavour perception.
Virginie Cotte, British American Tobacco, UK
Development of a Method to Measure Visible Sidestream Smoke
Oral poster session (5 minute presentation followed by 2 minutes of questions):
- Peter Burgess, Campden BRI - An ‘Evoked Context’Approach: The effect on perception and liking of hot chocolate products
- TBC, Leatherhead Food RA - Do claims really make a difference to the price consumers are willing to pay? A study of the price sensitivity meter with orange juices
- Jeremy Goodwin, PZ Cussons – TBC
- Yvonne Taylor, Product Perceptions - The Development of Best Practices in consumer evaluation of complex and intense tasting food and drink
- Louise Hewson, Nottingham University - Flavour pairings; a consumer study of Beer and Cheese
Rachel Edwards-Stuart, Food Scientist and Flavour Expert
Food & Cocktail Matching in association with Grey Goose
During her session, Rachel will take you through some of the findings of her cocktail and food matching research that she carried out with the support of the Grey Goose Iconoclasts of Taste project. Along with Grey Goose ambassador Omar Sequera, they will be serving up a selection of their creative food and cocktail matches, while Rachel explains the science behind the project and discusses some of the other research that has been done in the field of Science and cocktails.
Dr Rachel Edwards-Stuart is a renowned Food Scientist and Flavour Expert. She runs a selection of unique and bespoke events around the Science of Flavour and Gastronomy. Since graduating from Cambridge University, Rachel has trained as a chef in Paris, gained a PhD sponsored by Heston Blumenthal, lectured around Europe, appeared on TV and in the national press, set up the London Gastronomy Seminars, taught science to chefs, developed over 100 gluten free products, and helped to stabilise a 5 tonne chocolate waterfall.
Thierry Worch, QI Statistics UK
All you need to know about TURF Analysis - an Optimal Range Selection tool.
TURF – Total Unduplicated Reach and Frequency – is a method used to optimise range selection. TURF aims to select a range of products from a target list that satisfies the greatest proportion of the target consumers. Particularly useful in product development, TURF helps for instance deciding which new flavours should be added to your portfolio.
The goal of this workshop is to present the aims and procedure for TURF. To improve understanding of this powerful method, the workshop will include a practical session highlighting the classical questionnaire used to collect TURF data. A live demonstration of the data analysis using TurfPAQ, its principle, and the interpretation of its results will also be included.
Dr Thierry Worch first started as a project manager at OP&P Product Research (Utrecht, The Netherlands) before completing his PhD on “The Ideal Profile Analysis: from the validation to the statistical analysis of ideal profile data” both in collaboration with Pieter Punter (OP&P), Sébastien Lê and Jérôme Pagès (Agrocampus-Ouest).
End of 2012, he joined Anne Hasted’s team at Qi Statistics, where he now runs clients’ projects, does some research or delivers a diverse range of training including Hal MacFie Training, R-training and soon EyeOpenR training. At Qi, he also continues a long collaboration with Logic8 where he produces all the R-routines included in the EyeOpenR software.
Besides publishing various papers related to Sensometrics, Thierry is also the co-author with Sébastien Lê of a new book entitled “Analyzing sensory data with R”.
Professor Joanne Hort, SAB Miller Chair of Sensory Science, University of Nottingham, UK and
E3S Chair
Sensory Science – the Future Context?
Sensory perception was debated as far back as the Greek philosophers but only really began to develop as a discipline as a result of developments in trading and the emergence of experimental psychology, from which we borrow many of the classis sensory tests. Rapid developments which have since had a big impact on food and other industries came about in the mid 20th century but where next? There are new challenges to industry but also more opportunities for scientists from different disciplines to collaborate. In this closing presentation a personal overview of the future context for sensory science is given but what do you think? You are guaranteed to be asked!
Professor Joanne Hort is the SABMiller Chair in Sensory Science and Head of Brewing Science at the University of Nottingham. Originally Joanne established the Sensory Science Centre at the University which is internationally renowned for its sensory research and training. She now also leads the Brewing Science group at Nottingham which has an international reputation for its brewing research and innovative postgraduate training programs. Her research focuses on understanding the complexity of flavour and progressing understanding concerning multisensory interactions, individual variation and temporal changes in flavour perception, as well as the emotional response to the sensory properties. Her multidisciplinary approach combining analytical, brain imaging and sensory techniques provides a rich insight into flavour perception. Joanne sits on the editorial board for Food Quality and Preference, Chemosensory Perception, Flavour and the Journal of American Society of Brewing Chemists. She is the current Chair of the European Sensory Science Society and past Chair of the UK Sensory Science Group. She is a member of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, Institute of Brewers and Distillers and Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology.