Advances in sensory science: From perception to consumer acceptance
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Journal of Food ScienceVolume 88, Issue S1 p. 2-4 EDITORIALFree Access Advances in sensory science: From perception to consumer acceptance First published: 26 March 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16540AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat In 1975, the Sensory Evaluation Division of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) defined sensory evaluation as “a scientific discipline used to evoke, measure, analyze, and interpret reactions to those characteristics of food and materials as they are perceived by the senses of sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing” (Anonymous, 1975). Although this definition seems as inclusive as is possible within the framework of food and ingredient evaluation, we should consider it in a much broader context. Often in the past, sensory evaluation was viewed as taste testing that measures liking and acceptance but, in fact, this discipline entails much more than this. Sensory evaluation finds its applications not only in characterization and evaluation of foods and beverages, but also in other fields such as personal care products, pet foods, and more. Today, whether companies are developing new products, making me-too products, reducing production cost, solving product defects, attempting to enter new markets, and so on, sensory information is quintessential. Sensory evaluation is a fast-evolving discipline that incorporates methodologies from different disciplines. In recent years, many advanced sensory methods, both qualitative and quantitative, have been introduced. This has inspired us to pursue the very first Special Sensory Issue for the Journal of Food Science. In this special sensory issue, there are 13 papers showcasing diverse sensory methods and applications. A snapshot of these papers is given below. A growing body of evidence suggests that emotional reactions may be better predictors of consumers’ food choices even for equally liked products with similar characteristics. For this reason, emotion measurements are being incorporated into sensory and consumer research more and more frequently, and this trend is reflected in this special issue. Various methods measuring emotional reactions to foods were elaborately discussed by Mastinu et al. (2023). One study evaluated emoji meanings (pleasure–arousal–dominance dimensions) in consumer research across different countries and consumers with interpersonal differences (Schouteten et al., 2023), and another one evaluated effects of other people's facial emotional expression on consumers’ perceptions (emotion, liking, and purchase intent) of cricket-containing cookies (Gao et al., 2023). Neuromarketing is a relatively new market research subdiscipline used to understand consumer behavior related to choices/preferences and purchase. The applicability of neuroscientific methods in consumer sensory sciences, especially electroencephalography and eye tracking, is discussed (Adhikari, 2023). Consumer demand for alternative and sustainable protein sources is increasing. One study reported Dutch consumers’ perception and willingness to consume cultured meat compared to plant-based meat alternatives, fish, insects, and conventional meat (Cornelissen & Piqueras-Fiszman, 2023). Edible oil is one coproduct of insect protein extraction. One study reported that deodorized insect oil could be an alternative to a vegetable oil—the two imparted similar sensorial experiences and preferences for frying dough (Tzompa-Sosa et al., 2023). Two studies were devoted to reducing perception of bitterness and oral burn. The findings were that (a) the perceived bitterness of quinine, a hydrophobic bitterant, in an emulsion depended on the aqueous-phase concentration rather than the overall concentration, and an increase in fat in the emulsion caused a significant decrease in perceived bitterness (Tenney et al., 2023), and (b) oral burn of capsaicin in a protein solution was proportional to the non-protein-bound capsaicin concentration, rather than the total capsaicin concentration, and micellar casein solution was significantly more effective than the water rinse in reducing oral burn (Farah et al., 2023). Related to oral burn, reductions in taste, flavor, and mouthfeel intensity caused by oral burn might be more pronounced in liquid than in solid foods. This study demonstrated how trigeminal stimuli can be applied to modulate flavor and mouthfeel perception of foods (Lyu et al., 2023). Temporal methods are used to demonstrate how products change over the course of consumption. One paper exhaustively reviewed and summarized temporal methodologies and the trade-offs among methods, provided guidance in selecting appropriate methods, and provided insights into the future of temporal methodologies in the sensory space (Keefer et al., 2023). Another paper elaborated on how important color is, describing how it is likely to continue to play a key role in the consumer's experience of food in the years ahead (Spence, 2023). Two studies evaluated how differences in consumer characteristics can influence sensory perception. Using TDS, differences in habitual eating speed between consumers led to limited effects on dynamic sensory perception and discrimination ability of composite foods (Gonzalez-Estanol et al., 2023). It has been reported that analytic–holistic cognitive style differences of consumers can significantly impact perceptions, opinions, and behaviors toward foods. In one study, it showed that the F-AHS questionnaire was capable of separating consumers into analytic and holistic cognitive style groups, hence is better suited in sensory and consumer-related applications than the AHS (Beekman & Seo, 2023). Last but not least, this year is the 50th anniversary of the IFT Sensory and Consumer Sciences Division (SCSD). SCSD has been growing and diversifying over the last 50 years, reflecting the same trends in sensory science. This special sensory issue represents the SCSD's milestone and reflects this diversification. Sincerely, Witoon Prinyawiwatkul, Ph.D Co-Guest Editor Scientific Editor, Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety Sincerely, Beverly J Tepper, Ph.D Co-Guest Editor, Scientific Editor, Journal of Food Science, Sensory and Consumer Sciences Sincerely, Rich Hartel, Ph.D Editor in Chief, Journal of Food Science REFERENCES Anonymous. (1975). Minutes of division business meeting. Sensory Evaluation Division, IFT. Mastinu, M., Melis, M., Yousaf, N. Y., Barbarossa, I. T., & Tepper, B. J. (2023). Emotional responses to taste and smell stimuli: Self-reports, physiological measures, and a potential role for individual and genetic factors. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16300 Schouteten, J. J., Llobell, F., Chheang, S. L., Jin, D., & Jaeger, S. R. (2023). Emoji meanings (pleasure–arousal–dominance dimensions) in consumer research: Between-country and interpersonal differences. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16374 Cornelissen, K., & Piqueras-Fiszman, B. (2023). Consumers’ perception of cultured meat relative to other meat alternatives and meat itself: A segmentation study. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16372 Tenney, K., Hayes, J. E., Bakke, A. J., Elias, R. J., & Coupland, J. N. (2023). Partitioning of caffeine and quinine in oil-in-water emulsions and effects on bitterness. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16378 Tzompa-Sosa, D. A., Provijn, P., Gellynck, X., & Schouteten, J. J. (2023). Frying dough with yellow mealworm oil: Aroma profile and consumer perception at a central location test and at home. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16389 Farah, B. A., Hayes, J. E., & Coupland, J. N. (2023). The effect of dairy proteins on the oral burn of capsaicin. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16400 Lyu, C., Hendriks, A., Geary, L. N., Forde, C. G., & Stieger, M. (2023). Getting hot: Effect of chili pepper addition on sensory perception of liquid and solid foods. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16425 Gonzalez-Estanol, K., van Bruinessen, M., Biasioli, F., & Stieger, M. (2023). Differences in habitual eating speed lead to small differences in dynamic sensory perception of composite foods. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16427 Spence, C. (2023). On the manipulation, and meaning (s), of color in food: A historical perspective. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16439 Gao, Y., Chonpracha, P., Li, B., & Prinyawiwatkul, W. (2023). Effects of other people's facial emotional expression on consumers’ perceptions of chocolate chip cookies containing cricket protein. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16469 Keefer, H. R. M., Rovai, D., & Drake, M. A. (2023). A timely application—Temporal methods, past, present, and future. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16491 Beekman, T. L., & Seo, H. S. (2023). Development and validation of a food-related analysis-holism scale (F-AHS). Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16504 Adhikari, K. (2023). Neuroscientific methods in consumer sensory analysis: A review. Journal of Food Science, 88(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16526 Volume88, IssueS1Special Issue: Advances in Sensory Science: From Perceptions to Consumer AcceptanceMarch 2023Pages 2-4 ReferencesRelatedInformation