Browsing by Author "Mehta A"
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- ItemBacterial cellulose infusion: A comprehensive investigation into textural, tribological and temporal sensory evaluation of ice creams(Elsevier B.V., 2024-10-15) Mehta A; Kumar L; Serventi L; Morton JD; Torrico DDThe study examines how adding bacterial cellulose also referred to as Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY) to ice cream affects the textural, tribological, and sensory attributes, particularly texture and mouthfeel perception. Analytical assessments were performed on three types: SCOBY-added ice cream and two reference samples (control and guar gum-added ice creams). Evaluations included physicochemical properties, textural and tribological characteristics, and dynamic sensory mouthfeel using the temporal dominance of sensation (TDS) methodology. SCOBY ice cream showed higher probiotics content, lower pH, and higher acidity than reference samples. The addition of SCOBY increased hardness and altered the textural properties. TDS analysis highlighted distinct temporal dominance patterns, with guar gum ice cream presenting a pronounced mouth/residual coating pre-swallowing, while SCOBY and control ice cream exhibited a thin/fluid perception. The frictional factor at 37 °C was positively correlated with the melting rate, graininess, and thin/fluid perception while negatively correlated with firmness, smoothness and mouthfeel liking. Additionally, the mouthfeel liking was higher with firm, smooth and mouth/residual coating sensations and lower with grainy and thin/fluid perception. In summary, incorporating SCOBY in ice cream formulations can provide health benefits and meet consumer preferences for natural ingredients, while ensuring careful optimization of mouthfeel.
- ItemEffects of repeated tasting sessions on acceptability, emotional responses, and purchasing behaviors of waste-to-value-added SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) ice cream(Wiley Periodicals LLC, 2024-04-01) Mehta A; Serventi L; Kumar L; Torrico DDThis study investigated the effects of repeated exposure on acceptability, emotionalresponses, and purchase intention of a novel symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast(SCOBY) ice cream, compared to a control (no extra additives) and a guar gum ice creamsample, using three sessions: a survey (SCOBY information) and two tasting sessions(repeated-exposure effect). Participants initially conducted blind evaluations of all sam-ples, followed by an informed tasting. The blind tasting sessions evoked high arousalemotions for the SCOBY ice cream and positive emotions for the control and guar gumsamples. The second session showed a rise in liking for sweetness (5.6–6.5) and texture(5.6–6.7) of the SCOBY samples. Sensory attributes such as flavor (odds ratio = 1.7)and texture (odds ratio = 1.7), coupled with positive emotions such as “happy” (oddsratio = 3.8), “pleasant” (odds ratio = 0.4), and “interested” (odds ratio = 3.8) affectedpurchase intention. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into participants'liking and emotional responses during repeated exposures to stimuli. Practical Applications: The study's findings show that repeated exposure to novel products enhances con-sumer acceptance and emotional responses, challenging the current formats of tradi-tional sensory studies. This implies that the introduction of novel products can besuccessful with repeated tasting exposure strategies. The focus on improving famil-iarity with sensory attributes, especially flavor and texture, can positively impact pur-chase intention. This insight can guide product positioning, marketing campaigns, andflavor development efforts, encouraging the successful integration of innovativeproducts into the market.1 | I N T RO DU CT I O NFood choice behavior is a multifaceted process influenced by physio-logical (Manippa et al., 2019), socioeconomic (Van Lentheet al., 2015), and psychological factors (Babicz-Zieli nska, 2006). Asconsumer preferences and trends evolve, novel food products andinnovations emerge in the market to cater to the needs and demandsof consumers. Lack of familiarity and exposure to novel food productsReceived: 14 December 2023 Revised: 5 February 2024 Accepted: 12 February 2024DOI: 10.1111/joss.12901Journal ofSensory StudiesThis is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in anymedium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Sensory Studies published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.J Sens Stud. 2024;39:e12901. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/joss 1 of 12https://doi.org/10.1111/joss.12901
- ItemExploring the effects of packaging on consumer experience and purchase behaviour: insights from eye tracking and facial expressions on orange juice(John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Institute of Food, Science and Technology (IFSTTF), 2023-12-22) Mehta A; Serventi L; Kumar L; Torrico DDPackaging is crucial in attracting consumer attention, conveying product identity, influencing product perception and affecting approach-based consumer behaviours. The present exploratory study aimed to gain insights into the effects of packaging on consumer experiences and the factors driving willingness to buy different orange juice products based on packaging. Eye tracking and facial expressions were used to capture the consumer perception journey, from the initial interaction to the final product evaluation. The study also examined hedonic liking, explicit emotions and different label attributes in the evaluation stage, and the importance of texture, price and the New Zealand (NZ)-made logo in the validation stage. Results showed that the packaging's physical features significantly affected consumer's attention during the initial interaction stage. Implicit emotions provided deeper insights into consumers' preferences in the orientation stage. Nutritional information gained maximum visual attention (fixation counts = 0.40) in the evaluation stage, while the NZ-made logo (odds ratio = 15.62) drove purchase intention. The study revealed that the packaging that attracted the maximum attention was not necessarily the one with the highest liking score. Moreover, consumers may not pay much visual attention to attributes (price, r = −0.22) that they reported to be important. By advancing our knowledge in this field, marketers and product designers can refine their strategies and create packaging that captures visual attention and evokes positive emotional responses, ultimately influencing consumer behaviours
- ItemHealth claim effects on consumer acceptability, emotional responses, and purchase intent of protein bars(Elsevier B.V., 2022-03-11) Thakur M; Sharma C; Mehta A; Torrico DDConsumers are seeking product's claims to make their daily food purchase decisions more informed. In this context, health claims can communicate to consumers about nutrient-specific health benefits. The objective of this research was to study the effect of health claims, in textual form, on consumers' acceptability, emotional responses, and purchase decisions regarding protein bars. For this study, four protein bars were selected by a focus group (N = 6) based on acceptability. A total of N = 80 participants evaluated the pre-selected protein bars in two different tasting sessions [(1) Blind, where no information was provided, and (2) Informed, where health-related information of protein bars was provided]. Participants rated their liking for different sensory attributes (appearance, aroma, taste, texture, sweetness, bitterness, and aftertaste) and overall liking using a 9-point hedonic scale. Check-all-that-apply (CATA) was used to study emotions and 22 terms related to sensory attributes of the protein bar. There was a non-significant increase in the purchase intent for three out of four samples in session 2 but it was found to be high for the sample associated with positive emotions. Overall, this study showed that taste overpowered the health claims (expressed in textual form) on the acceptability. There were, however, slight effects of the health claims on the elicited emotions of consumers towards the protein bars.
- ItemPackaging, perception, and acceptability: a comprehensive exploration of extrinsic attributes and consumer behaviours in novel food product systems(John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Institute of Food Science & Technology, 2024-09-16) Mehta A; Serventi L; Kumar L; Morton JD; Torrico DDIn today's global markets, the constant arrival of new products represents a challenge for the food industry to offer distinct choices to consumers, primarily due to the parallel sensory attributes and pricing structures of the available food options. Innovators must employ methodologies beyond traditional sensory analysis to ensure the product's success. Researchers must, therefore, explore the entire product experience to understand its influence on consumer behaviours. Food choices are multifaceted, influenced by various factors, including individual physiological and psychological characteristics and intrinsic and extrinsic product attributes. As a result, consumers' decisions are shaped by the multisensory information derived from products they encounter in supermarkets. This review aims to comprehensively examine the factors influencing consumer food choices, from initial product encounters to consumption. The review explores the impact of repetitive tasting on the consumer's attitudes and intentions towards novel products. Additionally, the review investigates which extrinsic attributes capture consumer attention in supermarket settings. It also delves into the effects of extrinsic product attributes on both explicit and implicit emotions and expectations raised about the sensory properties of the product and, ultimately, their purchasing behaviours.
- ItemSelf-Reported Emotions and Facial Expressions on Consumer Acceptability: A Study Using Energy Drinks(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-02) Mehta A; Sharma C; Kanala M; Thakur M; Harrison R; Torrico DD; Byrne DVEmotional responses elicited by foods are of great interest for new product developers and marketing professionals, as consumer acceptance proved to be linked to the emotions generated by the product in the consumers. An emotional measurement is generally considered an appropriate tool to differentiate between the products of similar nutritional value, flavour, liking and packaging. Novel methods used to measure emotions include self-reporting verbal and visual measurements, and facial expression techniques. This study aimed to evaluate the explicit and implicit emotional response elicited during the tasting of two different brands (A and B) of energy drinks. The explicit response of consumers was assessed using liking (nine-point hedonic scale), and emotions (EsSense Profile®-Check-All-That-Apply questionnaire), and implicit emotional responses were evaluated by studying facial expressions using the Affectiva Affdex® software. The familiarity of the product and purchase intent were also assessed during the study. The hedonic rating shows a significant difference in liking between the two brands of energy drink during the tasting session. For the explicit emotional responses, participants elicited more positive emotions than the negative emotions for both energy drinks. However, participants expressed "happy", "active" and "eager" emotions more frequently for energy drink A. On the other hand, the implicit emotional responses through facial expressions indicated a high level of involvement of the participants with energy drink B as compared to energy drink A. The study showed that overall liking and the explicit and implicit emotional measurements are weakly to moderately correlated.
- ItemSensory Profile of Kombucha Brewed with New Zealand Ingredients by Focus Group and Word Clouds(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-06-23) Alderson H; Liu C; Mehta A; Gala HS; Mazive NR; Chen Y; Zhang Y; Wang S; Serventi L; Viejo CG; Fuentes SKombucha is a yeast and bacterially fermented tea that is often described as having an acetic, fruity and sour flavour. There is a particular lack of sensory research around the use of Kombucha with additional ingredients such as those from the pepper family, or with hops. The goal of this project was to obtain a sensory profile of Kombucha beverages with a range of different ingredients, particularly of a novel Kombucha made with only Kawakawa (Piper excelsum) leaves. Other samples included hops and black pepper. Instrumental data were collected for all the Kombucha samples, and a sensory focus group of eight semi-trained panellists were set up to create a sensory profile of four products. Commercially available Kombucha, along with reference training samples were used to train the panel. Kawakawa Kombucha was found to be the sourest of the four samples and was described as having the bitterest aftertaste. The instrumental results showed that the Kawakawa Kombucha had the highest titratable acidity (1.55 vs. 1.21–1.42 mL) as well as the highest alcohol percentage (0.40 vs. 0.15–0.30%). The hops sample had the highest pH (3.72 vs. 3.49–3.54), with the lowest titratable acidity (1.21), and, from a basic poll, was the most liked of the samples. Each Kombucha had its own unique set of sensory descriptors with particular emphasis on the Kawakawa product, having unique mouthfeel descriptors as a result of some of the compounds found in Kawakawa. This research has led to a few areas that could be further studied, such as the characteristics of the Piperaceae family under fermentation and the different effects or the foaminess of the Kawakawa Kombucha, which is not fully explained.
- ItemStarch-Tannin Interactions: Influence of Grape Tannins on Structure, Texture, and Digestibility of Starches from Different Botanical Sources(Elsevier Ltd, United Kingdom, 2025-05) Kaur H; Mehta A; Kumar LThis study investigated the effect of grape seed (GSd) and grape skin (GSk) tannins on the physicochemical, rheological properties and in-vitro digestibility of starches (corn, pea and wheat) derived from three different botanical sources. Quantification of bound and unbound tannins using MCP and HPLC analysis demonstrated that majority of the tannins were bound to starch molecules. The results of particle size distribution, starch-iodine binding and FTIR studies indicated the development of inclusion complexes through hydrophobic interactions with tannins in pea starch, while other two starches prominently formed non-inclusion complexes via hydrogen bonding. Back extrusion analysis of textural properties indicated that wheat starch-tannin complexes resulted in firmer starch-tannin gels compared to other two starches. Rheological studies revealed an increase in the viscoelastic modulus (G’ and G”) with improved elastic behavior for all starch-tannin gels. Starches complexed with tannins demonstrated strong antioxidant properties and in-vitro starch digestion studies revealed significant reductions in rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and slowly digestible starch (SDS), along with an increase in resistant starch (RS), particularly in pea starch complexed with GSd tannins. This study enhanced our understanding of how GSd and GSk tannins influence the properties of starches from various botanical origins, helping in understanding starch-tannin interactions and enabling the creation of foods with improved texture and digestibility.
- ItemThe Scoop on SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast): Exploring Consumer Behaviours towards a Novel Ice Cream(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-09) Mehta A; Serventi L; Kumar L; Torrico DD; Cox DNWith the growing demand for sustainable practises, the food industry is increasingly adopting circular economy approaches. One example is recycling the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) used in kombucha fermentation to create value-added products. However, consumer acceptance of such novel products remains unclear. To address this, the present study examined consumer attitudes towards ice cream made with SCOBY as an ingredient and how this affected their intention to consume it. Drawing on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and additional constructs such as emotions and food neophobia, an online survey was conducted with New Zealand consumers (N = 170). Results showed that the TPB constructs significantly predicted the intention to consume SCOBY ice cream. Moreover, by adding emotions to the constructs, the model's explanatory power was enhanced. Attitudes, subjective norms, and emotions were the main predictors of intention, which in turn was found to be the main predictor of behaviour. Participants' beliefs about the safety and taste of SCOBY ice cream were significantly correlated with their intention and behaviour, as were the opinions of nutritionists/dietitians, friends, and family. The model accounted for 21.7% of the variance in behaviour and 57.4% of the variance in intention. These findings can be used to plan marketing strategies related to waste-to-value-added products such as SCOBY ice cream.
