Exploring the influence of food context and culture on indulgence and consumer response to dairy and dairy-alternative creams : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Food Technology at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand. EMBARGOED until 14 July 2029.

Abstract

Indulgence perception plays a central role for product categories such as cream. Understanding how appearance, aroma, texture, taste and flavour of creams impact emotional responses (such as indulgence) and consumer acceptability across different cultures is essential for successful development of whipping cream. However, the extent to which realistic food pairings alter perceived indulgence and liking remains unclear. This study investigated the influence of food context on perceived indulgence and liking of whipped creams across two cultures. Ethnicity one and ethnicity two consumers (n=140) evaluated seven whipped creams across two sessions: cream alone and cream on cake. Liking, emotional response, sensory perception, and perceived indulgence were measured. As indulgence, emotional response, and contextual meaning are multidimensional constructs, seven open-ended questions were incorporated into consumer evaluation to provide depth beyond structured scales alone. Groups liked whipped creams similarly with a few key differences. Notably, overall ethnicity one rated emotions lower than ethnicity two consumers with a few exceptions. Unsurprisingly, positive emotions correlated with higher liking scores and indulgence, with the food context enhancing emotional response across both groups. Cream related sensory attributes such as ‘cream flavour’, ‘milky’, ‘buttery’, and ‘smoothness’ drove liking and indulgence for both cultures. In contrast, ‘sweet’ had a stronger and more complex impact for ethnicity two consumers, acting as both a positive and negative driver depending on sample and food context. Dairy based whipped creams performed the best overall, followed by hybrid, with plant-based and mock creams receiving the lowest ratings. Cross-cultural insights into indulgence perception for products within the dairy industry are limited, especially when evaluated in a realistic food context. Indulgence embodies emotional reward and contextual meaning; these findings show the importance of evaluating whipped cream in realistic food pairings. This study provides guidance for product development and cross-cultural consumer testing of indulgent dairy and dairy-alternative creams, particularly when considering products intended end use, and highlights the importance of food context and culture when measuring consumer acceptability.