Sensory Characteristics Contributing to Pleasantness of Oat Product Concepts by Finnish and Chinese Consumers
Oats are increasingly popular among consumers and the food industry. While data exist on sensory characteristics of oats as such, previous studies focusing on the pleasantness of oats, and especially investigations of a wide range of oat products by European and Asian consumers, are scarce. An onlin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/9/9/1234 |
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| author | Oskar Laaksonen Xueying Ma Eerika Pasanen Peng Zhou Baoru Yang Kaisa M. Linderborg |
| author_facet | Oskar Laaksonen Xueying Ma Eerika Pasanen Peng Zhou Baoru Yang Kaisa M. Linderborg |
| author_sort | Oskar Laaksonen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Oats are increasingly popular among consumers and the food industry. While data exist on sensory characteristics of oats as such, previous studies focusing on the pleasantness of oats, and especially investigations of a wide range of oat products by European and Asian consumers, are scarce. An online questionnaire was organized in Finland (<i>n</i> = 381; 83.7% Finnish) focusing on the liking and familiarity of oat products, followed by sensory tests in Finland (<i>n</i> = 65 and <i>n</i> = 73) and China (<i>n</i> = 103) using the Check-All-That-Apply method and hedonic ratings. A questionnaire revealed that the Finnish consumers rated the pleasantness and familiarity of several oat product categories, such as breads and porridges, higher compared to participants of other ethnicities. Sensory tests showed both similarities, e.g., porridges were described as “natural”, “healthy” and “oat-like”, and differences between countries, e.g., sweet biscuits, were described as “crispy” and “hard” by Finnish consumers and “strange” and “musty” by Chinese consumers. Sweet products were unanimously preferred. The ethnicity had an important role affecting the rating of pleasantness and familiarity of oat product categories, whereas food neophobia and health interest status also had an influence. The proved healthiness of oats was a crucial factor affecting the choices of consumers and their acceptance in both countries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:34:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ad59bac4759e4e4ca83b28a400b299b9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:34:09Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-ad59bac4759e4e4ca83b28a400b299b92023-11-20T12:35:25ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582020-09-0199123410.3390/foods9091234Sensory Characteristics Contributing to Pleasantness of Oat Product Concepts by Finnish and Chinese ConsumersOskar Laaksonen0Xueying Ma1Eerika Pasanen2Peng Zhou3Baoru Yang4Kaisa M. Linderborg5Food Chemistry and Food Development, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, FinlandFood Chemistry and Food Development, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, FinlandFood Chemistry and Food Development, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, FinlandSchool of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, ChinaFood Chemistry and Food Development, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, FinlandFood Chemistry and Food Development, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, FinlandOats are increasingly popular among consumers and the food industry. While data exist on sensory characteristics of oats as such, previous studies focusing on the pleasantness of oats, and especially investigations of a wide range of oat products by European and Asian consumers, are scarce. An online questionnaire was organized in Finland (<i>n</i> = 381; 83.7% Finnish) focusing on the liking and familiarity of oat products, followed by sensory tests in Finland (<i>n</i> = 65 and <i>n</i> = 73) and China (<i>n</i> = 103) using the Check-All-That-Apply method and hedonic ratings. A questionnaire revealed that the Finnish consumers rated the pleasantness and familiarity of several oat product categories, such as breads and porridges, higher compared to participants of other ethnicities. Sensory tests showed both similarities, e.g., porridges were described as “natural”, “healthy” and “oat-like”, and differences between countries, e.g., sweet biscuits, were described as “crispy” and “hard” by Finnish consumers and “strange” and “musty” by Chinese consumers. Sweet products were unanimously preferred. The ethnicity had an important role affecting the rating of pleasantness and familiarity of oat product categories, whereas food neophobia and health interest status also had an influence. The proved healthiness of oats was a crucial factor affecting the choices of consumers and their acceptance in both countries.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/9/9/1234oat productsconsumerslikingCheck-All-That-Applycross-culturalChina |
| spellingShingle | Oskar Laaksonen Xueying Ma Eerika Pasanen Peng Zhou Baoru Yang Kaisa M. Linderborg Sensory Characteristics Contributing to Pleasantness of Oat Product Concepts by Finnish and Chinese Consumers Foods oat products consumers liking Check-All-That-Apply cross-cultural China |
| title | Sensory Characteristics Contributing to Pleasantness of Oat Product Concepts by Finnish and Chinese Consumers |
| title_full | Sensory Characteristics Contributing to Pleasantness of Oat Product Concepts by Finnish and Chinese Consumers |
| title_fullStr | Sensory Characteristics Contributing to Pleasantness of Oat Product Concepts by Finnish and Chinese Consumers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sensory Characteristics Contributing to Pleasantness of Oat Product Concepts by Finnish and Chinese Consumers |
| title_short | Sensory Characteristics Contributing to Pleasantness of Oat Product Concepts by Finnish and Chinese Consumers |
| title_sort | sensory characteristics contributing to pleasantness of oat product concepts by finnish and chinese consumers |
| topic | oat products consumers liking Check-All-That-Apply cross-cultural China |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/9/9/1234 |
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