Diana Rico Pereira , Helena Rico Pereira , Maria Leonor Silva , Paula Pereira , Hugo Alexandre Ferreira
{"title":"Impact of five basic tastes perception on neurophysiological response: Results from brain activity","authors":"Diana Rico Pereira , Helena Rico Pereira , Maria Leonor Silva , Paula Pereira , Hugo Alexandre Ferreira","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105572","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105572","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The five basic tastes (sweet, salty, umami, sour, and bitter) perception plays a fundamental role in food choices. Nevertheless, how the perception of each basic tastes influence brain activity is still unknown. We investigated the effect of each taste on the brain activity of healthy adults using electroencephalography (EEG). For that, sucrose, sodium chloride, sodium glutamate, citric acid, and caffeine solutions were individually administered to 28 participants (18–25 years old). Self-reporting feedback was assessed using the 3-dimensional Self-Assessment-Manikin (SAM). The power density of the five frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma) computed from the EEG signals was used to compare the five basic tastes. Significant differences (<em>p</em> < 0.05) were found for (1) beta waves: sweet vs umami, and salty vs umami; and for (2) gamma waves: sweet vs umami, and sweet vs bitter. The findings also indicate that sweet taste stimulated higher brain activity than umami in the gamma but not in the beta waves. Sweet, salty, umami and bitter tastes correlated with SAM responses. This study advances the understanding of brain response to taste stimuli, whilst improving the knowledge of these sensorial cognitive processes. Clinical trial Identifier: <span><span>NCT06051175</span><svg><path></path></svg></span></div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 105572"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143906000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sonia M. Arbeláez-Mejía, Juan M. Rosas, Manuel M. Ramos-Álvarez
{"title":"Dynamics of sensory and decision-making processes in the evaluation of extra virgin olive oil by a consumer tasting panel","authors":"Sonia M. Arbeláez-Mejía, Juan M. Rosas, Manuel M. Ramos-Álvarez","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105577","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105577","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to assess whether a Signal Detection Theory-based approach could separately evaluate sensory and decision-making processes in untrained consumers replicating expert olive oil tasting conditions. In Experiment 1a, participants compared four unique non-commercial extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) as “signals” against a commercial EVOO as “noise.” Overall, participants' sensitivity, as evaluated using Grier's A' index, varied depending on oil attributes, with participants being able to distinguish green oils from the commercial EVOO. Meanwhile, decision bias, measured using Donaldson B'D index, remained neutral, indicating that participants' evaluations were not biased in the absence of expectancy manipulations. Experiment 1b used a Double Dissociation Additive Test, manipulating sensory variables (green vs. ripe oils) and decision bias (by adjusting Signal-Noise base rates). Regardless of the induced bias, participants were able to distinguish the green fruity EVOO from the noise, but failed to differentiate the ripe EVOO from the noise. Expectations biases influenced evaluations only for ripe oils, revealing an interaction between sensory and decision-making processes. There were no significant differences in the economic valuation of the different oils in either experiment, indicating a dissonance between participants' declared preferences for the oils and their economic valuation. These findings highlight the value of methods that distinguish sensory from decision-making processes in EVOO tasting studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 105577"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143918170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Eating away from home: A quantitative analysis of food neophobia (FNS) and satisfaction with food life (SWFLS) scales among university students","authors":"M. Arcadu , R. Cataldo , L. Migliorini","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105573","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105573","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the context of increasing globalization of the food industry, young adults are exposed to a variety of foods and culinary traditions that challenge their established and traditional food preferences. The process of food choice is particularly evident in the context of living away from home, where independent management of one's diet is required and where reactions to new foods can vary widely, from acceptance to rejection. Furthermore, these dynamics have the potential to affect well-being and satisfaction, which are critical elements of quality of life during this transition to autonomy. This study examines the relationship between food neophobia and food-related satisfaction in a sample of 227 Italian university students living away from their families of origin, trying to determine the food consumption preferences of students by categorizing them by performing a clustering analysis and using a multiple correspondence analysis.</div><div>An online questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic variables, levels of food neophobia, and food-related life satisfaction. The analysis identified two consumer profiles: the first characterized by reluctance to try new foods and low food satisfaction; the second by openness to new foods and higher food satisfaction. The results demonstrate the impact of sociodemographic characteristics, including gender, age, income and field of study, on the relationship between food neophobia and food well-being. The study suggests that interventions aimed at reducing food neophobia could improve food-related quality of life in this population. In addition, cultural integration and food autonomy appear to be key factors in promoting student well-being.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 105573"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143913223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Greta Castellini , Matteo Robba , Giovanni Vedani , Milena Lambri , Fosca Vezzulli , Guendalina Graffigna , Luigi Lucini , Paola Iannello
{"title":"Omics labeling and consumer preferences: Understanding aesthetic and taste evaluations in apple purchases","authors":"Greta Castellini , Matteo Robba , Giovanni Vedani , Milena Lambri , Fosca Vezzulli , Guendalina Graffigna , Luigi Lucini , Paola Iannello","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105574","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105574","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The organic food market is rapidly expanding in both cultivated acreage and consumer demand, driven by ethical, environmental, and health considerations. However, food fraud schemes pose challenges that threaten product credibility. Omics technologies—advanced traceability methods employing genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics— may offer a potential solution for verifying the authenticity of organic products. Despite this, no studies have investigated yet how consumers perceive organic products certified through these technologies. The present study aims to fill this knowledge gap by exploring how the omics label affects consumer evaluations of taste, aesthetic and intention to buy apples. A sensory experiment involving 129 consumers assessed these attributes for a single batch of apples, which differed only in terms of the label used when presented to consumers. The labels used were ' conventional', 'organic', and 'omics certified'. Although “omics-certified” apples were generally well-received in terms of aesthetic and taste appreciation, there were no statistically significant differences between them and conventional apples. Similarly, no differences were found between omics and organic labels in terms of aesthetic and taste evaluations. However, purchase intention was significantly higher for apples labelled as omics-certified and organic compared to conventional ones. These findings suggest that labels play a critical role in influencing purchase intention, highlighting the potential of omics certifications as a credible alternative to organic labels and their ability to enhance consumer trust in food authenticity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 105574"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143913225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"When the music stops: Crossmodal effects of sounds on taste do not explain changes in liking","authors":"Johan Swahn, Asgeir Nilsen, Iuri Baptista","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105576","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105576","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental sounds influence taste perception and liking of food because eating is a multisensory experience that integrates all senses. The present study investigated how a dark chocolate ganache with two different levels of added sugar was perceived when sounds corresponding to sweet and bitter tastes were played, as well as no sound. A total of 515 participants rated the balance of sweet and bitter tastes using just-about-right (JAR) and the overall liking using a hedonic scale. Results show that the bitter sound increased the perception of bitterness of both ganache and the sweet sound increased the perception of sweetness of the higher-sugar ganache. Although not always significant, both sounds had positive effects on liking, even when they exacerbated tastes already in excess and pushed them further from the ideal. These results indicate that the sounds were effective in influencing sensory perceptions of ganache, but their effects on liking did not come from taste improvement, most likely from sensory-emotional stimulation. Together with previous studies that found significant effects of sound in perception of taste, aroma, and texture, but not in liking, this study adds evidence on the importance of environmental sounds in eating contexts and propose that crossmodal effects of sound and liking are independent processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 105576"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143934753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reducing food waste: The role of yogurt appearance and package information across consumer segments","authors":"Aase (Åse) Riseng Grendstad , Ingunn Berget , Davide Porcellato , Hilde Kraggerud , Paula Varela","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105575","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105575","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, the food industry has prioritized minimizing food waste and promoting sustainability. Surface whey is a common quality defect in yogurt that can occur during storage, but it does not necessarily indicate that yogurt is unfit for consumption.</div><div>This study aimed to investigate the impact of package information regarding surface whey, and yogurt appearance on consumers' willingness to consume (WTC) yogurt before and after the best-before date. First, two focus groups (<em>n</em> = 16) were performed to qualitatively explore consumers purchasing habits, general knowledge of quality defects in yogurts, and their behavior regarding food waste; the results were used to design a quantitative study. Norwegian consumers (<em>n</em> = 298) participated in an online survey. Consumers assessed their WTC, based on photos and videos of eight yogurt samples, in a conjoint test with a 3 × 2 factorial design.</div><div>Results revealed that date labels and yogurt appearance significantly influence consumers' WTC yogurts, while package information had no significant effect. Consumers were segmented based on safety and quality concerns; hierarchical clustering showed two clusters. One concerned cluster, characterized by higher safety- and quality concerns, showed lower WTC yogurt past its best-before date compared to a less concerned cluster.</div><div>The findings suggest that strategies to reduce food waste should prioritize encouraging companies to extend the shelf life of products and to reconsider any dates that might be overly cautious. Educating consumers about product quality beyond date labels rather than relying solely on package instructions, is also vital.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 105575"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143918172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mengying Liu , Zefei Chen , Jianping Huang , Xiaoang Wan
{"title":"From virtual reality visuals to real food perception: Uncovering the link between food aesthetics and taste in Chinese female consumers","authors":"Mengying Liu , Zefei Chen , Jianping Huang , Xiaoang Wan","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105569","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105569","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous research has shown that visual information presented in the digital space can influence consumers' perceptions and evaluations of real food. We conducted two experiments to examine how virtual food plating might influence participants' ratings of taste, pleasantness, and purchase intention for real food, as well as to pinpoint the boundary conditions of these cross-reality effects. In Experiment 1, forty participants tasted real food while simultaneously viewing either aesthetically or casually plated virtual food. The real and virtual food could be either of the same type or different types. Virtual food plating exerted an influence on the taste ratings of both types of real food. However, it only influenced the ratings of pleasantness and purchase intention for real food when the virtual and real food were of the same type. In Experiment 2, following the same experimental procedure, forty participants evaluated two types of food with distinct flavors, varying levels of familiarity, yet comparable preference ratings. Virtual food plating only affected the participants' taste ratings for food with delicate flavors. Moreover, the cross-reality effects on ratings of taste, pleasantness, and purchase intention emerged only when the participants were less familiar with the food. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that aesthetic cues from the digital space can be integrated with sensory experiences from the physical space, thereby influencing the evaluations of real food. These findings offer marketers insights into leveraging virtual reality technology to enhance consumers' dining experiences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 105569"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143899603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Paige M. Cunningham , Isaiah M. Smith , John E. Hayes
{"title":"Increasing the spiciness of a lunch meal influences oral processing behaviors and decreases food and energy intake","authors":"Paige M. Cunningham , Isaiah M. Smith , John E. Hayes","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105566","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105566","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent evidence suggests increasing oral burn by adding chilies to food modifies oral processing behaviors like eating rate, but how these modifications affect food intake remains unclear. In 3 crossover experiments, adults ate a 650 g lunch of beef chili [experiment 1; <em>n</em> = 52] or chicken tikka masala [experiment 2a; <em>n</em> = 44, and 2b; <em>n</em> = 34] twice in the laboratory while being video-recorded. We tested how adding chiles to a meal influenced (a) food intake and (b) oral processing. A consistent weight of paprika was added, but the ratio of hot-to-sweet paprika was varied, to make spicy (100 % hot paprika) and mild (75–100 % sweet paprika) versions of meals. Meal duration was extracted from videos to calculate eating rate (g/min). Participants rated liking and spiciness on a VAS before and after consumption. In Experiment 1, participants ate more slowly (<em>p</em> = 0.04), consuming 11 % less (46 ± 17 g) spicy chili relative to mild chili (<em>p</em> = 0.009). While initial ratings of spiciness differed (<em>p</em> < 0.0001), liking did not (<em>p</em> = 0.88). In Experiment 2a, spiciness ratings did not differ between conditions (<em>p</em> = 0.22), and intake did not differ (<em>p</em> = 0.36). Experiment 2b increased the total amount of paprika in the tikka, leading to significant differences in spiciness between conditions (<em>p</em> < 0.001), without affecting liking (<em>p</em> = 0.19). As with Experiment 1, this increase in spiciness resulted in an 18 % reduction in food intake and a 17 % reduction eating rate (both p's < 0.005). Overall, these experiments identify a non-textural manipulation that can be used to slow eating rate and reduce ad libitum intake without adversely impacting food pleasure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 105566"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143891958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna Wang , José M. Grisolía , Ada H.Y. Ma , Juan de Dios Ortúzar
{"title":"Assessing the effect of health labels on online food choices","authors":"Anna Wang , José M. Grisolía , Ada H.Y. Ma , Juan de Dios Ortúzar","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105565","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105565","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Online takeaway platforms provide a convenient access to food and their importance has increased dramatically in the last years. Our research explores if and how food choices via takeaway apps change after individuals are informed about excessive calories, fats, carbohydrates, and salts. Our results have practical implications for public health and food choices. We designed an efficient stated choice experiment based on actual meals offered online in China and applied it in a Randomized Between-Subjects Design to a sample of 964 respondents across 10 large Chinese cities. We split the sample into two groups: exposed and not exposed to a colour-code, traffic light information system (TLS). Our analysis, using a Difference-in-Differences model and an Error Components Mixed Logit model, revealed that respondents exposed to nutrition information chose takeaway menus with less fat, salt and calories. However, the information did not affect the choice of tasty meals heavy in carbohydrates, as these are far too important in the typical Chinese diet. We also found that price, positive reviews, and delivery time were drivers of the respondents' food choices, but significantly less important than food preferences and tastiness. Regarding TLS, we confirmed that red (i.e. danger) had the most significant impact in dissuading customers from choosing unhealthy food (salt and fat). These findings are helpful in the design of public policies geared toward healthier food consumption habits in the population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 105565"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143923488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Unpacking healthy eating: An application of the model of goal-directed behavior","authors":"S. Sinem Atakan , Richard P. Bagozzi","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research investigates the psychological and social drivers of healthy eating intentions and behavior using the Model of Goal-Directed Behavior (MGB), an extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The MGB integrates affective (anticipated emotions), habitual (past behavior), and motivational (desire) factors, offering greater predictive power compared to the TPB. This research also examines the influence of cooking for self-consumption on perceived behavioral control over healthy eating. Data were collected from 369 adults via an online survey, with 141 participants completing a follow-up survey one month later to report actual eating behavior. Results indicate that anticipated emotions and subjective norms are key predictors of healthy eating desire, while attitudes show no significant effect. Desire predicts intentions, which, in turn, drive behavior. Notably, the self-efficacy component of perceived behavioral control moderates the desire-intention relationship, challenging traditional MGB assumptions. Additionally, cooking for self-consumption enhances both internal and external factors that shape perceived behavioral control. This research contributes to the prevailing debate on the role of affect versus attitudes in shaping food consumption behaviors, highlighting the dominant role of anticipated emotions over attitudes in driving healthy eating intentions, even when accounting for past behavior and subjective norms. The research also refines and extends the MGB by incorporating food preparation as an antecedent of perceived behavioral control, suggesting a novel mechanism for fostering control over healthy eating. The findings offer practical insights for designing interventions and programs that leverage emotions, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control to promote healthier eating behavior.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 105553"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143891957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}