Consumer sensory and hedonic perception of sheep meat coppa under blind and informed conditions

Consumer perceptions of 'traditional doenjang' using a free word association test

BACKGROUND

Doenjang (fermented soybean paste) is a traditional Korean ingredient that has long been part of Korean cuisine. Commercial, mass-produced doenjang products are prevalent in the Korean market, and consumer demand for traditionally produced doenjang is steadily decreasing. An understanding of consumers' perceptions of traditional doenjang can serve as a foundation for sales and marketing strategies that are informed by consumer insights. The objective of the current study was to determine consumers' perception of traditional doenjang using a free word association test.

RESULTS

A total of 339 participants responded to the survey, each carefully recruited from a predetermined demographic quota. A total of 906 valid words were elicited, representing 2.67 words per person, and these were categorized into six dimensions and 11 sub-categories. Significant differences according to residential area were observed in four dimensions: 'sensory,' 'foods,' 'health' and 'fermentation.' Overall, the sensory dimension was the most dominant psychological concept relating to traditional doenjang among all consumers.

CONCLUSION

Consumers' sensory perceptions of traditional doenjang were mostly flavor-related under sensory dimension such as 'gu-soo flavor,' a well-aged, and well-fermented flavor. There was a difference in the perceptions of traditional doenjang according to age and residential area. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

From Information to Satisfaction: Unravelling the Impact of Sustainability Label on Fish Liking Experiences

Fish sustainability has become an ever more important issue in recent years, as increases in consumption are leading to overfishing practices, resulting in the depletion of the seas and environmental damage. Therefore, fish companies have been adhering to sustainability programs, although these sustainable practices are not well valued and thus well known by end consumers. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of sustainability label information on the hedonic perception of a consumer group regarding two fish species threatened by overfishing: European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). The approach used was a blind-expected-informed evaluation. The results showed a positive perception of the species with the sustainability label by recording higher informed hedonic scores than blind ones. Thus, in conclusion, fish sustainability positively influenced the consumers, increasing their liking scores from the blind to the informed session. This study can expand previous knowledge on environmental sustainability, especially fisheries sustainability, and understand the relationships between sustainability eco-labels and consumer behaviour.

Characterisation of Dry-Salted Violino and Bresaola from Grass-Fed Bergamasca Sheep

This study focuses on characterising two seasoned products, violino and bresaola, derived from grass-fed Bergamasca sheep monitored with a GPS system. The evaluation includes both nutritional and sensory aspects. Results reveal that both products boast a high protein content (approximately 40%) and a beneficial fatty acid profile, endorsing a healthy n-6/n-3 ratio (2.2), along with rumenic acid (92-184 mg/100 g) and branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) (237-621 mg/100 g). The sensory evaluation highlights distinctive ovine characteristics in aroma and flavour. Violino and bresaola from grass-fed Bergamasca sheep showcase positive attributes for human consumption. The study emphasises the potential for added value to seasoned products from Bergamasca sheep through a traceable, sustainable, and health-conscious supply chain.

Application of bi-layers active gelatin films for sliced dried-cured Coppa conservation

Processed meat products have been increasingly consumed, a highlight being dried-cured coppa, commonly purchased sliced, making it more susceptible to bacterial deterioration and lipid oxidation. The aim of this work was to produce and apply bi-layers films based on gelatin (in both layers) with addition of nisin and/or Pitanga leaf hydroethanolic extract (PLHE) only in the food contact thinner layer, in order to evaluate their effect on the refrigerated storage of sliced dried-cured coppa. Dried-cured coppa slices covered with active films were vacuum-packaged and stored under refrigeration for 120 days. Every 30 days, samples were tested for moisture content, water activity, pH, color parameters, lipid oxidation by TBARS and peroxide index methods, and microbiological analysis. The different film formulations presented no influence on the water activity, pH and color parameters of sliced dried-cured coppa. However, they significantly affected moisture content, bacterial count and lipid oxidation. The addition of both active compounds - nisin and PLHE - in the food contact thinner layer was observed to have the most favorable effect.

Consumers' Attitudes toward the Use of an Edible Coating for Lamb Meat According to Label Information

The use of edible coatings in meat is currently being investigated in several studies. However, consumers’ attitudes toward this technology are not clear. This study evaluated consumers’ intention to purchase vacuum-packaged meat with a chitosan coating based on the label information. Three factors combined with different levels were considered: type of cut (“loin”, “French rack”, or “leg steak”), coating/information (no information, chitosan without information explained, and chitosan with information explained), and price (low or high). Consumers’ purchase intentions were evaluated using a 7-point structured scale (1 = certainly would not buy; 7 = certainly would buy). The data were analyzed by conjoint analysis and cluster analysis. The average purchase intention value was 4.3 ± 0.5. The “French rack” cut showed the highest value for purchase intention and a high price was also a relevant factor. The packaging with the label stating the presence of a “chitosan” coating without giving any further information obtained higher purchase intentions than the one with the more detailed information label. In the cluster analysis, the factor “type of cut” showed the highest relative importance in two groups, while “price” had a higher impact in another. The type of cut was the main factor affecting consumers’ purchase intentions. However, different attitudes were observed depending on the group.

Consumer's perception and expected liking of labels of burgers with sodium reduction and addition of mushroom flavor enhancer

This study investigated consumers' perception of labels of burgers with sodium reduction and/or addition of mushroom flavor enhancer. Six visual stimuli were created using a factorial design with sodium content (regular, sodium-reduced, and sodium-reduced plus health claim) and flavor enhancer (monosodium glutamate (MSG) and mushroom extract) as factors. Consumers answered an attitudinal questionnaire and evaluated the stimuli through expected liking and check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions. Three consumers' clusters were identified, which associated positive attributes to labels of burgers with mushroom flavor enhancer and negative attributes to labels of MSG-burgers, regardless of sodium content. The main positive drivers of liking were "I would buy", "attractive", "innovative", "tasty", and "contain fewer additives", which were associated with burgers with mushroom flavor enhancer, while "contain additives", "processed", "artificial", "unhealthy", and "not attractive" were the negative drivers of liking that should be modified in a reformulation to increase liking. This study provides valuable information for the development of healthier burgers and their positioning in the market.

Safety, Quality and Analytical Authentication of ḥalāl Meat Products, with Particular Emphasis on Salami: A Review

Only some animal species could be transformed into ḥalāl salami and the raw meat must be obtained from ritually slaughtered animals. Several scientific studies have been conducted on ritual slaughtering practices and manufacturing of meat products for Jewish and Muslim religious communities; furthermore, many projects have been funded by the European Community on this topic. The authenticity and traceability of meat is one of the priorities of ḥalāl food certification systems. The pig matrix (meat and/or lard) may be fraudulently present in ḥalāl processed meat, as well as salami, for both economic and technological purposes; in fact, the use of these raw materials reflects the easier availability and their lower cost; furthermore, it allows manufacturers to obtain final products with better quality (sensory properties) and stability (especially with respect to oxidative reactions). The aim of this review is to discuss the qualitative and technological aspects of ḥalāl raw meat for dry fermented sausages (salami); moreover, this study focuses on the most recent studies carried out on the certification system and on the analytical methods performed in order to solve problems such as fraud and adulteration of ḥalāl salami and other halal meat foods.

Consumer Acceptability of Dry Cured Meat from Cull Ewes Reared with Different Linseed Supplementation Levels and Feeding Durations

Dry cured meat—‘cecina’—is a traditional, although not well-known, dry product that could add value to cull ewes. Because of this, the aim of the study was to assess consumer acceptability of ‘cecina’ from cull ewes finished with different levels of linseed (5, 10 or 15%) for different periods before slaughtering (30, 50 or 70 days). One hundred and fifty consumers evaluated colour acceptability, fatness and odour, flavour and overall acceptability of ‘cecina’ from those 9 treatments. Additionally, habits of consumption of cured products and preferences for different species and willingness to pay for ‘cecina’ were investigated. Linseed supplementation was identified as the most important factor for sensorial attributes (p < 0.01), with the preferred ‘cecina’ being that with 5% and 10% supplementation. Feeding duration only modified the fatness acceptability (p < 0.01). ‘Cecina’ from small ruminants is a product consumed occasionally by the majority of participants; however, it presented an adequate overall acceptability. Consequently, elaborating ‘cecina’ would be a feasible strategy to improve the income of farmers.