Search Results (731)

This study examines consumer preferences for goat cheese by jointly analysing sensory evaluations and willingness to pay more (WTPM) for artisanal and industrial products. Using a comparative experimental design conducted in Sicily (Italy) with 105 regular cheese consumers recruited through convenience sampling in a controlled laboratory setting, the study investigates how differences in farming systems and processing methods—from extensive pasture-based systems to intensive industrial production—affect sensory perception and WTPM. Two ordered logit models with increasing price levels were estimated to identify the determinants of WTPM, one for industrial goat cheese and one for artisanal goat cheese, including sensory evaluations and socio-demographic variables as explanatory factors. A paired t-test was also performed to assess whether sensory evaluations differed significantly between the two cheeses. The results indicate that sensory quality was the main driver of WTPM for artisanal goat cheese, with aroma emerging as the strongest sensory predictor in the exploratory ordered logit model (β = 3.535; p < 0.01). However, the sensory comparison revealed only modest differences between the two cheeses, with taste showing the clearest differentiation in favour of artisanal cheese. Among extrinsic attributes, only PDO certification positively affected WTPM, whereas the negative association observed for biodegradable packaging should be interpreted cautiously as an exploratory finding requiring further investigation. Origin-based signals such as PDO therefore appeared to enhance value alongside, rather than replace, sensory differentiation, acting as complementary rather than substitutive cues. Overall, the findings contribute to the literature on food systems and consumer behaviour by linking sensory perception with production systems and showing how artisanal dairy products can generate consumer value through the combination of sensory characteristics and extrinsic attributes related to origin and production identity. Full article

Asian local chickens are often perceived as more palatable than commercial broilers, with stronger taste and longer aftertaste, but the biochemical basis of this eating quality remains unclear. Using Japanese local chicken meat as the main example and other Asian local chicken studies as context, this hypothesis-generating review develops a hypothesis centered on arachidonic acid. The core hypothesis is that higher arachidonic acid content may partly explain why local chicken meat is perceived as more palatable. Available Japanese data show that local chicken meats generally contain higher arachidonic acid proportions than commercial broiler meat. However, higher arachidonic acid content alone cannot explain why the meat is perceived as more palatable. A previously proposed hypothesis links lipid-derived volatile aldehydes to kokumi through activation of the calcium-sensing receptor. This route is treated cautiously here, because volatile aldehydes may be lost during cooking and have not yet been shown to remain in cooked chicken meat at concentrations that influence eating quality. Instead, this review proposes a second validation route. Arachidonic-acid-rich lipid pools generate 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and related compounds that are less volatile and more likely to remain in edible fractions than short-chain aldehydes. These compounds are introduced here only as plausible downstream oxidation products that may help connect meat lipid composition with kokumi-related or aftertaste-related perception. This review emphasizes production context, meat-quality traits, and sensory evaluation as the primary basis for interpreting fatty-acid differences, with chemical hypotheses presented only as exploratory routes for future validation. Full article

As Feng-flavor Baijiu increasingly shifts toward consumer-oriented product development, clarifying consumers’ shared sensory priorities and age-related differences is essential for aligning its traditional style with evolving market demands. This study collected 1523 questionnaires across China, of which 1357 valid responses were analyzed. A hierarchical sensory system comprising three primary dimensions—aroma, taste, and drinking perception—and 24 secondary attributes was evaluated using hierarchical weighting, a proportional sensory flavor wheel, machine learning, and SHAP interpretation. Drinking perception received the highest weight (35.23%), although it was only slightly higher than aroma (33.54%) and taste (31.22%). Jiuhai aroma, sweetness, comfort, and purity were identified as the leading attributes within their respective dimensions. Machine learning further identified purity, persistence, saltiness, comfort, and harmony as attributes with relatively high contributions to age-group classification. Age-group differences were not concentrated in any single sensory attribute but were reflected in the classification information jointly provided by multiple sensory attributes. Descriptive group comparisons showed decreasing trends in the relative weights of saltiness and sourness across the 18–30-, 31–45-, and ≥46-year groups, although neither difference remained statistically significant after Benjamini–Hochberg correction. Comfort, bitterness, and honey aroma were relatively more prominent in the ≥46-year group, whereas grain aroma was relatively more prominent in the 31–45-year group. Sweetness and Jiuhai aroma had relatively high overall weights but contributed less to age-group classification, suggesting that they may represent more broadly shared sensory priorities across age groups. These findings identify candidate sensory priorities and segmentation indicators for subsequent validation using actual products, consumer liking tests, and ideal-intensity assessments. Full article

This study investigated the effects of xanthan-gum-induced viscosity on sensory perception, expected fullness, and panelists’ acceptance of whey-based high-protein beverages under sequential blind and informed evaluation conditions. Four formulations containing 0%, 0.08%, 0.12%, and 0.16% xanthan gum were evaluated by 131 panelists using 30 mL tasting samples. Linear Mixed Models (LMMs) were applied to account for repeated measurements and inter-individual variability. Increasing viscosity systematically increased expected fullness while reducing overall liking and prospective hypothetical consumption volume. Panelists showed higher acceptance and greater prospective hypothetical consumption volume during the informed evaluation condition, although these differences were interpreted cautiously because the evaluation conditions were administered sequentially. Nevertheless, higher viscosity remained associated with lower hedonic ratings, indicating that oral texture continued to play a dominant role in product acceptance regardless of information disclosure. Taste liking was the strongest predictor of overall acceptance, whereas perceived viscosity was associated with lower prospective hypothetical consumption volume, particularly at higher xanthan gum concentrations. These findings highlight the importance of immediate sensory attributes, particularly taste and viscosity-related expected fullness, in shaping panelists’ acceptance and prospective hypothetical consumption volume. Differences between the sequential blind and informed evaluations, however, were interpreted cautiously because they may also reflect session-order and repeated-exposure effects. Full article

Taste perception, taste preferences, and food preferences are three interrelated constructs underlying food-related behavior and contribute to individual dietary choices. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to shaping these traits. Taste perception refers to interindividual differences in biological sensitivity to basic taste modalities. Taste preferences represent the hedonic evaluation of taste modalities, including salty, sweet, bitter, sour, or umami, and fatty tastes, and are closely related to, but distinct from, taste perception. Recent evidence in sensory genetics has identified numerous single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) associated with interindividual differences in both taste perception and taste-modality-related responses. Essential genes include TAS1R2 and TAS1R3 for sweet taste, TAS1R1 and TAS1R3 for umami, TAS2R38 for bitter taste, CD36 for fat perception, and epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) subunits for salt sensitivity. Regarding broader food preferences, variants in genes involved in metabolic regulation and reward processing—such as FTO, MC4R, GHRL, DRD2, and OPRM1—also contribute to food-related behaviors and choice patterns. Health status and genetic variants may also influence taste perception and food preferences. This review summarizes current evidence on the genetic determinants of taste perception, taste modality preferences, and food liking, emphasizing the multifactorial nature of food-related behaviors and the role of genetic variability in shaping individual differences in dietary choices. Full article

Copper is an essential trace element that plays critical roles in enzymatic processes and cellular metabolism. However, excessive exposure to its ions can lead to toxicity through oxidative stress mechanisms. Therefore, the chemical ‘speciation’ of copper(II) ions (Cu(II)) in biological fluids such as saliva is of critical importance. However, currently this phenomenon remains poorly understood, despite its importance for our understanding of bioavailability, toxicity, and sensory perception. Therefore, this study employed ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to investigate the molecular nature and complexation characteristics of low-molecular-mass Cu(II) complexes formed in human whole mouth salivary supernatant (WMSS) samples. Findings obtained revealed that Cu(II) ions form distinct complexes with salivary biomolecules, particularly amino acids such as histidine and glutamine, aromatic metabolites, proteins, and further small organic biomolecules, e.g., carboxylic acid anions. These results provide new insights into copper speciation in the oral cavity, with implications for dietary Cu(II) ion availability, metallic taste perception, and potential toxicological risks associated with elevated oral exposure levels. Full article

Research on wine perception shows that extrinsic information can alter reported sensory perceptions. This study adopts a repeated measures design to quantify how label information affects perceived quality relative to blind tasting. Forty-five adult tasters evaluated eight PDO Málaga wines in two tasting contexts: blind and label-informed conditions. Participants rated the perceived quality of aroma, colour, and flavour using 5-point scales, capturing evaluative judgments rather than intensity. Mean global sensory scores and attribute-level evaluations were analysed to assess context-related effects. The results reveal a robust and consistent effect of informational context: label disclosure systematically increased perceived quality ratings compared with blind tasting. Difference-based analysis (informed − blind) indicates that this effect varies across wines and attributes, acting primarily as an amplification mechanism rather than fundamentally altering relative evaluations. At the same time, colour wines were clearly differentiated under blind conditions, confirming the presence of intrinsic sensory variation independent of contextual cues. Sensory attributes showed strong correlations (r > 0.95), indicating an integrated perceptual response, but also suggesting limited discriminant capacity among attributes and a tendency toward global evaluative judgments. No statistically significant differences were observed between consumers and sommeliers, although subgroup comparisons should be interpreted with caution given the limited size of the expert sample. Overall, the findings are consistent with expectation-driven perception, in which labelling cues correlate (r > 0.95), indicating an integrated perceptual response; however, this also suggests limited discriminant capacity between attributes and a tendency toward global evaluative judgments. No statistically robust differences were observed between consumers and sommeliers, although subgroup comparisons should be interpreted with caution due to the limited size of the expert sample. The study suggests the relevance of aligning sensory profiles with extrinsic communication strategies in wine marketing and PDO contexts, while acknowledging limitations in sample composition, measurement scales, and the use of self-reported sensory ratings. Full article

The thick and mellow flavor of green tea serves as a core sensory indicator for assessing its quality grade and market value. This characteristic fundamentally represents the dynamic equilibrium of multiple flavor-contributing substances within the tea leaves, coupled with the synergistic effects of multi-sensory perception. Currently, the characteristics, chemical composition, and interactions underlying the thick and mellow flavor of green tea are the subject of intense research, yet no consensus has been reached within the academic community. This review systematically details the research progress on the chemical and quality characteristics and interactive effects of green tea’s thick flavor. First, the physiological basis for perceiving this thick and mellow flavor—the multisensory integration mechanism involving taste, smell, and oral tactile sensations—is explored. Second, evaluation methods for the thick and mellow flavor of green tea, including sensory analysis, instrumental analysis, and the integrated application of artificial intelligence technologies, are outlined. Third, the chemical basis of the thick and mellow flavor of green tea and the mechanisms of its interactions are systematically summarized. This review aims to systematically analyze the formation mechanisms and regulatory characteristics of the thick and mellow flavor of green tea, providing valuable reference for standardizing green tea flavor quality control. Full article

Background/Objectives: Taste perception has emerged as a key determinant of eating behavior and metabolic regulation, but its relationship with body mass index (BMI) remains incompletely understood. We investigated the relationships among global, sweet, and lipid taste sensitivity; sweet- and lipid-taste-related polymorphisms; caloric intake; and BMI. Methods: Taste sensitivity was assessed using taste strips (overall and sweet) and detection thresholds for fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acids). Genotyping of polymorphism genes was conducted. Pearson correlation analyses examined bivariate associations between taste variables and BMI. Multiple regression models were performed to identify independent predictors of BMI and to evaluate the mediating role of caloric intake. Results: A strong inverse correlation was found between total and sweet taste sensitivity and BMI, particularly in super-tasters (STs) and participants with the sensitive genotype of sweet-taste-related polymorphisms. Similarly, greater sensitivity to fatty acids was associated with lower BMI, specifically in non-tasters (NTs) and participants with the insensitive genotype of CD36 polymorphisms. In multiple regression models, overall and lipid sensitivity were the most significant predictors of BMI, which were inversely associated with it. TAS1R2 and TAS1R3 also showed independent effects. Importantly, caloric intake was not retained in the final model. Conclusions: Taste sensitivity is inversely associated with BMI independently of caloric intake. These findings suggest that the gustatory system could influence body weight through mechanisms beyond energy consumption, probably involving food choice and extra-oral receptor-mediated metabolic regulation. Taste perception and related genetic factors may represent important targets for personalized nutrition and obesity prevention strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Menopause is a complex physiological transition characterized by progressive estrogen deficiency and systemic biological changes that can affect multiple organs and tissues, including the oral cavity. Growing evidence suggests that hormonal fluctuations during the menopausal transition may influence periodontal health, salivary function, oral sensory perception, and overall oral health-related quality of life. Objective: This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the biological mechanisms and clinical manifestations associated with the relationship between menopause and oral health, with particular attention to periodontal outcomes, salivary changes, oral discomfort, dental status, and the potential role of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Methods: This narrative review was based on a structured literature search conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus to identify studies published between January 2005 and May 2026. Predefined eligibility criteria were applied to identify relevant human studies. The retrieved evidence was synthesized narratively according to major oral health domains and menopausal phenotypes. Results: Fifty studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, menopause was associated with poorer periodontal parameters, including increased probing depth, clinical attachment loss, and periodontal inflammation. Reduced salivary flow, dry mouth, altered salivary composition, burning symptoms, and taste disturbances were frequently reported in peri- and postmenopausal women. A higher prevalence of caries and tooth loss was also reported, although the contribution of age and other confounding factors varied across studies. New evidence suggests that estrogen deficiency may influence oral health through interconnected pathways involving immune regulation, bone metabolism, salivary gland function, and host–microbiome interactions. Evidence regarding the effects of HRT has been mixed, although several studies have reported improvements in salivary function and periodontal outcomes among treated women. Conclusions: Menopause appears to act as an important systemic modifier of oral health through multifactorial biological mechanisms. Menopause-associated oral manifestations go beyond local tissue changes and reflect broader interactions between hormonal status, inflammation, bone metabolism, and microbial ecology. Increased awareness among dental and medical professionals and a multidisciplinary approach could improve the prevention, diagnosis, and management of oral diseases in postmenopausal women. Further, well-designed longitudinal studies are needed to clarify causal relationships and identify effective therapeutic strategies. Full article

This study systematically evaluated substrate-dependent variations in yield, nutritional composition, mineral profiles, taste-active compounds, electronic tongue profile, and metabolome of A. bisporus cultivated on corn stover-based substrates (CM1, CM2, CM3) and wheat straw-based substrate (WM4). Corn stover-based substrates supported the cultivation of A. bisporus, yielding 20.56–25.63 kg/m², comparable to WM4 (24.23 kg/m²). Biological efficiency of the corn stover treatments ranged from 80.32% to 88.58%; CM1 and CM2 were comparable to WM4 (91.35%), whereas CM3 showed a significantly lower biological efficiency than WM4 (p < 0.05). Crude protein and mineral elements (Cu, Fe, Zn) were substantially higher in mushrooms from corn stover-based substrates, whereas crude polysaccharide content was greater in WM4. Taste profile analysis revealed that corn stover-based substrates elevated umami and sweet amino acids alongside 5′-GMP and 5′-UMP, leading to enhanced equivalent umami concentration (EUC) and umami perception by the electronic tongue, while WM4 supported higher 5′-AMP accumulation. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis (CM3 vs. WM4) identified 3997 metabolic features. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that these substrate-dependent metabolic alterations were primarily driven by pathways such as the biosynthesis of amino acids, nucleotide metabolism, and 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism, underlying the metabolic adaptation of A. bisporus. These findings provide new insights into the compositional characteristics and quality formation of A. bisporus cultivated on corn stover-based substrates. Full article

Dysgeusia is a clinically consequential, but still under-standardized, toxicity of cancer treatment. In the immunotherapy era, taste disturbances are increasingly relevant for patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and T-cell-redirecting bispecific antibodies, with G protein-coupled receptor family C group 5 member D (GPRC5D)-directed treatment in multiple myeloma representing a particularly instructive high-burden model. We performed a structured critical narrative review with evidence mapping. PubMed/MEDLINE was searched from database inception to June 2026, complemented by citation tracking in Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov searches and guideline documents relevant to oncology nutrition, oral supportive care and cancer-related taste dysfunction. Search concepts covered cancer-related dysgeusia, immunotherapy-associated oral toxicity, GPRC5D/talquetamab-associated dysgeusia, oncology nutrition, oral–gut microbiome biology, natural taste modulators and miraculin-based interventions. Dysgeusia can reduce appetite, food enjoyment, dietary diversity and protein energy intake, thereby contributing to weight loss, malnutrition risk, distress, social withdrawal and, in severe cases, treatment modification or discontinuation. Available evidence is heterogeneous: general cancer-treatment-associated dysgeusia is supported by broader observational and interventional literature; immunotherapy-associated dysgeusia is less systematically characterized; and GPRC5D/talquetamab-associated dysgeusia represents the most clinically visible and target-specific immunotherapy-associated phenotype. Emerging pilot data suggest that dried miracle berry or miraculin-containing products may improve selected taste perception and nutritional parameters in cancer-related dysgeusia, but direct evidence in immunotherapy-associated dysgeusia is not yet established. We, therefore, propose a claim-disciplined precision supportive-care framework integrating systematic taste phenotyping, early nutritional risk assessment, oral health evaluation, microbiome-aware but hypothesis-generating endpoints, individualized flavor and texture adaptation, cautious use of natural taste modulators in selected patients and iterative monitoring of patient-centered outcomes. Future trials should test whether dysgeusia-focused nutritional and taste-modulating supportive care interventions can improve intake, quality of life and treatment persistence without compromising immunotherapy safety or efficacy. Full article

Algorithm-aversion research predicts that consumers prefer human curators to algorithmic ones in subjective decision domains, including taste-based hedonic recommendation. Drawing on the algorithmic-symbiosis paradigm and on assortment-perception theory, this paper identifies a boundary condition on that prediction: disclosing that recommendations are AI-curated rather than human-curated lifts purchase intention in hedonic e-commerce but not in utilitarian e-commerce. The mechanism is a search-side option-breadth inference—the consumer’s attribution about the size of the option pool the curator considered upstream—which is diagnostic in preference-formative consumption categories where consumers build, rather than match, a preference. Three online experiments deployed through a Chinese consumer panel test the framework. Study 1 ($N=228$) finds the predicted Disclosure × Product-type interaction (${\eta }_p^2=0.025$) with the AI-versus-human lift confined to the hedonic cell ($d=0.65$). Study 2 ($N=257$) isolates the option-breadth pathway against trust and competence as competing mediators. Study 3 ($N=519$) extends the design to a second hedonic category, decomposes option breadth into search-side and display-side subdimensions through an eight-item bi-factor scale, tests mentalizing alongside option breadth as a competing mediator, and brings the moderated-mediation test by consumer AI familiarity to conventional statistical power (index of moderated mediation $=+0.065$, 95% CI $[+0.014,+0.118]$). Implications for interactive-marketing practice and algorithmic-disclosure regulation are discussed. Full article

Indigenous crops are well adapted to marginal conditions and rich in nutrients, making them promising contributors to food and nutrition security in rural South African communities. This study evaluated the consumer acceptability and community perceptions of stiff pap composite dishes incorporating pumpkin leaves, Cucurbita pumpkin, and cream-fleshed sweet potato (CFSP) among 60 rural participants. Employing a cross-sectional design, sensory testing using a nine-point hedonic scale and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted across the uMkhanyakude and King Cetshwayo District Municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. All three composite dishes were well-liked overall. The CFSP-based dish achieved the highest overall acceptability (7.68) and was the most preferred (40%; n = 24), while the pumpkin-based dish was the least preferred (38%; n = 23). Significant differences in taste and color were observed across dishes (p < 0.05). Focus groups highlighted that familiarity, flavor balance, preparation methods, and cultural norms shaped willingness to adopt these dishes, with novel combinations eliciting both curiosity and hesitation. Cultural norms, family preferences, and the traditional significance of stiff pap shape acceptance pathways. The findings suggest that integrating indigenous crops into culturally familiar staples can promote dietary diversification and support smallholder farming systems, with culturally sensitive culinary guidance serving as the key enabler for broader adoption. These findings imply that embedding indigenous crops within culturally central staples offers a practical, consumer-driven entry point for sustainable food system transformation, simultaneously advancing dietary diversity, smallholder livelihoods, and the resilience of rural food systems. Full article

Consumer perception and sensory satisfaction play a critical role in shaping sustainable food consumption patterns, purchase intention, and repeat purchasing behavior within modern food systems. This study evaluated the physicochemical and sensory attributes of five imported mango cultivars (Tommy Atkins, Kent, Palmer, Osteen, and Sindhri) sold in Florence, Italy, to examine how quality characteristics influence consumer acceptance and sustainable food choice behavior. Physical and chemical analyses included fruit weight, peel color, firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and pulp characteristics. Sensory evaluation was conducted using a trained panel to assess visual appearance, sweetness, sourness, aroma, juiciness, texture, pleasantness, naturalness perception, overall judgment, and purchase intention before and after consumption. Significant differences were observed among cultivars for several quality and sensory parameters. Sindhri exhibited the highest sweetness and strong consumer acceptance, while Palmer achieved the highest overall judgment and purchase intention after tasting. Kent demonstrated superior visual color and firmness attributes, whereas Tommy Atkins showed higher fibrousness and lower overall consumer acceptance. The findings demonstrate that sensory characteristics are strongly associated with consumer perceptions and purchase intentions, underscoring the importance of cultivar-specific quality profiling in sustainable food marketing strategies. Understanding consumer-oriented quality preferences may support more sustainable imported fruit supply chains by improving consumer satisfaction, reducing dissatisfaction-related food waste, and enhancing sustainable consumption patterns in the growing Italian tropical fruit market. Full article