Sensory profiles and hedonic perception of commercial potato chips under blind and informed consumer tests

Abstract

Although consumer hedonic perception on various food products was evaluated under blind and informed conditions, little research was conducted on commercial potato chips to examine how consumers' perception would change after products' information was disclosed to consumers. Sensory profiles and hedonic perception of six marketed potato chips were investigated under blind and informed conditions, including the specific product manufacturer, nutritional ingredients, and additives. A total of 18 sensory attributes of the chips were profiled by descriptive analysis, and all samples were evaluated under blind or informed conditions by 80 consumers, who rated their acceptance. Significant variations in sensory profiles between tested samples were observed, indicating a broad range of product quality in the marketplace. For the informed consumer test, the health-related positive effect such as oil-free on overall liking scores was not manifested. It suggests that consumers are not willing to compromise on taste, regardless of any benefit, including health. Cluster analysis also showed that no clear market segmentation was observed in both blind and informed evaluations. Therefore, it is concluded that whether potato chips are health-oriented or not is not a key factor in dictating consumers' hedonic perception. Taste is the most important factor affecting consumer choice when purchasing potato chips.