Evaluation of sensory characteristics of strawberry flavored dairy beverages

Abstract

In recent years the food industry has been experiencing a paradigm shift concerning the new profile of consumers, who are increasingly informed and critical. Therefore, understanding consumer choices and preferences becomes a competitive differential between companies. In addition, the sensory characteristics of products are fundamental factors that decide the purchase and repurchase of food and beverages, thus making sensory analysis one of the most used tools in the food segment. As a result, the objective of this study was to evaluate the consumer profile, preference, and sensory acceptance of different brands of strawberry flavored dairy beverages. For this purpose, different brands of strawberry flavored dairy beverages (brands A, B, C, and D) were collected in supermarkets, which were subjected to a preference test and sensory acceptance. A total of 36 consumers participated in the sensory analysis, of which 56% were aged between 18 and 20 years and 86% were University students. Survey participants stated that they read the information contained on packaging labels (53%) and that they observe the validity of the product (94%). Regarding the sensory analysis, it was possible to verify that the dairy beverage (brand D) showed greater preference for all evaluated attributes, as well as greater sensory acceptance, showing a positive relationship between these two sensory tests.