Variations in Consumer Rejection Thresholds of Water Samples Including Mixed-Berries Flavors
type: CreativeWork
description: Functional flavored water has emerged as a major space in the beverage industry in recent years. However, no research has explored the point that consumers begin to reject a specific flavor concentration within a flavored water matrix (i.e., a consumer rejection threshold). The first part of this thesis aimed to determine the consumer rejection thresholds of mixed-berry flavors in both sweetened and unsweetened water samples and examine the effects of demographics, food neophobia status, and personality traits on the consumer rejection thresholds. The second part of this thesis aimed to distinguish and compare consumer rejection threshold methodologies with and without a control as well as determine the drivers of liking in sweetened mixed-berry flavored water samples and how those may impact overall acceptance. A total of 103 consumer panelists completed two sessions (unsweetened versus sweetened) of a two-alternative forced choice paired preference test on seven concentrations of total volatiles (0.006, 0.013, 0.026, 0.052, 0.104, 0.208, and 0.416 μg/mL) and one control concentration of total volatiles (0.003 μg/mL) in mixed-berry flavored water. The consumer rejection threshold (CRT) was found to vary between unsweetened (CRT=0.110 μg/mL) and sweetened (CRT=0.028 μg/mL) berry flavored water. The CRTs also varied with age groups, gender, food neophobia status, and personality traits in both types of flavored water. The 88 of the 103 panelists returned to complete another session (the second part of this thesis) to determine a CRT under a sweetened flavored water matrix. In this session, panelists were asked to rate their preference to consume in the absence of the control option. They were also asked to rate each of the seven concentrations for overall liking and Just-About-Right attributes (flavor, sweetness, bitterness, and sourness). When taking away a control, a CRT was not met, although the CRT was met (CRT= 0.033 μg/mL) in the presence of the control option.…
abstract: Functional flavored water has emerged as a major space in the beverage industry in recent years. However, no research has explored the point that consumers begin to reject a specific flavor concentration within a flavored water matrix (i.e., a consumer rejection threshold). The first part of this thesis aimed to determine the consumer rejection thresholds of mixed-berry flavors in both sweetened and unsweetened water samples and examine the effects of demographics, food neophobia status, and personality traits on the consumer rejection thresholds. The second part of this thesis aimed to distinguish and compare consumer rejection threshold methodologies with and without a control as well as determine the drivers of liking in sweetened mixed-berry flavored water samples and how those may impact overall acceptance. A total of 103 consumer panelists completed two sessions (unsweetened versus sweetened) of a two-alternative forced choice paired preference test on seven concentrations of total volatiles (0.006, 0.013, 0.026, 0.052, 0.104, 0.208, and 0.416 μg/mL) and one control concentration of total volatiles (0.003 μg/mL) in mixed-berry flavored water. The consumer rejection threshold (CRT) was found to vary between unsweetened (CRT=0.110 μg/mL) and sweetened (CRT=0.028 μg/mL) berry flavored water. The CRTs also varied with age groups, gender, food neophobia status, and personality traits in both types of flavored water. The 88 of the 103 panelists returned to complete another session (the second part of this thesis) to determine a CRT under a sweetened flavored water matrix. In this session, panelists were asked to rate their preference to consume in the absence of the control option. They were also asked to rate each of the seven concentrations for overall liking and Just-About-Right attributes (flavor, sweetness, bitterness, and sourness). When taking away a control, a CRT was not met, although the CRT was met (CRT= 0.033 μg/mL) in the presence of the control option.…
author: McCullough, Kathryn
keywords: Consumer Rejection Threshold, Flavored Water, Sensory Acceptance, Other Food Science
date published: 2022-05-01T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T00:59:32Z
provider: University of Arkansas
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Arkansas