Consumer acceptance of orange juice containing functional ingredients

This study examined the sensory impact of functional ingredients (e.g., probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins, and minerals) on the aroma and taste of orange fruit juices. A trained panel (n = 10) performed a descriptive sensory analysis on four functional orange juices and seven conventional orange juices. The functional juices were described as possessing perceptible "dairy", "medicinal" and "dirty" flavours, distinguishing them from the conventional juices. Subsequently, 100 consumers participated in a preference test, whereby five orange juices (three conventional and two functional) were ranked in order of consumer preference. Ranking decisions were based solely on the sensory characteristics of the juices, since product information was not provided. On an overall basis, consumers preferred the sensory characteristics of conventional juices. However, cluster analysis identified a small consumer segment (11%) that significantly preferred the sensory attributes of functional juices. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.