Effect of increased fruit and fat content in an acidified milk product on preference, liking and wanting in children

New strategies for changing children's liking in a more healthy direction are needed. Modulating food products by masking techniques have shown to convert dislikes into likes. In this study, children's (n = 204, 9-14 years) perception of sourness, preferences, liking and wanting for acidified milk products (AMP) with variation in fat (0.5% versus 3.5%) and fruit content (5-20%) were investigated. Multiple ranking and PARAllel FACtor analysis were used to evaluate ranking and rating data, respectively. The results show that high-fat AMP is preferred at low fruit content, whereas fat content has no influence on liking at high fruit contents. Children like and want AMPs with 15-20% fruit more than AMPs with 5-10% fruit. Segments of children rank and rate the AMPs significantly different. Finally, a high correlation between liking and wanting is observed. These results give the food industry an option to produce new healthy food products to children without loss in children's liking. Practical Applications: From a health perspective, the effects of increasing fruit content in acidified milk product on children's hedonic perceptions are very important. There is a serious need for shaping children's dietary habits in a more healthy direction to decrease the negative development in childhood obesity. These results provide knowledge about some of the main factors driving children's food choice in both the eating and the purchase situations. Knowledge about children's drivers toward healthy foods provides important information in product development of high fruit products. Moreover, the results are useful for researchers, producers, manufacturers and health professionals as a first step to design public health policies and consumer education strategies. The various methodologies presented in the paper can also be implemented in the study of children's liking and wanting for other foods.