D 5.4.2.3. Report on near-market consumer testing of new improved products in Europe for Group 3. Project AFTER “African Food Tradition rEvisited by Research”

This deliverable describe the main results concerning the studies of European consumer acceptance of reengineered products from group 3 (plant based extracts for functional foods) in order to understand acceptance in EU markets and facilitate their promotion and introduction in these markets. The products belonging to this group were Bissap - Hibiscus sabdariffa L., Baobab - Adansonia digitata L. and Jaabi - Ziziphus mauritiana Lam, but only Bissap and Baobab were submitted to European consumers testing. The methodological approach performed to establish consumer's acceptance and sensory profile included consumer hedonic acceptance, Just-About-Right intensity evaluation of specific descriptors (JAR) and Check-All-That-Apply questions (CATA). Results on 4 reengineered Baobab fruit juices used in this consumer test showed that all fruit juices were evaluated as very sweet and slightly fruity flavour and very light colour and were in the acceptable range since the average scores were between 5 (neither like nor dislike) and 7 (like moderately), which can be considered satisfactory taking into account that the Baobab is not commonly consumed in Europe and even unknown to the public. For all the samples assessed the diluted from Syrup from Baobab fruit pulp (BSFP) showed to be the most appreciated and obtained a positive value on the consumption probability, possibly because this sample showed the highest values in the fruit odour and intensity and colour hue. Results on 2 reengineered bissap drinks - an ultra-vacuum concentrate and a syrup evaluated in Europe by comparable consumers' samples in France, Portugal and United Kingdom, along with a hibiscus infusion prepared freshly from ground dried calyces, showed that all the hibiscus drinks evaluated were in average positively appreciated by consumers, however new drinks were significantly more appreciated then the traditional infusion. Similar preference profiles were observed across countries although French participants were those that most appreciated the drinks. Clusters analysis performed showed new hibiscus drinks were liked slightly too moderately by participants in Clusters C1 (Overall likers) and C2 (New drinks' likers), representing about 75% of participants in the study. The evaluation of the intensity of three sensory attributes - colour, sweet taste and acid taste -, relatively to participants' ideal level and it's relation with overall liking ratings, showed for reengineered syrup a significant negative impact of the high sweetness on the drink overall liking. Oppositely for ultra-vacuum AFTER (G.A n°245025) – Deliverable 5.4.2.3 Report on near-market consumer testing of new improved products in Europe for Group 3 4 concentrate the strong colour and acidity and weak sweetness led to a significant decrease in overall liking. CATA profiles were similar in the three countries, concerning both the actual drinks tested and an ideal theoretical drink. Reengineered syrup was perceived to have a highly distinct sensory profile when compared with the others, and these with the described ideal drink. In the case of reengineered syrup although being the most appreciated drink, its high sweetness was an important penalizing factor in consumers acceptance as a drink, nevertheless other uses for this syrup can be foreseen. In the case of ultra-vacuum concentrate drink where the strong character, robust colour and strong acidity was not so appreciated in Europe as in Senegal, could benefit European consumers' acceptance if we increase the dilution of the concentrate with an equilibrated degree of added sugar. Besides exploring further opportunities for enhancing the sensory profiles of the new drinks of group 3 in line with European taste, future studies should also investigate the levels of marketing activities (pricing, distribution and promotional information – including nutritional and healthiness attributes) which will best support their successful introduction in European markets. (Résumé d'auteur)