WP5 - Sensory description, consumers’ preference and perception of plant-based products

Consumer acceptability is a key criterion to develop innovative products. Indeed, it is necessary to know consumer preferences of consumers associated with sensory properties to insure a good product. To explore the impact of the ingredients on the quality of sensory attributes, sensory analysis can be used to obtain more quickly a relevant product that is adapted to consumer expectations. However, sensory qualities are not the only factors influencing food choice and consumer preferences. Extrinsic factors including origin, familiarity, health claims, price, nature of the ingredients and any other source of information about the product also have a major influence on this choice. This is why consumer science and, more specifically social sciences are important to consider when measuring consumers acceptability.
The main objectives of the WP5 are (i) to identify the sensory qualities of plant-based products made from Camelina seed proteins and (ii) to explain consumers’ acceptability and perception concerning the new alternative plant-based products (with a focus on Camelina) in order to determine the intrinsic and extrinsic food attributes, individual and environmental factors that influence consumer choice of these innovative foods. A cross-disciplinary approach based on sensory analysis and consumer science will be integrated.

Four phases are planned in our methodology :

• First, we will characterize the different Camelina proteins obtained in WP4 in order to select the most suitable variety for the development of food prototypes containing Camelina proteins.
   
• Secondly, a large online survey will be conducted among a representative sample of the French population (n=5000) in terms of gender, age, region and diet. This study will examine consumers' food behaviors, particularly regarding plant-based protein products.
   
• Another objective will be to measure the preference of French consumers towards different Camelina-based prototypes by varying the amount of Camelina protein resulting from different fermentation methods using a hedonic test on more than 100 consumers. The sensory profile will be determined using a trained panel in order to describe the sensory properties of each food prototype.
   
• Finally, we will measure consumers’ perception and appropriation of these new Camelina-based prototypes. A qualitative study will be carried out by means of two focus groups followed by a quantitative study which will be conducted on a sample of 300 consumers in two cities. These planned experiments will involve (i) a marketing survey and (ii) hedonic tests. The results of marketing and hedonic tests will be cross-referenced to identify ways of optimizing sensory qualities to make these innovative Camelina-based products more acceptable to consumers, whatever their diet.

WP5 Tasks

T5.1 Selection and sensory profile of different Camelina extracts
T5.2 Consumers’ perception and behavior towards plant-based products
T5.3 Optimization of food prototypes and sensory validation
T5.4 Consumers’ acceptability of food prototypes