Development and Application of a Test for Food-Induced Emotions

PLoS One. 2016 Nov 18;11(11):e0165991. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165991. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a test to measure food-induced emotions suitable for stable food and beverages. All of the experiments were conducted under the conditions of a consumer sensory evaluation according to German standard DIN 10974. Test development included descriptors' derivation and factor analysis as well as a comparison between the new test (empathic food test, EFT) and a hedonic sensory test and an unspecific psychological test, known as a multidimensional mood questionnaire (MDMQ). Nineteen sensory experts derived twelve items using free-choice profiling. After an exploratory factor analyses, ten of the intended twelve items were integrated into two scales. To compare the new questionnaire (EFT) to the MDMQ and a hedonic test, panels of 59 (EFT), 64 (MDMQ) and 63 (hedonic sensory test) untrained individuals described their perceptions after consuming sensorially similar pairs of milk, water, bread and sugar. The benchmark of comparison was the power to discriminate between the food pairs. Test-retest replicability was demonstrated. All three tests presented slight differences in sample preference and effect size depending on the offered products. These findings underscore the need to test new methods with a wide range of products. Further research is needed to investigate the relationship between sensorial perception and emotional response.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Affect
  • Aged
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Consumer Behavior
  • Emotions*
  • Female
  • Food*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the Mahle Stiftung GmbH, the Software AG Stiftung, and the Zukunftstiftung Landwirtschaft. UG and RG receive salary from Forschungsring e.V., and KB and PK receive salary from ttz Bremerhaven. The authors of the Forschungsring e.V. (UG and RG) were responsible for coordination, conceptualization, administration and methodology in the study, while the authors of the ttz Bremerhaven (KB and PK) were in charge of realization of the experiments in the laboratory. The other funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.