Hanne Sivertsen

Identifying and interpreting market segments using conjoint analysis

This paper is a comparison between two different methodological approaches to identifying and interpreting market segments in conjoint analysis. One of the methods is segmentation by fuzzy clustering accompanied with a logistic regression of membership values versus consumer attributes. The other approach is based on a mixed model ANOVA of both conjoint and consumer variables simultaneously The two methods are compared on a three attribute conjoint study of margarine. The results from the two methods are very similar from a qualitative point of view. The most important information found is that well educated women separated strongly from men with little education in their purchase intent for products with a high fat content.

An integrated approach for flavour quality evaluation in muskmelon (Cucumis melo L. reticulatus group) during ripening

Numerous and diverse physiological changes occur during fruit ripening and maturity at harvest is one of the key factors influencing the flavour quality of fruits. The effect of ripening on chemical composition, physical parameters and sensory perception of three muskmelon (Cucumis melo L. reticulatus group) cultivars was evaluated. Significant correlations emerging from this extensive data set are discussed in the context of identifying potential targets for melon sensory quality improvement. A portable ultra-fast gas-chromatograph coupled with a surface acoustic wave sensor (UFGC-SAW) was also used to monitor aroma volatile concentrations during fruit ripening and evaluated for its ability to predict the sensory perception of melon flavour. UFGC-SAW analysis allowed the discrimination of melon maturity stage based on six measured peaks, whose abundance was positively correlated to maturity-specific sensory attributes. Our findings suggest that this technology shows promise for future applications in rapid flavour quality evaluation.

Development of satiating and palatable high-protein meat products by using experimental design in food technology

Background and objectives Foods high in protein are known to satiate more fully than foods high in other constituents. One challenge with these types of food is the degree of palatability. This study was aimed at developing the frankfurter style of sausages that would regulate food intake as well as being the preferred food choice of the consumer. Design and measures 16 sausage varieties with commercial (PE% 20) or higher amount of protein (PE% 40), being modified with vegetable fat (3% of rapeseed oil), and smoked or not, underwent a sensory descriptive analysis, in which the information was used to choose a subsample of four sausages for a satiety test. Twenty-seven subjects were recruited based on liking and frequency of sausage consumption. The participants ranged in age from 20 to 28, and in body mass index (BMI) between 19.6 and 30.9. The students were served a sausage meal for five consecutive days and then filled out a questionnaire to describe their feelings of hunger, satiety, fullness, desire to eat an their prospective consumption on a visual analogue scale (VAS) starting from right before, right after the meal, every half hour for 4 h until the next meal was served, and right after the second meal. Results and conclusion The higher protein sausages were less juicy, oily, fatty, adhesive, but harder and more granular than with lower amount of protein. The high-protein sausages were perceived as more satiating the first 90 min after the first meal. Some indication of satiety effect of added oil versus meat fat. No significant differences in liking among the four sausage varieties.