Does a familiarization step influence results from a TCATA task?. (January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jaeger, Sara R.; Beresford, Michelle K.; Hunter, Denise C.; Alcaire, Florencia; Castura, John C.; Ares, Gastón
• Is Part Of: Food quality and preference. Volume 55(2017:Jan.)
• Page Start: 91
• Page End: 97
• Publication Date: 2017-01
• Subjects: Temporal methods -- Sensory characterization -- Check-All-That-Apply questions -- TCATA -- Consumers; Food preferences -- Periodicals; Food -- Quality -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Quality control -- Periodicals; Préférences alimentaires -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Qualité -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Industrie et commerce -- Qualité -- Contrôle -- Périodiques; Food industry and trade -- Quality control; Food preferences; Food -- Quality; Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2016.09.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-3293

Abstract

Highlights: The influence of a familiarization step on results from TCATA with consumers was evaluated. Familiarization did not modify consumer ability to select/unselect terms during the TCATA task. Familiarization led to a small increase in consumer ability to discriminate among samples. Familiarization should be considered when using TCATA with consumers. Abstract: Temporal Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA) is a multi-attribute temporal approach that extends CATA questions. It is based on continuous selection of the sensory attributes that are perceived as applicable for describing a focal sample during consumption. Compared to CATA, TCATA is a relatively intense and demanding task for consumers who have to focus their attention on the evolution of the sensory characteristics of samples during consumption. The present work evaluated a short familiarization step (7–10 min) where participants became acquainted with the list of sensory terms and applied these to a practice sample using a CATA task and also completed a TCATA task using a warm-up sample. All participants, including those who did not take part in the familiarization step, watched a demonstration video that explained how to use the TCATA software and to complete the task. Three consumer studies, each involving ∼100 participants, were conducted using dried apricots, peanuts, and milk chocolate. The TCATA curves when data were collected with and without the familiarization step were not systematically different. However, a small increase in sample discrimination was established and on this basis familiarization should be considered when using TCATA with consumers. A need to explore other familiarization protocols than the one used here exist in order to develop guidelines for implementation.