The main purpose of the study was to identify factors affecting the food liking. In the study 1, a systematic review was used to extract factors affecting the liking of foods found in prior research and to classify them through a literature search and...
The main purpose of the study was to identify factors affecting the food liking. In the study 1, a systematic review was used to extract factors affecting the liking of foods found in prior research and to classify them through a literature search and screening process according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of literature. Using the search strategy, a total of 4, 134 studies were searched, and a total of 601 studies were finally selected according to the criteria for inclusion and exclusion of the literature. As a result of the analysis, the drivers of food liking were composed of food-related factors, non-food related factors, and food by non-food interaction factors. Food related factors were classified as food formulation factors (nutritional fortification, optimization of formulation, improvement of sensory quality, ingredient application) and food processing factors (agricultural treatment, improvement of sensory quality, shelf-life extension). Non-food related factors were divided into personality factors (demographics, psychographic, biological factors) and test environment (information, serving condition, test condition). Factors of interaction between food and non-food include familiarity, novelty, and complexity.
The study 2 aimed to understand the possible mechanisms involved in the development of best or worst foods of one’s life by analyzing the detailed long-term episodic memory related to these foods within cross-cultural context. A total of 805 Koreans, Chinese, and Americans varying in age were interviewed on the best and worst foods of their life. The qualitative response data were converted into frequency data. Overall, high-caloric foods (grains/noodles, meat) were commonly mentioned as the best while low-caloric foods (vegetables, legumes) were selected as the worst foods clearly differed from each other. Young consumers focused on the sensory factors in choosing the best and worst foods. However, the best and worst foods were closely linked with nostalgic memories as the age increased. Foods consumed in an involuntary choice stituation were the main factor related to the worst foods.
The study 3 cross-culturally investigated the hedonic drivers that significantly affected long-term liking for salad dressing based on doenjang and dipping sauce based on gochujang. Subject’s country of origin, flavor variants, and self-determination were major factors of interests. A total of 121 subjects consisting of 66 Koreans and 55 Americans participated. Subjects were randomly divided to either fixed vs. choice group. Subjects in the fixed group selected one type of carrier food at the start of experiment and used the same carrier food to evaluate samples for all tasting sessions. The choice group subjects, on the other hand, selected carrier food every time they came to taste. First taste testing trial was held at the start of the experiment. Then subjects had gone through 4 repeated exposure sessions. A second consumer taste test was conducted right after the completion of the 4th exposure session and a final taste test was held after 1 month of resting period. In the case of salad dressing, country by sample effect significantly influenced the liking scores. Korean (5.4) and US (5.5) consumers showed similar liking level. However, the flavor types that consumers preferred were different depending on the country of origin. Koreans liked NUTTY sample and US consumers preferred SOUR samples. In general, the liking score increased as the repeated consumption progressed. Especially, this trend was observed in ORIGIN sample. Also, exposure session, country, and group interaction effect significantly influenced the liking scores. For Korean subjects in the choice group showed increased liking score as the exposure session progressed, but fixed group showed no significant difference. US subjects in both groups tended to increase liking score as the exposure session progressed, but there was a large deviation between exposure sessions. For dipping sauce, US subjects gave higher overall liking score than Korean subjects, but the preference rank of the samples were cross-culturally similar. Subjects in both countries preferred sweet over sour tasing samples regardless of hot and spicy intensities. As the exposure session progressed, the liking score increased for SWEET sample, but decreased for SPSO sample. The liking score of the samples in the choice group tended to increase at higher rate than the liking scores in the fixed groups during the exposure sessions.