Consumer expectations for sensory properties in virgin olive oils

Information has been shown to create expectations concerning sensory properties and acceptability of food products, and to influence their evaluations. Studying the impact of information is particularly relevant for traditional products which communicate about typicality. Extra virgin olive oil is a typical Mediterranean production whose typicality is strongly affected by the origin of its raw material and the manufacturing technology. The present study aims (1) to explore the appropriateness of several sensory descriptors in evaluating the typicality of certain extra virgin olive oils, (2) to assess the impact of information about the origin of the product on the sensory profile perception, (3) to study how the effect of sensory expectations can influence liking and “typicality” responses for the experimental oils obtained from a defined cultivar. Working with a panel of consumers familiar with several typical extra virgin olive oils produced in Lucania, a set of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils were evaluated. Results show that there are well defined expectations for some of the sensory properties which characterize the typical olive oils presented. The sensory disconfirmations leading to complete assimilation in sensory perception are associated to higher “typicality” ratings. Our results also revealed that bitterness and pungency proved to be the most appropriate sensory descriptors of certain typical olive oils.