Sensory perception and understanding of food uniqueness: From the traditional to the novel

This study investigated the overall consumer experience of a common complex food product by comparing its traditional and modern form. The aim of the study was to uncover the mechanisms, occurring in the consumers' perception, responsible for defining the key elements of the product and therefore its uniqueness. Descriptive analysis was carried out for 59 sensory descriptive attributes covering odour, appearance: colour and shape, basic taste, flavour, texture, mouth feeling and after taste. Moreover, conceptual measurements of the descriptors, familiar, common, complexity, harmonious, balance, luxury, elegant, inviting, interesting, feminine and masculine were also measured for all sandwiches. Sensory, conceptual and design relationships were analysed by ANOVA Partial Least Squares Regression (APLSR).The conjoint results indicate that the combination of appearance, and texture sensory attributes were able to affect the overall conceptual understanding of this culturally defined complex food product and were considered key modalities in terms of the product quality assessment. Thus, the results stressed the fact that the overall consumer experience is a multisensory process in which cross-modal associations play a predominant role. Further the findings confirmed that cognitive processes, and therefore conceptualisations are responsible for this cross-modal associations and therefore of the overall consumer perception. However, retro nasal perception similar in both traditional and modern versions could be considered as core to the products' implicit definition in terms of uniqueness.

► Investigation of the overall consumer experience of a food product is presented. ► The combination of appearance and texture sensory attributes affected the overall conceptual understanding of the food product. ► The consumer experience is a multisensory process in which cross-modal associations play a predominant role. ► Cognitive processes are responsible of these cross-modal associations.