Defining gu-soo perception in Doenjang (fermented soybean paste) using consumer tests with limited sensory modality and instrumental analysis

Many consumers use the term “gu-soo” to describe the flavor characteristics of traditional Doenjang (fermented soybean paste). The objective of this study was twofold: 1) to define the sensory modality associated with the perception of gu-soo in Doenjang, and 2) to correlate instrumental data on when the term gu-soo is used for describing sensory characteristics of Doenjang. To achieve these objectives, using five Doenjang samples, we conducted consumer sensory analysis with limited sensory modalities as well as instrumental flavor and color analyses. Three volatile compounds were identified as showing high correlation to consumer perception of gu-soo for Doenjang: 1-hexanol, benzene ethanol, benzene, and 2-methyl furan. The results from the current study suggest that consumer perception of gu-soo in Doenjang is not solely an olfactory-related perception, suggesting that visual stimuli, including a darker paste color and an apparent high number of beans in the paste, are highly related to the consumer perception of gu-soo in Doenjang, followed by olfactory related terms, and taste-related stimuli.