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ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #216368
Title: Understanding consumer preference for functional tortillas including whole barley flour using sensory and demographic/behavioral data

Author
item TOMA, AYAKO - CA STATE POLYTECHNIC
item OMARY, MARIA BOTERO - CA STATE POLYTECHNIC
item Rosentrater, Kurt

Submitted to: Cereal Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/5/2008
Publication Date: 11/1/2008
Citation: Toma, A., Omary, M., Rosentrater, K.A. 2008. Understanding consumer preference for functional tortillas including whole barley flour using sensory and demographic/behavioral data. Cereal Chemistry. 85(6):721-729.

Interpretive Summary: In general, it is recommended that consumers should try increase the quantity of whole grains and soluble fiber in their diet. The main goals of this study were to investigate consumer acceptance of fiber-enriched, low-fat tortillas which were made using whole barley flours of different particle size ranges; to examine the effect of demographic/behavioral data on consumer acceptance of these products; and to investigate relationships between consumer acceptance and survey results, in order to look for differences among particular groups of consumers. Four experimental tortillas and two representative commercial brands were tested by 95 untrained individuals using a 9-point hedonic scale for appearance, color, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability. Demographic and behavioral data included age, gender, ethnicity, frequency of tortilla consumption, daily effort to include fiber in the diet, consumption of tortillas containing more than 1 g of dietary fiber per serving, consumption of low-fat tortillas. Additionally, tortilla brands and type eaten were examined. It appeared that demographic segments appropriate for these tortillas included older consumers (41+), women, Hispanics and Asians, and/or once-a-week or more frequent tortilla consumers. A response surface relating flavor and texture to overall acceptability produced almost equivalent results to multivariate PLS results in terms of predicting overall acceptability, which facilitates analysis and interpretation.

Technical Abstract: The U.S. population has failed to incorporate sufficient amounts of whole grains and soluble fiber into their diet. The main objectives of this study were to investigate consumer acceptance of soluble fiber-enriched and low-fat tortillas made with blends of different particle size whole barley flours; to examine the effect of demographic/behavioral data on consumer acceptance; and to establish relationships between consumer acceptance and survey results to identify market opportunities among particular groups of consumers. Four experimental tortillas and two representative commercial brands were tested by 95 untrained students, faculty and staff using a 9-point hedonic scale for appearance, color, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability. Demographic and behavioral data on age, gender, ethnicity, frequency of tortilla consumption, daily effort to include fiber in the diet, consumption of tortillas containing more than 1 g of dietary fiber per serving, consumption of low-fat tortillas, and tortilla brands and type used were collected. Potential market segments for these tortillas included older consumers (41+), women, Hispanics and Asians, and/or once-a-week or more frequent tortilla consumers. A response surface relating flavor and texture to overall acceptability produced almost equivalent results to the multivariate PLS results in terms of predicting overall acceptability, which facilitates analysis and interpretation.