Consumer sensory evaluation

CHAPTER 4 RESULTS

4.3 Consumer sensory evaluation

A total of 207 consumers aged 18 to 55 years participated in the study (Table 4.5). These were grouped according to their health status as follows: the HIV treated group (n = 88), HIV/TB co- infection treated group (n = 51) and the healthy group (n = 68). Most consumers (n = 77) were between the ages of 26 – 35 years old. The black race dominated the sample. There was 190 (92%) black participants compared to other races and 149 (72%) of participants were females.

Table 4.5: Demographic characteristics of the sensory panel

Variables n (%)* Variables n (%)*

Age Race

18 - 25 yrs 43 (21) Coloured 3 (1.4)

26 - 35 yrs 77 (37) Indian 9 (4.3)

36 - 45 yrs 51 (25.0) Black 190 (92.0)

46 yrs and above 36 (17.4) White 5 (2.4)

Gender Health status

Female 149 (72) Healthy 68 (33.0)

Male 58 (28) HIV/TB 51 (25.0)

HIV 88 (43.0)

Total 207 (100)

* % of total sample (n = 207) 4.3.1 Consumer acceptability

The acceptability of Sibusiso was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with the health status of consumers (Table 4.6). In terms of overall liking, 85% of the healthy group perceived Sibusiso as

„good‟ compared to more than 90% in the HIV and HIV/TB co-infected group. A similar trend of more consumers who rated attributes „good‟ from the treated groups compared to the healthy group was also observed for the taste, smell, colour, and the mouthfeel. Approximately 88% of the HIV and HIV/TB treated groups rated smell „good‟ compared to 82% of the healthy group. There was a lesser number of healthy consumers who perceived the colour (68%) and mouthfeel (70%) of Sibusiso „good‟ compared to the HIV and HIV/TB treated groups, 86% and 85%, respectively.

Table 4.6: Sensory perception of a ready-to-use peanut based paste, Sibusiso in relation to the health status, age and gender of consumers

Sample size: Healthy group (n = 88); HIV group (n = 68); HIV/TB group (n = 51)

*P-values generated using chi- square test

Sensory attributes

Health status Age group Gender

Healthy n (%)

HIV n (%)

HIV/TB n (%)

P value* 18-25yrs n (%)

26-35yrs n (%)

36-45yrs n (%)

> 46yrs n (%)

P value* Female n (%)

Male n (%)

P value*

Overall liking 0.00 0.50 0.60

Bad 7 (10.2) 4 (5.0) 1 (2.0) 2 (5.0) 6 (8.0) 2 (4.0) 2 (6.0) 11 (8.0) 1 (2.0)

Neutral 3 (4.4) 4 (5.0) 1 (2.0) 2 (5.0) 4 (5.2) 1 (2.0) 1 (3.0) 5 (3.4) 3 (6.0)

Good 58 (85.2) 80 (91.0) 49 (96.1) 39 (91.0) 67 (87) 48 (94.1) 33 (92.0) 131 (89) 54 (93)

Taste 0.02 0.30 0.30

Bad 7 (10.2) 5 (6.0) 1 (2.0) 3 (7.0) 6 (8.0) 1 (2.0) 3 (8.3) 11 (8.0) 2 (4.0)

Neutral 2 (3.0) 3 (3.4) 4 (8.0) 2 (5.0) 3 (4.0) 4 (8.0) 0 (0) 8 (5.4) 1 (2.0)

Good 59 (87.0) 80 (91.0) 46 (90.2) 38 (88.4) 68 (88) 46 (90.2) 33 (92.0) 128 (87) 55 (95.0)

Smell 0.01 0.31 0.70

Bad 1 (1.4) 7 (8.0) 0 (0) 2 (5.0) 1 (1.3) 2 (4.0) 3 (8.3) 6 (4.1) 2 (4.0)

Neutral 11 (16.1) 4 (5.0) 6 (12.0) 8 (19.0) 9 (12.0) 2 (4.0) 2 (6.0) 16 (11.0) 5 (9.0) Good 56 (82.3) 77 (88.0) 45 (88.2) 33 (77.0) 67 (87) 47 (92.2) 33 (92.0) 125 (85) 51 (88.0)

Colour 0.00 0.05 0.34

Bad 9 (13.2) 9 (10.2) 3 (6.0) 7 (16.3) 8 (10.4) 3 (6.0) 3 (8.3) 19 (13.0) 2 (4.0)

Neutral 13 (19.1) 3 (3.4) 4 (8.0) 9 (21.0) 6 (8.0) 2 (4.0) 3 (8.3) 14 (10.0) 6 (10)

Good 46 (68.0) 76 (86.3) 44 (86.2) 27 (63.0) 63 (82.0) 46 (90.2) 30 (83.3) 114 (78.0)

50 (86)

Mouthfeel 0.06 0.0 0.50

Bad 11 (16.1) 10 (11.3) 4 (8.0) 6 (14.0) 11 (14.3) 3 (6.0) 5 (14.0) 21 (14.3) 4 (7.0)

Neutral 9 (13.2) 2 (2.3) 4 (8.0) 10 (23.3) 1 (1.3) 2 (4.0) 2 (6.0) 11 (8.0) 4 (7.0)

Good 48 (71.0) 76 (86.4) 43 (84.3) 27 (63.0) 65 (84) 46 (90.2) 29 (81.0) 115 (78) 50 (86)

The colour and mouthfeel was also rated low (3.7) by the healthy group compared to the ratings of the overall product, taste and smell (Table 4.7). The HIV/TB co-infected group also had a lower rating of colour (3.9) and mouth feel (3.9) compared to the ratings of other attributes. This meant that healthy and HIV/TB co-infected groups moderately liked the colour and mouthfeel of Sibusiso.

HIV consumers on the other hand rated all attributes equally high as the average rating was 4.2 on the 5 point facial hedonic scale.

Table 4.7: Effect of age and health status on the acceptability of a ready-to-use peanut based paste, Sibusiso¹ Sensory attributes²

Age groups Taste Smell Colour Mouthfeel Overall liking

18 - 25 yrs 4.1^a 3.9^a 3.6^a 3.7^a 4.1^a

26 - 35 yrs 4.1^a 4.2^a 3.9^ab 3.9^a 4.1^a

36 - 45 yrs 4.2^a 4.2^a 4.1^ab 4.1^a 4.3^a

46 yrs and above 4.3^a 4.1^a 3.9^b 3.9^a 4.3^a

Mean 4.2 4.1 3.9 3.9 4.2

Health Status

Healthy 4.1^a 4.1^a 3.7^a 3.7^a 4.0^a

HIV/TB 4.1^a 4.1^a 3.9^ab 3.9^a 4.1^a

HIV 4.3^a 4.2^a 4.1^b 4.1^a 4.3^a

Mean 4.2 4.1 3.9 3.9 4.2

1Mean of 207 evaluation, i.e n = 207

2Mean values within the same column with different letters are significantly different at p < 0.05 (LSD test)

Overall, more than 85% of all age groups perceived Sibusiso as „good‟. The taste of Sibusiso was perceived „good‟ by approximately 90% of all age groups. The taste of Sibusiso was perceived

„good‟ by 90% of the 36 - 45 year old and the ≥ 46 year old groups compared to a lesser number from the 18 - 35 year old group. The number of consumers who perceived the smell of Sibusiso

„good‟ was lower (77%) from the youngest group (18 - 25 years) compared to other age groups with an average of 90%. A significant (p < 0.05) association between the mouthfeel of Sibusiso and age groups was observed. There was a lower percentage (63%) from the youngest group who perceived colour and the mouthfeel „good‟ compared to the average of other age groups (85%).

The number of consumers aged 26 – 35 years and 36 – 45 years old liked the taste, smell, colour and mouthfeel the same. However, for the youngest (18 – 25 years) and the oldest groups (≥ 46 years) the number of consumers who perceived taste, smell, colour and mouthfeel as „good‟

decreased for the mouthfeel and colour. The youngest and oldest consumers were more discriminative in their evaluation of attributes. All age groups had an average mean of 4.2 for the overall liking of Sibusiso. This was similar to the rating of taste and smell (4.2 and 4.1 respectively) for all age groups except (3.9) for smell from the youngest age group. The colour and mouthfeel was rated lower (3.7) by the 18 – 25 year olds compared to other age groups with an average score of 4. Therefore all age groups liked the taste, smell, and the overall product well and the colour and mouthfeel was liked moderately.

There was no significant association (p < 0.05) between Sibusiso sensory perception and gender.

Overall, approximately 90% of both genders liked Sibusiso. More than 85% of both genders rated the taste and smell of Sibusiso „good‟. The colour and mouthfeel were liked by 78% and 86% of females and males, respectively.

Consumers from different health groups were asked to explain what they liked or disliked the most about Sibusiso. Most consumers said they liked everything about Sibusiso more specifically the taste and smell (Table 4.8). A small number of consumers disliked the sweetness, fattiness, colour and the grainy texture of Sibusiso.

Table 4.8: General expressions of like or dislike of Sibusiso from the consumer acceptability study

Sensory attributes Like/Dislike Frequency

Taste Like Taste 78

Taste & smell 24

Taste & colour 3

Taste, smell & texture 5

Has a peanut butter-like taste 19

Dislike Taste 1

Grainy texture 8

Texture Like Nutty 5

Too much sugar 3

Dislike Runny texture, smell & aftertaste 3

Mouthfeel 5

After taste, graininess & fattiness 7

Crunchiness 2

Too much sugar 14

Too much sugar & fat 6

Too much sugar & nutty 2

Colour Like Bland colour 3

Colour & smell 6

Dislike Bland colour 8

Smell Like Smell 10

Dislike Smell 1

Other (s) Like Product 32

Everything 126

No comment 38

Dislike Product 3