title: Analyzing comprehensive palatability of cheese products by multivariate regression to its subdomains.
abstract: The present study explored the possibility of generating a novel sensory evaluation instrument for describing comprehensive food palatability via its subdomains (rewarding, cultural, and informational) while keeping physiological factors constant. Seventy-five Japanese participants were asked to taste cheese samples and to respond to a questionnaire that was developed to dissect the distinct subdomains of palatability. The subsequent factor analyses revealed that three major factors may serve as distinct subdomains of palatability: rewarding, cultural, and informational, although the informational factor was not sufficiently robust. Multivariate regression analysis on cheese samples with exactly the same ingredients but sold in different packages led to different comprehensive palatability ratings due to the contribution of the cultural, but not the rewarding, factor. These results suggest that palatability is not merely determined by the physical and chemical properties that are intrinsic to a food product itself, but also depends on psychological properties that can arise through interaction between humans and the food product. The current study presents the first experimental demonstration that palatability could be dissociated to its subdomains.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nutrition Chemistry, Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.affiliation: Functional Brain Science Laboratory, Jichi Medical University 3311-1, Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan ; Research and Development Initiatives, Chuo University 1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-8551, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kyutoku
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nutrition Chemistry, Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Minako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sawa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nutrition Chemistry, Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigenobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.affiliation: Functional Brain Science Laboratory, Jichi Medical University 3311-1, Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan ; Research and Development Initiatives, Chuo University 1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-8551, Japan.
authors.forename: Ippeita
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nutrition Chemistry, Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fushiki
keywords: Culture; information; liking; preference; reward; sensory evaluation