Dissertationen zum Thema „Sensory expectation“

The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to new insights into how businesses can utilize color cues as a multisensory tool in online ads to evoke positive sensory expectations. An expectation-based approach was used to examine the cross-modal influence of warm relative to cold colored cues. The theory chapter starts with sensory marketing. Later on in the chapter, further theories are discussed, such as cross-modal correspondences and the perceptual process. The methodology used in this study was a deductive research approach, and the thesis has been carried out with a quantitative research study by collecting data through a between-subjects experiment. The outcome from this research study has created a greater understanding in color usage in digital media and how this might trigger other senses. It has shown that online ads with a warm colored background have a stronger cross-modal correspondence to taste, touch, sound and smell relative to cold colored ads. This is proven through strong significant differences in all of the hypotheses of this study. This study has created a better understanding of the impact of color cues on consumer expectations. The importance of using color as a tool when planning out marketing activities and advertising is covered in this study. The findings from this research are highly corresponding with theories of color psychology and cognitive psychology.

Orientador: Maria Aparecida Azevedo Pereira da Silva
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos
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Resumo: Em produtos como o café solúvel, que requerem preparo antes do consumo, o consumidor pode ter sua expectativa prévia influenciada pelos estímulos sensoriais advindos do produto, através da manipulação e contato gradativo que ocorrem durante o processo de preparação. Por sua vez, a Análise Sensorial ainda carece de trabalhos que estudem a validação de análises estatísticas que analisem os dados gerados em estudos com consumidores segmentando-os em função de suas percepções individuais e não em função da média aritmética obtida para o grupo de indivíduos que participou do teste. Assim, o presente trabalho teve como objetivos: i) verificar, especificamente em café solúvel, como os estímulos sensoriais observados durante a preparação, influenciaram a aceitação e percepção dos atributos gosto amargo e riqueza de sabor da bebida pronta e; ii) comparar as metodologias estatísticas tradicionais ANOVA e Teste de Tukey com a Mapa de Preferência, na exploração de dados sensoriais gerados por consumidores. Para atingir este objetivo dois experimentos foram realizados. No primeiro experimento o desempenho do Mapa de Preferência foi estudado e comparado ao desempenho da ANOVA seguida de teste de Tukey, na análise dos dados de aceitação e de intensidade dos atributos gosto amargo e riqueza de sabor de 9 amostras comerciais de café solúvel do mercado inglês, gerados por 178 consumidores ingleses. Para avaliar as amostras, os consumidores utilizaram escala hedônica estruturada de nove pontos e escalas de categoria. Os cafés foram preparados a 17% com adição de 17% de leite pasteurizado semidesnatado. A ordem de apresentação das amostras foi realizada segundo um delineamento de blocos completos balanceados. Os escores gerados pelos consumidores foram submetidos a ANOVA, Teste de Tukey e Mapa de Preferência - modelo vetorial. O Mapa de Preferência demonstrou ser uma técnica útil na análise dos dados, mostrando a segmentação dos consumidores em relação às suas preferências e ainda fornecendo informações que não puderam ser concluídas a partir das análises estatísticas tradicionais, ao identificar a existência de dois grupos de consumidores: i) um grupo menor (23%), que discriminou fortemente as amostras quanto à aceitação e, ii) um grupo maior, constituído pela maioria dos participantes (77%) que a despeito de terem demonstrado preferências similares ao primeiro grupo, utilizaram porção menor da escala hedônica para se expressarem, discriminando menos as amostras em relação à aceitação, comparativamente ao primeiro grupo.o segundo experimento foram avaliados os efeitos do contato com os estímulos sensoriais do café solúvel na expectativa, aceitação e percepção do atributo gosto amargo dos consumidores. Para isso, inicialmente foram formados três diferentes conjuntos embalagem + amostra de café, de forma a confirmar, desconfirmar positivamente e desconfirmar negativamente a expectativa dos consumidores. As avaliações realizadas ocorreram em três etapas: i) avaliação cega, onde os consumidores avaliaram as amostras de café em recipientes codificados; ii) avaliação da expectativa, onde os consumidores avaliaram a expectativa a partir das embalagens e/ou estímulos sensoriais do produto e iii) avaliação informada, onde os consumidores avaliaram as amostras de café na presença das respectivas embalagens. Na avaliação da expectativa os consumidores foram separados em três grupos e cada grupo avaliou a expectativa após adotarem um dos três diferentes procedimentos: 1) manipular a embalagem; 2) manipular a embalagem, abri-Ia e avaliar o aroma do produto e 3) manipular a embalagem, abri-Ia, avaliar o aroma e dosar o produto para o preparo. As amostras e embalagens utilizadas foram adquiridas nos supermercados ingleses. Participaram deste estudo 96 consumidores com perfil similar de preferência de café solúvel. Para gerar os escores de aceitação e intensidade de gosto amargo nas avaliações cega e informada, e aceitação esperada e intensidade de gosto amargo esperada na avaliação da expectativa, os consumidores utilizaram escala hedônica estruturada de 9 pontos e escalas de categoria. A ordem de apresentação das amostras nas três avaliações foi realizada segundo um delineamento de blocos completos balanceados. Os efeitos individuais da expectativa foram identificados através da análise de gráficos (EX - CE) x (IN - CE) plotados para cada amostra, por grupo de consumidores, onde EX representa os escores gerados na avaliação da expectativa, CE na avaliação cega e IN na avaliação informada e das regressões lineares calculadas para cada gráfico. Para avaliar os efeitos da expectativa na aceitação e na percepção de gosto amargo, em cada grupo de consumidores, os escores CE, EX e IN, obtidos para cada grupo, foram expressos como valores de médias e submetidos à ANOVA seguida de Teste de Tukey. Adicionalmente, os dados obtidos para cada grupo nos avaliações cega (CE) e informada (IN) foram submetidos à ANOVA, considerando-se as seguintes fontes de variação: tipo de avaliação (cega ou informada), consumidor e amostra. Para comparação entre as médias CE e IN, obtidas para cada conjunto, nos 3 diferentes procedimentos, foi aplicado o Teste t. Os resultados obtidos no presente estudo sugerem que diferentes formas de contato dos consumidores com os estímulos sensoriais do café solúvel, antes da degustação, influenciaram fortemente, e de maneira distinta, a aceitação dos consumidores. O modelo assimilação da expectativa foi predominantemente identificado, sendo significativa (p=0,05) sua ocorrência tanto após desconfirmação negativa da expectativa (produto pior do que o esperado) como após desconfirmação positiva da expectativa (produto melhor do que o esperado). Estes resultados reforçam a importância da embalagem na aceitação e decisão de recompra do produto pelos consumidores
Abstract: In products such as instant coffee, which require preparation before consumption, the expectations of the consumer may be influenced by the sensory stimuli emanating from the product during the manipulation and gradual contact occurring during the preparation process. On the other hand, sensory analysis still lacks research studying the validation of statistical analyses of the data produced in consumer studies in which the consumers are segmented as a function of their individual perceptions and not as a function of the arithmetic mean obtained with the group of individuals who participated in the test. Thus the objectives of this study were: i) verify, specifically with instant coffee, how the sensory stimuli observed during preparation influenced liking and the perception of the attributes bitterness and richness in the final beverage and; ii) compare the traditional statistical methodologies of ANOVA and Tukey with Preference Mapping, in order to explore sensory data generated by consumers. Two experiments were carried out to achieve these objectives. In the first experiment, the performance of Internal Preference Mapping (IPM) was studied and compared with that of ANOVA followed by Tukey's test, in the analysis of the data generated by 178 English consumers for liking and the intensity of bitterness and richness, in 9 commercial instant coffee samples acquired on the English market. The consumers used a 9 point structured hedonic scale and category scales to evaluate the samples. The coffee samples were prepared with a concentration of 17% plus 17% pasteurized semi-skimmed milk. The order of presentation was according to a balanced complete block design. The scores attributed by the consumers were submitted to ANOVA, Tukey's test and the vector model of Internal Preference Mapping (IPM). IPM was shown to be a useful technique in the data analysis, showing the segmentation of the consumers according to their preferences and providing information not available from the traditional statistical analyses, that of identifying two groups of consumers: i) a smaller group (23%), which strongly discriminated the samples with respect to their liking and, ii) a larger group constituted by the majority of the participants (77%), which, despite showing similar preferences to the first group, used a smaller portion of the hedonic scale, discriminating the samples less with respect to their liking as compared to the first group. In the second experiment the effect of contact with the sensory stimulus of the instant coffee was evaluated, with respect to consumer expectation, liking and bitterness perception. Thus initially three different sets of package + coffee sample were prepared, so as to confirm, positively disconfirm and negatively disconfirm consumer expectation. The evaluations occurred in three steps: i) blind evaluation, in which the consumers evaluated the samples from codified containers; ii) expectation evaluation in which the consumers evaluated their expectation from the package and/or sensory product stimulus and iii) informed evaluation, where the consumers evaluated the coffee samples in the presence of their respective packages. In the expectation evaluation, the consumers were divided into three groups, and each group evaluated the expectation after adopting one of three different procedures: 1) manipulate the package; 2) manipulate the package, open it and evaluate product aroma and 3) manipulate the package, open it, evaluate the aroma and dose the product for preparation. The samples and packages used were acquired from English supermarkets. Ninety-six consumers took part in this study, each with a similar preference profile for instant coffee. To evaluate the samples they used a nine point structured hedonic scale and a category scale. In all three evaluations, the samples were presented according to a balanced complete block design. Individual effects of expectation were identified: i) by way of an analysis of the graphs (EX - SE) x (IN - SE), plotted for each sample for each group of consumers, where EX represents the scores generated in the expectation evaluation, SE in the blind evaluation and IN in the informed evaluation and ii) by way of the linear regressions calculated for each graph. To evaluate the effects of expectation on liking and bitterness perception in each consumer group, the scores for SE, EX and IN obtained for each group were expressed as mean values and submitted to ANOVA followed by Tukey's test. In addition, the data obtained for each group in the blind (SE) and informed (IN) evaluations, were submitted to ANOV A, considering the following sources of variation: type of evaluation (blind or informed), consumer and sample. The t test was applied to compare the means for SE and IN, obtained for each set in the 3 different procedures. The results obtained in the present study suggest that different forms of consumer contact with the sensory stimuli of instant coffee before tasting, strongly influence consumer liking, each in a distinct way. The effect assimilation was predominantly identified, its occurrence being significant (p=0,05) after both negative disconfirmation (product worse than expected) and positive disconfirmation (product better than expected). These results reinforce the importance of the package in the acceptance and decision to buy of the product by the consumers
Doutorado
Doutor em Tecnologia de Alimentos

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays a critical role in the organization of goal directed behavior. This role is suggested by the anatomy of mPFC as the region rests at the top of a complex cortical and sub-cortical hierarchy, receives convergent sensory and motor information from multiple modalities, and is the target of modulatory brainstem nuclei that respond to prediction and reward. Given these observations, it was hypothesized that mPFC neurons store associations between stimuli when the stimuli contribute to the prediction of reward. To test this hypothesis, neural ensemble spiking activity was recorded in the mPFC as rats performed a paired-associate discrimination task. In one condition, both elements of the paired-associate stimulus-sequence provided information about reward delivery. In another condition, only the first stimulus contributed to the prediction. As hypothesized, stimulus-selective, prospective delay activity was observed during sequences in which both elements contributed to reward-prediction. Unexpectedly, however, selective delay responses were associated with slight variations in head position and thus were not necessarily generated by intrinsic mnemonic processes. Interestingly, the sensitivity of neurons to head position was greatest during intervals when reward delivery was certain. These result suggest that a major portion of delay activity in the rat mPFC reflects task-relevant sensory-motor activity, possibly related to behavioral strategies rather than to the local storage of stimulus-stimulus associations. These observations agree with evidence suggesting that mPFC neurons are particularly responsive during the performance of actions related to the acquisition of reward. These results also indicate that considerable attention must be given to the monitoring of sensory-motor variables during delay tasks as slight changes in position can produce activity that appears to be driven by intrinsic mechanisms. It is further suggested that such activity may perform an important role in memory guided behavior, although this role may contrast sharply with standard theories of delay activity and short term memory storage. In particular, it is suggested that delay activity observed in the prefrontal cortex may correspond to the maintenance of memories that are 'stored' in the body or in the environment in the forms of embodied or situated behaviors.

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CAPES
The people who consume foods rich in energy and poor in nutrients that contribute positively to health, combined with a sedentary lifestyle can develop obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, stroke and heart attack. On the other hand, some consumers seek a more balanced diet, either because they are health-conscious or because they want to keep a good physical shape. The diet and light products were developed to meet the demand of individuals affected by NCDs and obesity, as well as those who look for fitness. Diet product refers to food for special purposes, and they are for both individuals who need diet with restriction of nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and sodium; as for those who want to control the intake aiming at controlling the weight. The light product refers to the 25% minimum reduction of some ingredient compared to the traditional counterpart. The production of this type of food increases every year in sale volume. The information on the labels of such products still generates doubts to consumers. This project investigated the perception of consumers regarding diet/light products, using a qualitative approach (Focus group sessions) as well as quantitative, from the Focus Group findings. The qualitative study investigated the level of understanding regarding such as products, the consumers perception of the risks and benefits associated with the consumption of diet and light, as well as the negative and the positive points perceived by them. Non- consumers of diet and light were also interviewed and the reasons for the non-consumption were discussed. The quantitative approach focused on calorie-reduced jams (strawberry and guava in the version diet, light, zero sugar) and the control product (traditional) as case study. For that, a questionnaire was developed and applied, in which 102 individuals of different ages, genders and social classes took part. In addition, participants evaluated the acceptance of all versions of the fruit jellies (strawberry and guava) coded with three digit numbers (blind condition), only observing the packages and observing the packaging together with tasting the product. Results suggest that the level of consumer knowledge on diet and light products is deficient. Taking into account the label influence on product evaluation, the results indicated that the information on the version of the jam (diet, light, zero or traditional) affected the consumer product acceptance and sensory characterization. The traditional and diet strawberry jam versions were more liked by consumers when evaluated in blind; however, with information (looking at the jar of the jams) no difference was found among versions. Considering the guava jams, the traditional, light and zero versions reached higher acceptance means under informed condition when compared to blind. Differences on the frequency of mention of the sensory attributes were observed among the three evaluation conditions for the two jam flavors.
As pessoas que consomem alimentos ricos em nutrientes energ?ticos e pobres naqueles que contribuem de forma positiva para a sa?de, aliado ao sedentarismo podem desenvolver obesidade e doen?as cr?nicas n?o transmiss?veis (DCNT), como diabetes, hipertens?o arterial, c?ncer, doen?as respirat?rias cr?nicas, acidente vascular cerebral e infarto. Por outro lado, certos consumidores buscam uma dieta mais equilibrada, pois est?o preocupados com a sa?de e/ou em manter a boa forma. Para atender ? demanda de indiv?duos acometidos por DCNT e obesidade, assim como aqueles que est?o em busca da boa forma foram desenvolvidos os produtos diet e light. O primeiro refere-se aos alimentos para fins especiais, sendo destinados tanto aos indiv?duos que precisam de dietas com restri??o de nutrientes, como os carboidratos, gorduras, prote?nas, s?dio; quanto ?queles que precisam controlar a ingest?o alimentar visando controle de peso. J? o produto light refere-se ? redu??o m?nima de 25% de algum ingrediente em compara??o ao produto tradicional. A produ??o destes tipos de alimentos cresce a cada ano em volume de vendas. As informa??es contidas nos r?tulos de tais produtos ainda geram d?vidas nos consumidores. Este projeto avaliou a percep??o do consumidor a respeito dos produtos diet e light, utilizando uma abordagem qualitativa (sess?es de Grupo focal) e tamb?m quantitativa, planejada a partir dos achados das sess?es de Grupo Focal. No estudo qualitativo foi investigado o grau de entendimento em rela??o a tais produtos, a percep??o dos riscos e benef?cios associados ao consumo de diet e light, bem como os pontos negativos e positivos percebidos pelos participantes, para algumas categorias destes produtos. N?o consumidores de diet e light tamb?m participaram do estudo tendo sido discutido os motivos do n?o consumo. A abordagem quantitativa enfocou geleias reduzidas em calorias (diet, light, zero a??car nos sabores morango e goiaba) e do produto controle (tradicional) como estudo de caso. Para tal, foi desenvolvido e aplicado um question?rio, no qual participaram 102 indiv?duos de distintas idades, g?neros e classes sociais. Al?m disso, os participantes avaliaram a aceita??o das geleias de frutas (morango e goiaba) nas vers?es tradicional, diet, light e zero, ?s cegas, apenas observando as embalagens dispon?veis no mercado e observando a embalagem e degustando o produto. Os resultados sugerem que o n?vel de conhecimento do consumidor sobre alimentos diet e light ? baixo. Em rela??o ? influ?ncia do r?tulo na avalia??o dos produtos, os resultados indicaram que a informa??o sobre a vers?o da geleia (diet, light, zero ou tradicional) afetou a percep??o dos produtos tanto na aceita??o como na descri??o sensorial dos mesmos. As geleias de morango nas vers?es tradicional e diet foram as mais aceitas pelos consumidores quando avaliadas ?s cegas; por?m, com informa??o (olhando os potes) n?o houve diferen?a entre as quatro vers?es. Em rela??o ?s geleias de goiaba, as vers?es tradicional, light e zero alcan?aram maiores m?dias na condi??o com informa??o quando comparada ?s cegas. Diferen?as na frequ?ncia de men??o dos atributos sensoriais foram observadas entre as tr?s condi??es de avalia??o para os dois sabores de geleia.

Le lancement d'un nouveau produit sur le marché est une étape à risque pour l'entreprise qui peut se conclure par un échec. Une raison partielle de cet échec est que le produit ne correspond pas aux attentes des consommateurs. L'enjeu consiste donc à mieux comprendre et intégrer dans le design de produits les attentes des consommateurs. Les théories contemporaines en psychologie cognitive nous permettent d'améliorer les méthodologies actuelles de tests consommateurs et à concevoir les produits sur la base des connaissances des consommateurs. L'objectif de cette recherche est de mieux comprendre l'influence d'une adéquation entre les attentes des consommateurs et leurs perceptions sur leurs jugements affectifs dans le contexte de consommation alimentaire. Dans le champ de la cognition incarnée et située, nous avons utilisé la théorie du Perceptual Symbol System qui suppose une forte relation entre les concepts et les propriétés sensorielles. Trois études ont été menées sur des gammes de produits familiers et non familiers. Les résultats nous permettent de conclure que les attentes des consommateurs sont des catégories ad-hoc dépendantes d'une situation de consommation, c'est-à-dire une motivation à consommer le produit dans un contexte de consommation donné. Les propriétés de la catégorie définissent les attentes de type concepts et les propriétés sensorielles attendues du produit. Ainsi, nous avons mis en évidence que les concepts et les propriétés sensorielles sont associées à travers les catégories réactivées en mémoire. Les résultats de cette thèse ont aussi permis de proposer des améliorations aux méthodologies de tests consommateurs. Plus particulièrement, ces méthodologies permettent d'une part d'expliciter les attentes des consommateurs à travers une tâche de catégorisation et d'autre part de sélectionner les produits les plus adéquats aux attentes des consommateurs à travers l'évaluation de leurs jugements affectifs
One challenge when dealing with the launching of new products is to understand consumers’ expectations towards the product experience. Many innovations fail because they do not address the right expectations, for the right consumers, and for the right product.Theories in cognitive psychology allow us to improve current methodologies of consumer tests and to design food products based on the knowledge of consumers. The objective of this research is to better understand the influence of the discrepancy between consumers’ expectations and perceptions on the affective judgment in the context of food consumption. Within the framework of Grounded and Embodied cognition, we use theories developed on Perceptual Symbol System assuming a strong relationship between conceptual knowledge and sensory properties. Three studies were conducted on familiar and non-familiar product ranges. Results allow us to conclude that consumers’ expectations are defined as ad-hoc categories dependent on a situation of consumption, i.e. a motivation to consume the product in a determined context of consumption.Properties of the category define conceptual expectations and expected sensory properties of the product. Thus, we provide evidence that concepts and sensory properties are strongly related through retrieval of categories.The results of this thesis also provide methodological improvements to elicit consumers’ expectations through categorization tasks and to screen samples fitting the best with consumers’ expectations through affective judgment

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior
Companies are in direct competition and increasingly use quality programs to try to maintain market share. In this context, the customer becomes a fundamental part of the success of any product launched, being a rich source of ideas. The satisfaction of customer needs is a quality definition. A quality tool that aims to translate the customer's desire is QFD (Quality Function Deployment). This piece of research was motivated by a situation observed in a Dairy Industry located in Cearà in relation to low demand production with negative impact on productivity rates, packet loss and overall efficiency of the processing line for Petit Suisse cheese. Thus, the objective was to study the identification of quality characteristics with regard to Petit Suisse cheese, jointly applying QFD methodologies and Sensory Analysis for product improvement using Matrix of Quality of the final product. Four brands of Petit Suisse cheese were selected, two international (reference top business minds in the industry) and two regional (local reference companies in the Northeast). A focus group technique was applied using questions directed at the characteristics of the product, and in this way it was possible to obtain information about the concept and product quality. Two groups of seven participants, chosen from the young adult segment, formed focus groups. Exploratory research was also used (qualitative questionnaires) with general questions about the product. Sensory acceptance tests and measurement of expectation were applied to verify acceptance and consumer expectations regarding the product were studied. To quantify the data obtained in the qualitative stage, we applied quantitative questionnaires consisting of items concerning required qualities. The data obtained during the previous steps have been inserted in the Matrix Quality, which presented the items of required quality (requirements of consumers) versus the quality characteristics of the final product. In the qualitative questionnaires, the nutritious aspects, those related to the product being healthy, and those meaning it was affordable were highlighted as ideal product. For the consumerâs focus group, it was found that the most striking feature was the consistency of the product followed by the flavor attribute and then the color. The sensory analysis showed that the Petit Suisse product is well accepted and the products of regional and international brands achieved equal acceptance in the blind test, showing the competitive potential of regional brands. The measure of expectations revealed consumer loyalty to brands. Regarding the physicochemical analyses, the international samples (M2 and M3) showed higher protein. The M1 sample showed the highest percentage of fat and the M4 sample had high acidity. The application of the Sensory Analysis and QFD together made it possible to prepare the Quality Matrix for identifying which quality characteristics are most relevant to the Petit Suisse product in the opinion of the 11 consumer, namely: the expiration date, being nutritious, having nutrition information on the la bel, creamy consistency, absence of supernatant liquid, characteristic flavor and sweet taste. The color and aroma attributes had less importance in the Quality Matrix. Thus, it was possible to highlight which features should be considered important when responding to consumersâ wishes regarding the Petit Suisse product.
As empresas estÃo em plena competiÃÃo e cada vez mais utilizando programas de qualidade para tentar manter-se no mercado. Nesse contexto, o cliente torna-se parte fundamental do sucesso de um produto lanÃado, sendo uma fonte rica de ideias. A satisfaÃÃo das necessidades dos clientes à uma das definiÃÃes de qualidade. Uma ferramenta de qualidade que tem o objetivo de traduzir o desejo do cliente à o QFD (Desdobramento da FunÃÃo Qualidade). Esta pesquisa foi motivada por uma situaÃÃo observada em uma IndÃstria de LaticÃnios localizada no Cearà em relaÃÃo à baixa demanda de produÃÃo com impacto negativo nos Ãndices de produtividade, de perda de embalagem e de eficiÃncia global da linha de processamento do queijo Petit Suisse. Dessa forma, objetivou-se estudar a identificaÃÃo de caracterÃsticas de qualidade do queijo Petit Suisse, aplicando conjuntamente as metodologias QFD e AnÃlise Sensorial para melhoria do produto atravÃs da Matriz da Qualidade do produto final. Selecionaram-se quatro marcas de queijo Petit suisse, sendo duas internacionais (empresas de referÃncia top of mind no setor) e duas regionais (empresas locais de referÃncia no Nordeste). Aplicou-se a tÃcnica de grupo focal utilizando roteiro de perguntas direcionadas Ãs caracterÃsticas do produto, em que foi possÃvel obter informaÃÃes sobre o conceito e qualidade do produto. Dois grupos com sete participantes do segmento de consumidores referentes a adultos jovens formaram os grupos de foco. Utilizou-se ainda a pesquisa exploratÃria (questionÃrios qualitativos) com questionamentos gerais sobre o produto. Testes sensoriais de aceitaÃÃo e medida de expectativa foram aplicados para verificar a aceitaÃÃo e a expectativa do consumidor em relaÃÃo ao produto estudado. Para quantificaÃÃo dos dados conseguidos na etapa qualitativa, aplicaram-se questionÃrios quantitativos constituÃdos dos itens de qualidade exigida. Os dados obtidos nas etapas anteriores foram inseridos na Matriz da Qualidade, que apresentou os itens de qualidade exigida (requisitos dos consumidores) versus as caracterÃsticas de qualidade do produto final. Na aplicaÃÃo de questionÃrios qualitativos os aspectos nutritivos, os relacionados ao produto ser saudÃvel e preÃo acessÃvel foram ressaltados como caracterÃsticas de produto ideal. Para os consumidores do grupo de foco, verificou-se que a caracterÃstica mais marcante do produto foi a consistÃncia seguida do atributo sabor e, posteriormente da cor. As anÃlises sensoriais mostraram que o produto Petit suisse à bem aceito e que os produtos das marcas regionais e internacionais alcanÃaram iguais mÃdias de aceitaÃÃo no teste cego, mostrando o potencial competitivo das marcas regionais. A medida de expectativa revelou fidelizaÃÃo dos consumidores Ãs marcas conhecidas. Em relaÃÃo Ãs anÃlises fÃsico-quÃmicas as amostras internacionais (M2 e M3) apresentaram maiores valores de proteÃna. A amostra M1 apresentou maior percentual de gordura e a amostra M4 apresentou acidez elevada. AtravÃs da aplicaÃÃo conjunta da AnÃlise Sensorial e QFD foi possÃvel elaborar a Matriz da Qualidade para identificaÃÃo de quais caracterÃsticas de qualidade sÃo mais relevantes do produto Petit suisse na visÃo do consumidor, sendo elas: data de validade, ser nutritivo, informaÃÃes nutricionais no rÃtulo, consistÃncia cremosa, ausÃncia de lÃquido sobrenadante, sabor caracterÃstico e gosto doce. Os atributos cor e o aroma ficaram com pesos menores na Matriz da Qualidade. Dessa forma, foi possÃvel destacar quais caracterÃsticas devem ser consideradas como relevantes para o atendimento do desejo do consumidor em relaÃÃo ao produto Petit Suisse.

A habilidade de se preparar para futuros eventos é essencial para o comportamento. No presente trabalho, investigamos como diferentes formas de expectativa temporal podem modular o processamento de estímulos sensoriais. Por meio de 4 experimentos psicofísicos, sendo 2 com registro eletroencefalográfico (EEG) concomitante, nós estudamos o efeito da ação motora voluntária e da expectativa temporal em diferentes estágios do processamento sensorial. Nossos resultados sugerem que mecanismos ligados à preparação motora influenciam a percepção temporal das consequências desta ação. Além disso, nossos resultados mostraram que a atenção temporal pode modular estágios motores e sensoriais do processamento. Em conjunto, nossos resultados sugerem que expectativas temporais podem influenciar diferentes estágios do processamento principalmente por meio do controle de excitabilidade cortical de regiões do sistema nervoso central ligadas àquela tarefa.
The ability to anticipate future events is essential for behavior. On the present work, we investigated how different forms of temporal expectations can modulate stimuli processing. In four psychophysical experiments (two of them with EEG) we studied how voluntary action and temporal attention can influence processing at different stages. Our results suggest that mechanisms related to motor preparation can bias the temporal perception of the consequences of this action. Moreover, we found that temporal attention can modulate perceptual and motor stages of stimulus processing. Altogether, our results suggest that temporal expectations can influence different levels of target processing, mainly by controlling cortical excitability of task-relevant regions of the central nervous system.

Regularly consuming caloric beverages has been linked to obesity and weight gain and evidence suggests this is because beverages have a weak impact on satiety responses (behavioural and physiological). Using a series of experimental studies this thesis explored the cognitive and sensory features of caloric beverages that might enhance the anticipated and actual satiating power of their nutrients. Paper one characterised the sensory characteristics associated with expectations of hunger, fullness and thirst, finding that food and beverage products anticipated to be creamier and thicker were expected to be more satiating and less thirst-quenching. Paper two established that people can perceive subtle changes in beverage viscosity and manipulating thick and creamy textural cues strongly influenced the expectation that a beverage would be filling and supress hunger after consumption. This was extended in paper three, which reported evidence suggesting that a sensorially enhanced beverage is selected and consumed in smaller portions. Papers four and five investigated the satiating power of a caloric beverage consumed with satiety-relevant cognitive and sensory information. Paper four reported tentative evidence that a labelled satiety message influenced the satiating effect of caloric beverages when combined with thick and creamy sensory cues. Participants in Paper five reported greater satiety responses to a covert manipulation of beverage energy when consumed as a ‘snack' rather than a drink. However, consuming the same beverage in a subtly thicker sensory context (without extra information) generated the largest satiety response to the different nutrient loads, perhaps because textural characteristics are the most reliable cue for nutrients. Overall these studies suggest that caloric beverages may generate weak satiety responses because their nutrient-generated effects are not expected. Encouraging people to consider caloric beverages as a snack, or adding in nutrient-relevant sensory characteristics, may both help consumers regulate energy intake when consuming these products.

Thesis (Ph.D)--Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009.
Committee Chair: Ghassan AlRegib; Committee Member: Elliot Moore; Committee Member: Monson H. Hayes; Committee Member: Paul A. Work; Committee Member: Ying Zhang. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.

Landminor är ett stort problem både under och efter krigstid. De metoder som används för att detektera minor har inte ändrats mycket sedan 1940-talet. Forskning med mål att utvärdera olika elektro-optiska sensorer och metoder som skulle kunna användas för att skapa mer effektiv min-detektion genomförs på FOI. Försök som har gjorts med data från bland annat laser-radar och IR-sensorer har gett intressanta resultat.

I det här examensarbetet utvärderades olika fenomen och egenskaper i laser-radar- och IR-data. De testade egenskaperna var intensitet, IR, ytlikhet och höjd.

En metod som segmenterar intressanta objekt och bakgrundsdata utformades och implementerades. Metoden använde sig av expectation-maximization-skattning och ett minimum message length-kriterium. Ett scatter separability-kriterium användes för att bestämma kvalitén på de olika egenskaperna och på den resulterande segmenteringen.

Data insamlad under en mätkampanj av FOI användes för att testa metoden. Resultatet visade bland annat att ytlikhetsmåttet gav en bra segmentering för stora objekt med släta ytor, men var sämre för små objekt med skrovliga ytor. Vid jämförelse med en manuellt skapad mål-mask visade det sig att metoden klarade av att välja ut egenskaper som i många fall gav en godkänd segmentering.

Land mines are a huge problem in conflict time and after. Methods used to detect mines have not changed much since the 1940's. Research aiming to evaluate output from different electro-optical sensors and develop methods for more efficient mine detection is performed at FOI. Early experiments with laser radar sensors show promising results, as do analysis of data from infrared sensors.

In this thesis, an evaluation is made of features found in laser radar- and in infrared -sensor data. The tested features are intensity, infrared, a surfaceness feature extracted from the laser radar data and height above an estimated ground plane.

A method for segmenting interesting objects from background data using theexpectation-maximization algorithm and a minimum message length criterion is designed and implemented. A scatter separability criterion is utilized to determine the quality of the features and the resulting segmentation.

The method is tested on real data from a field trial performed by FOI. The results show that the surfaceness feature supports the segmentation of larger object with smooth surfaces but gives no contribution to small object with irregular surfaces. The method produces a decent result of selecting contributing features for different neighbourhoods of a scene. A comparison with a manually created target mask of the neighbourhood and the segmented components show that in most cases a high percentage separation of mine data and background data is possible.

One of the main tasks for an industrial robot is to move the end-effector in a predefined path with a specified velocity and acceleration. Different applications have different requirements of the performance. For some applications it is essential that the tracking error is extremely small, whereas other applications require a time optimal tracking. Independent of the application, the controller is a crucial part of the robot system. The most common controller configuration uses only measurements of the motor angular positions and velocities, instead of the position and velocity of the end-effector. The development of new cost optimised robots has introduced unwanted flexibilities in the joints and the links. The consequence is that it is no longer possible to get the desired performance and robustness by only measuring the motor angular positions.  This thesis investigates if it is possible to estimate the end-effector position using Bayesian estimation methods for state estimation, here represented by the extended Kalman filter and the particle filter. The arm-side information is provided by an accelerometer mounted at the end-effector. The measurements consist of the motor angular positions and the acceleration of the end-effector. In a simulation study on a realistic flexible industrial robot, the angular position performance is shown to be close to the fundamental Cramér-Rao lower bound. The methods are also verified in experiments on an ABB IRB4600 robot, where the dynamic performance of the position for the end-effector is significantly improved. There is no significant difference in performance between the different methods. Instead, execution time, model complexities and implementation issues have to be considered when choosing the method. The estimation performance depends strongly on the tuning of the filters and the accuracy of the models that are used. Therefore, a method for estimating the process noise covariance matrix is proposed. Moreover, sampling methods are analysed and a low-complexity analytical solution for the continuous-time update in the Kalman filter, that does not involve oversampling, is proposed.  The thesis also investigates two types of control problems. First, the norm-optimal iterative learning control (ILC) algorithm for linear systems is extended to an estimation-based norm-optimal ILC algorithm where the controlled variables are not directly available as measurements. The algorithm can also be applied to non-linear systems. The objective function in the optimisation problem is modified to incorporate not only the mean value of the estimated variable, but also information about the uncertainty of the estimate. Second, H∞ controllers are designed and analysed on a linear four-mass flexible joint model. It is shown that the control performance can be increased, without adding new measurements, compared to previous controllers. Measuring the end-effector acceleration increases the control performance even more. A non-linear model has to be used to describe the behaviour of a real flexible joint. An H∞-synthesis method for control of a flexible joint, with non-linear spring characteristic, is therefore proposed.
En av de viktigaste uppgifterna för en industrirobot är att förflytta verktyget i en fördefinierad bana med en specificerad hastighet och acceleration. Exempel på användningsområden för en industrirobot är bland annat bågsvetsning eller limning. För dessa typer av applikationer är det viktigt att banföljningsfelet är extremt litet, men även hastighetsprofilen måste följas så att det till exempel inte appliceras för mycket eller för lite lim. Andra användningsområden kan vara punktsvetsning av bilkarosser och paketering av olika varor. För dess applikationer är banföljningen inte det viktiga, istället kan till exempel en tidsoptimal banföljning krävas eller att svängningarna vid en inbromsning minimeras. Oberoende av applikationen är regulatorn en avgörande del av robotsystemet. Den vanligaste regulatorkonfigurationen använder bara mätningar av motorernas vinkelpositioner och -hastigheter, istället för positionen och hastigheten för verktyget, som är det man egentligen vill styra.  En del av utvecklingsarbetet för nya generationers robotar är att reducera kostnaden men samtidigt förbättra prestandan. Ett sätt att minska kostnaden kan till exempel vara att minska dimensionerna på länkarna eller köpa in billigare växellådor. Den här utvecklingen av kostnadsoptimerade robotar har infört oönskade flexibiliteter i leder och länkar. Det är därför inte längre möjligt att få den önskade prestandan och robustheten genom att bara mäta motorernas vinkelpositioner och -hastigheter. Istället krävs det omfattande matematiska modeller som beskriver dessa oönskade flexibiliteter. Dessa modeller kräver mycket arbete att dels ta fram men även för att identifiera parametrarna. Det finns automatiska metoder för att beräkna modellparametrarna men oftast krävs det en manuell justering för att få bra prestanda.  Den här avhandlingen undersöker möjligheterna att beräkna verktygspositionen med hjälp av bayesianska metoder för tillståndsskattning. De bayesianska skattningsmetoderna beräknar tillstånden för ett system iterativt. Med hjälp av en matematisk modell över systemet predikteras vad tillståndet ska vara vid nästa tidpunkt. Efter att mätningar av systemet vid den nya tidpunkten har genomförts justeras skattningen med hjälp av dessa mätningar. De metoder som har använts i avhandlingen är det så kallade extended Kalman filtret samt partikelfiltret.  Informationen på armsidan av växellådan ges av en accelerometer som är monterad på verktyget. Med hjälp av accelerationen för verktyget och motorernas vinkelpositioner kan en skattning av verktygspositionen beräknas. I en simuleringsstudie för en realistisk vek robot har det visats att skattningsprestandan ligger nära den teoretiska undre gränsen, känd som Raooch mätstörningar som påverkar roboten. För att underlätta trimningen så har en metod för att skatta processbrusets kovariansmatris föreslagits. En annan viktig del som påverkar prestandan är modellerna som används i filtren. Modellerna för en industrirobot är vanligtvis framtagna i kontinuerlig tid medan filtren använder modeller i diskret tid. För att minska felen som uppkommer då de tidskontinuerliga modellerna överförs till diskret tid har olika samplingsmetoder studerats. Vanligtvis används enkla metoder för att diskretisera vilket innebär problem med prestanda och stabilitet. För att hantera dessa problem införs översampling vilket innebär att tidsuppdateringen sker med en mycket kortare sampeltid än vad mätuppdateringen gör. För att undvika översampling kan det motsvarande tidskontinuerliga filtret användas för att prediktera tillstånden vid nästa diskreta tidpunkt. En analytisk lösning med låg beräkningskomplexitet till detta problem har föreslagits.  Vidare innehåller avhandlingen två typer av reglerproblem relaterade till industrirobotar. För det första har den så kallade norm-optimala iterative learning control styrlagen utökats till att hantera fallet då en skattning av den önskade reglerstorheten används istället för en mätning. Med hjälp av skattningen av systemets tillståndsvektor kan metoden nu även användas till olinjära system vilket inte är fallet med standardformuleringen. Den föreslagna metoden utökar målfunktionen i optimeringsproblemet till att innehålla inte bara väntevärdet av den skattade reglerstorheten utan även skattningsfelets kovariansmatris. Det innebär att om skattningsfelet är stort vid en viss tidpunkt ska den skattade reglerstorheten vid den tidpunkten inte påverka resultatet mycket eftersom det finns en stor osäkerhet i var den sanna reglerstorheten befinner sig.  För det andra har design och analys av H∞-regulatorer för en linjär modell av en vek robotled, som beskrivs med fyra massor, genomförts. Det visar sig att reglerprestandan kan förbättras, utan att lägga till fler mätningar än motorns vinkelposition, jämfört med tidigare utvärderade regulatorer. Genom att mäta verktygets acceleration kan prestandan förbättras ännu mer. Modellen över leden är i själva verket olinjär. För att hantera detta har en H∞-syntesmetod föreslagits som kan hantera olinjäriteten i modellen.
Vinnova Excellence Center LINK-SIC

In the thesis, a calibration method for positions of each accelerometer in an Inertial Sensor Array (IMU) sensor array is designed and implemented. In order to model the motion of the sensor array in the real world, we build up a state space model. Based on the model we use, the problem is to estimate the parameters within the state space model. In this thesis, this problem is solved using Maximum Likelihood (ML) framework and two methods are implemented and analyzed. One is based on Expectation Maximization (EM) and the other is to optimize the cost function directly using Gradient Descent (GD). In the EM algorithm, an ill-conditioned problem exists in the M step, which degrades the performance of the algorithm especially when the initial error is small, and the final Mean Square Error (MSE) curve will diverge in this case. The EM algorithm with enough data samples works well when the initial error is large. In the Gradient Descent method, a reformulation of the problem avoids the ill-conditioned problem. After the parameter estimation part, we analyze the MSE curve of these parameters through the Monte Carlo Simulation. The final MSE curves show that the Gradient Descent based method is more robust in handling the numerical issues of the parameter estimation. The Gradient Descent method is also robust to noise level based on the simulation result.
I denna rapport utvecklas och implementeras en kalibreringsmethod för att skatta positionen för en grupp av accelerometrar placerade i en så kallad IMU sensor array. För att beskriva rörelsen för hela sensorgruppen, härleds en dynamisk tillståndsmodell. Problemställningen är då att skatta parametrarna i tillståndsmodellen. Detta löses med hjälp av Maximum Likelihood-metoden (ML) där två stycken algoritmer implementeras och analyseras. En baseras på Expectation Maximization (EM) och i den andra optimeras kostnadsfunktionen direkt med gradientsökning. I EM-algoritmen uppstår ett illa konditionerat delproblem i M-steget, vilket försämrar algoritmens prestanda, speciellt när det initiala felet är litet. Den resulterande MSE-kurvan kommer att avvika i detta fall. Däremot fungerar EM-algoritmen väl när antalet datasampel är tillräckligt och det initiala felet är större. I gradientsökningsmetoden undviks konditioneringsproblemen med hjälp av en omformulering. Slutligen analyseras medelkvadratfelet (MSE) för parameterskattningarna med hjälp av Monte Carlo-simulering. De resulterande MSE-kurvorna visar att gradientsökningsmetoden är mer robust mot numeriska problem, speciellt när det initiala felet är litet. Simuleringarna visar även att gradientsökning är robust mot brus.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior
Visto a importÃncia econÃmica das amÃndoas da castanha de caju para o estado do Cearà e o elevado percentual de amÃndoas quebradas que diminui a ampliaÃÃo de lucro desse setor, faz-se necessÃria a busca por novas alternativas de aproveitamento desta matÃria-prima como forma de agregaÃÃo de valor a mesma. Dessa forma, esta pesquisa objetivou desenvolver uma bebida prebiÃtica a partir do extrato hidrossolÃvel da amÃndoa da castanha de caju quebrada (EHA) e suco de maracujà com adiÃÃo de frutoligossacarÃdeo (FOS), utilizando a metodologia de superfÃcie de resposta para avaliaÃÃo dos atributos sensoriais. Avaliou-se o efeito da adiÃÃo de suco de maracujà e FOS ao EHA atravÃs de um planejamento experimental do tipo composto central rotacional, na aceitaÃÃo dos atributos de cor, aroma, sabor, doÃura, corpo e impressÃo global. A formulaÃÃo mais aceita foi caracterizada quanto ao teor de umidade, proteÃnas, lipÃdios, carboidratos e cinzas. O estudo da estabilidade desta bebida, sob refrigeraÃÃo, foi realizado durante um perÃodo de 28 dias atravÃs das anÃlises de pH, acidez, aceitaÃÃo dos atributos sensoriais de cor, aroma, sabor, corpo e impressÃo global, determinaÃÃo de Coliformes a 35ÂC e 45ÂC (UFC/mL), Salmonella sp./25mL e bactÃrias mesÃfilas (UFC/mL). Avaliou-se tambÃm a aceitaÃÃo desta bebida frente a bebida de soja sabor maracujà comercial usando os testes de escala hedÃnica, atitude de compra e consumo e a preferÃncia atravÃs do teste de comparaÃÃo pareada. A expectativa dos consumidores foi avaliada considerando as alegaÃÃes prebiÃticas da bebida. A formulaÃÃo da bebida prebiÃtica mais aceita e de maior vantagem econÃmica foi a que continha 50% de suco de maracujÃ, 50% de EHA, 14% de FOS e 3% de aÃÃcar a qual possui em sua composiÃÃo 79,42% de umidade, 15,94% de carboidratos, 3,1% de lipÃdios, 1,36% de proteÃnas e 0,18% de cinzas. Baseando-se nos parÃmetros microbiolÃgicos e sensoriais o produto poderà ser comercializado por um perÃodo de 28 dias sob condiÃÃes de refrigeraÃÃo. A bebida prebiÃtica desenvolvida mostrou desempenho similar em relaÃÃo à aceitaÃÃo e preferÃncia sensoriais quando comparada a bebida de soja. As alegaÃÃes prebiÃticas sobre o produto causou uma expectativa positiva nos consumidores, aumentando a aceitaÃÃo. Diante do exposto, pode-se concluir que a bebida prebiÃtica desenvolvida possui qualidade nutricional e funcional, com aceitabilidade satisfatÃria junto aos consumidores, mostrando potencial para comercializaÃÃo.
In function of the economic importance of cashew nuts to the state of CearÃ, the largest producer and benefactor of the country, and the high percentage of broken kernels which decreases the profit expansion of this sector, it is necessary to search for new alternatives for use this product as a way of adding value to it. Thus, this research aimed to develop a prebiotic drink from the hidrossoluble extract of almond broken cashew nuts and passion fruit juice with added fructo-oligosaccharides, using response surface methodology for optimizing sensory attributes. Was evaluated the combined effect of the addition of passion fruit juice and fructo-oligosaccharides through an experimental design of the central composite rotational type, in the acceptance of the attributes of color, aroma, flavor, sweetness, viscosity and overall impression. The formulation more acceptable was characterized as to the moisture content, protein, lipids, carbohydrates and ash. The study of the stability of the beverage in refrigerated storage, was conducted over a period of 28 days through the analysis of pH, acidity, acceptance of the sensory attributes of color, aroma, flavor, viscosity and overall impression, determination of Coliforms at 35ÂC and 45ÂC, Salmonella sp. and mesophilic bacteria. Was also evaluated the acceptance of this drink in the face of commercial soy taste like passion fruit using the Hedonic Scale, Attitude Scale Purchase and Consumption, and preference through the paired comparison test. The consumer expectations was assessed by considering the claims of prebiotic drink. The most acepted prebiotic formulation of the drink contained 50% of passion fruit juice and 14% fructo-oligosaccharides, which has in its composition 79.42% moisture, 15.94% carbohydrate, 3.1% lipids, 1.36% protein and 0.18% ash. Based on the microbiological and sensory parameters the product can be marketed for a period of 28 days under refrigeration. The prebiotic drink almond cashew nuts and passion fruit juice showed similar performance in relation to sensory acceptance and preference when compared to commercial soy beverage. The prebiotic claims about the product caused a positive expectation on consumers, increasing acceptance. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that the prebiotic drink developed possesses nutritional composition and functional proper adequate, with satisfactory acceptability, showing potential for commercialization.

REBOUÇAS, Marina Cabral. Desenvolvimento de bebida prebiótica à base de amêndoa da castanha de caju e maracujá: aceitação e expectativa do consumidor. 2012. 84 f. : Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Ceará, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos, Fortaleza-CE, 2012
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In function of the economic importance of cashew nuts to the state of Ceará, the largest producer and benefactor of the country, and the high percentage of broken kernels which decreases the profit expansion of this sector, it is necessary to search for new alternatives for use this product as a way of adding value to it. Thus, this research aimed to develop a prebiotic drink from the hidrossoluble extract of almond broken cashew nuts and passion fruit juice with added fructo-oligosaccharides, using response surface methodology for optimizing sensory attributes. Was evaluated the combined effect of the addition of passion fruit juice and fructo-oligosaccharides through an experimental design of the central composite rotational type, in the acceptance of the attributes of color, aroma, flavor, sweetness, viscosity and overall impression. The formulation more acceptable was characterized as to the moisture content, protein, lipids, carbohydrates and ash. The study of the stability of the beverage in refrigerated storage, was conducted over a period of 28 days through the analysis of pH, acidity, acceptance of the sensory attributes of color, aroma, flavor, viscosity and overall impression, determination of Coliforms at 35°C and 45°C, Salmonella sp. and mesophilic bacteria. Was also evaluated the acceptance of this drink in the face of commercial soy taste like passion fruit using the Hedonic Scale, Attitude Scale Purchase and Consumption, and preference through the paired comparison test. The consumer expectations was assessed by considering the claims of prebiotic drink. The most acepted prebiotic formulation of the drink contained 50% of passion fruit juice and 14% fructo-oligosaccharides, which has in its composition 79.42% moisture, 15.94% carbohydrate, 3.1% lipids, 1.36% protein and 0.18% ash. Based on the microbiological and sensory parameters the product can be marketed for a period of 28 days under refrigeration. The prebiotic drink almond cashew nuts and passion fruit juice showed similar performance in relation to sensory acceptance and preference when compared to commercial soy beverage. The prebiotic claims about the product caused a positive expectation on consumers, increasing acceptance. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that the prebiotic drink developed possesses nutritional composition and functional proper adequate, with satisfactory acceptability, showing potential for commercialization.
Visto a importância econômica das amêndoas da castanha de caju para o estado do Ceará e o elevado percentual de amêndoas quebradas que diminui a ampliação de lucro desse setor, faz-se necessária a busca por novas alternativas de aproveitamento desta matéria-prima como forma de agregação de valor a mesma. Dessa forma, esta pesquisa objetivou desenvolver uma bebida prebiótica a partir do extrato hidrossolúvel da amêndoa da castanha de caju quebrada (EHA) e suco de maracujá com adição de frutoligossacarídeo (FOS), utilizando a metodologia de superfície de resposta para avaliação dos atributos sensoriais. Avaliou-se o efeito da adição de suco de maracujá e FOS ao EHA através de um planejamento experimental do tipo composto central rotacional, na aceitação dos atributos de cor, aroma, sabor, doçura, corpo e impressão global. A formulação mais aceita foi caracterizada quanto ao teor de umidade, proteínas, lipídios, carboidratos e cinzas. O estudo da estabilidade desta bebida, sob refrigeração, foi realizado durante um período de 28 dias através das análises de pH, acidez, aceitação dos atributos sensoriais de cor, aroma, sabor, corpo e impressão global, determinação de Coliformes a 35°C e 45°C (UFC/mL), Salmonella sp./25mL e bactérias mesófilas (UFC/mL). Avaliou-se também a aceitação desta bebida frente a bebida de soja sabor maracujá comercial usando os testes de escala hedônica, atitude de compra e consumo e a preferência através do teste de comparação pareada. A expectativa dos consumidores foi avaliada considerando as alegações prebióticas da bebida. A formulação da bebida prebiótica mais aceita e de maior vantagem econômica foi a que continha 50% de suco de maracujá, 50% de EHA, 14% de FOS e 3% de açúcar a qual possui em sua composição 79,42% de umidade, 15,94% de carboidratos, 3,1% de lipídios, 1,36% de proteínas e 0,18% de cinzas. Baseando-se nos parâmetros microbiológicos e sensoriais o produto poderá ser comercializado por um período de 28 dias sob condições de refrigeração. A bebida prebiótica desenvolvida mostrou desempenho similar em relação à aceitação e preferência sensoriais quando comparada a bebida de soja. As alegações prebióticas sobre o produto causou uma expectativa positiva nos consumidores, aumentando a aceitação. Diante do exposto, pode-se concluir que a bebida prebiótica desenvolvida possui qualidade nutricional e funcional, com aceitabilidade satisfatória junto aos consumidores, mostrando potencial para comercialização.

In recent years, growing interest towards foods produced from alternative agricultural practices have been seen among consumers. This thesis is an investigation of consumer understanding and attitudes towards information regarding sustainable, organic and local foods and agricultural practices and how such information could affect consumer food product expectation and sensory acceptability. Using internet questionnaires constructed based on common definitions and popular beliefs, 172 primary grocery shoppers were surveyed regarding their perception concerning information related to these alternative agricultural practices and foods. Results obtained from statistical analyses revealed the existence of various dimensions concerning the understanding and attitudes towards these concepts. Segmentations based on their understanding and attitudes towards these concepts were also found within the sampled population. Furthermore, by utilizing the theory of assimilation and contrast, a three-part sensory study was conducted, with 49 consumers from the Niagara Peninsula, to examine the impact of information regarding production methods (organic vs. conventional) and product origins (local vs. imported) on consumer expectation and acceptability of yellow peaches. Despite of some peach samples being under-ripe, a significant positive labeling effect has been observed in hedonic rating and perceived intensity of sensory characteristics when the joint organic and local label was presented. A similar labeling effect, however, was not observed in monetary valuation of willingness to pay.
New Directions Research Program
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs