CORRELATION OF DESCRIPTIVE AND CONSUMER PANEL FLAVOR RATINGS FOR COMMERCIAL PRESTIRRED STRAWBERRY AND LEMON YOGURTS

Objectives of this study were to determine consumer and trained descriptive panel ratings for strawberry and lemon yogurts and to examine the interrelationship of the panels in order to understand and quantify flavor differences among commercial yogurts. Fourteen brands of strawberry and six lemon prestirred yogurts were evaluated by an 11-member trained descriptive panel and a 90- to 182-member consumer panel. Large sensory differences were found between yogurts by both panels. Correlation and principal component analysis of trained panel ratings revealed two distinct groups of descriptors: one associated with fruity and sweet character and the other related to plain yogurt and sourness attributes. Consumer overall liking was based on fruit flavor, sweetness, and sourness liking, and balance between sweetness and sourness in the samples. Male and female liking ratings were characterized by very different patterns. Principal component analysis revealed high consumer acceptability corresponding to fruity and sweetness characteristics and lower consumer acceptability ratings for samples rated high in plain yogurt character.