Quality function deployment in the chocolate industry

The aim of this study is to build a structured approach to food development through the House of Quality model with application to chocolate couverture. The final concept relates to filled (composite) chocolate that, according to definition, is a chocolate with filling (praline) covered by chocolate couverture of not less than a 15%. The research procedure that consists of the five steps, was developed in association with the House of Quality model. First, the market research was conducted to determine the segment of filled-chocolate consumers. As a result, a target group of people between 20 and 29 years old was found. Second, the behavioural motives of the consumers in the target segment were analysed. Then product objective specifications were established through physico-chemical and instrumental methods. Finally, sensory analyses were performed involving both consumer and trained panels. A few significant correlations between instrumental and sensory scores were established. The last step of research relates to analysis of the mutual relations between technical and sensory measurements and integration of results in the House of Quality matrix. Methodology introduced in this experiment corresponds to the quality function deployment approach; data evaluation-by ANOVA and factor analysis-is implemented. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.