Effect of color and flavor on the perceived intensity of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) in sweetened beverage products

Abstract

One of the main health concerns today is diabetes and it causes by many reasons, one of 10 them is sweeten beverage consumption. Stevia is a great candidate of natural sweetener that 11 can be used in beverage products. It is 250 times sweeter than sugar, contains zero calories, 12 can decrease blood sugars and etc. This study was aimed to investigate percieved intensity of 13 sweetness (product still in the mouth), aftertaste as well as overall liking in beverage 14 preparing with Stevia extract powder (Stevioside) and sucrose in four different flavored 15 beverages (strawberry, green tea, orange, and lime/lemon). There were 120 consumers 16 participated in the study, most of them were 18-25 years old students with monthly income 17 about 10,000-20,000 Baht. Food Neophobia Scale (FNS), Food Involvement Scale (FIS), and 18 Health and Taste Attitude scale (HTAS) were used in order to obtained the consumer attitude 19 and behavior towards food products. It was found that Thai consumers in the study were 20 considered as food neophobic. Both finding from FIS and HTAS indicated that Thai 21 consumers were neutral in term of food involevement activites and attitude toward health 22 perspectives and taste of food products. When comparing between male and female in all 23 three psychographic scales, there was a significanlty different found in “Preparation and 24 Eating” subscale in FIS. According to the product testing, there were main effects of flavor 25 and sweetener on perceived sweet intensity and overall liking, but not with the aftertaste 26 intensity. There is no interaction effect between flavor and sweetener. When comparing 27 within the same sweetener, strawberry flavored beverage was perceived as the sweetest 28 product for both sucrose and stevia sample. Consumer percieved sweet intensity of sample 29 containing sucrose with orange, lime/lemon, and strawberry flavor the same. All stevioside 30 samples were percieved as having the same sweet intensity. Consumer percieved stawberry 31 flavor with stevioside sample as having the same sweet intensity as green tea sample 32 preparing with sucrose. The samples contained stevioside were less preferred than samples 33 prepared with sucrose. However, the green tea sample with sucrose was not significanlty 34 different from lime, orange, and strawberry sample containing stevioside in overall liking