Consumer Preference and Sensory Properties of the Pacific Cupped Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and the European Flat Oyster (Ostrea edulis) |
| |
Authors: | Jasper van Houcke Themistoklis Altintzoglou Markus Stieger Jozef Linssen Joop Luten |
| |
Affiliation: | 1. HZ University of Applied Sciences, Vlissingen, The Netherlands;2. Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Food Quality and Design, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlandsj.van.houcke@hz.nl;4. Department of Consumer and Marketing Research, Nofima, Troms?, Norway;5. Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Food Quality and Design, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands |
| |
Abstract: | ABSTRACTExperts in the oyster supply chain (farmers, retailers, and gourmet chefs) in The Netherlands have suggested that the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) has superior sensory qualities compared to the Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas). However, scientific evidence is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate consumer preferences for these two oyster species and to determine the sensory properties of both species by consumers. Two-alternative forced choice tests were performed with the oysters involving a panel of 74 naïve consumers. No significant differences in preferences between the oyster species were observed by the consumers. Nine sensory attributes of both oyster species were evaluated. Consumers did not observe significant differences between species in the sensory attributes: overall odor intensity, sea odor, mud odor, sweetness, pungency, and firmness. The Pacific cupped oyster was perceived as significantly saltier and more intense in greenness than the European flat oyster. We concluded that only a few sensory properties of the European flat oyster and the Pacific cupped oyster are perceived as being different by untrained consumers. |
| |
Keywords: | Crassostrea gigas Ostrea edulis consumer study preference sensory properties attributes |
|
|