Consumers consider fruit-flavored yogurts enriched with green tea powder.

Yogurt, an already healthy food, can further benefit from the addition of functional ingredients, such as green tea. Green tea contains catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin-gallate, which possesses anticarcinogenic properties. Moreover, green tea lowers LDL cholesterol levels. It also inhibits the abnormal formation of blood clots and tumors.

Some consumers prefer their usual healthy yogurt, and they may not be willing to sacrifice taste. Scientists at Louisiana State University developed and evaluated how consumers would accept fruit-flavored yogurts enriched with green tea powder. They were able to identify various sensory characteristics, including the product's overall acceptability. They also identified the consumers' purchase intent of these products. The researchers' efforts provide insight into the sensory attributes that impact acceptance and purchase decisions regarding fruit-flavored yogurts enriched with green tea.

Using green tea powder, eight yogurts were prepared with four flavors (plain, vanilla, strawberry and blackberry) at two concentrations (0.5% and 1%). One hundred forty consumers evaluated product appearance, green tea particles and their flavor, color, overall flavor, fruity flavor, taste and overall liking of the product, using a nine-point hedonic scale. With a binomial (probability) scale, the researchers determined overall product acceptance and the purchase intent of consumers, comparing responses before and after consumers were informed of the health benefits of green tea.

The investigators found that consumers did not prefer yogurt samples with 1% green tea, as this product generated a strong bitterness sensation. Strawberry-flavored yogurt with 0.5% green tea powder was the most acceptable, with a hedonic score of 6.60, a 91.4% positive overall acceptance and an 81.4% positive purchase intent. Taste and overall liking influenced overall acceptance and purchase intent.

The odds ratio of overall liking (1.925 to 1.451) and taste (1.591 to 1.068) for purchase intent, before and after consumers were informed of green tea's health benefits, indicated that consumers would compromise their liking of a product for health benefits offered by adding green tea to yogurt. Positive purchase intent increased up to 21% after consumers learned about green tea's health benefits.

Further information. Witoon Prinyawiwatkul, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Department of Food Science, Louisiana State University, 111 Food Science Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803; phone: 225-578-5188; fax: 225-578-5300; email: wprinyawiwatkul@agcenter.lsu.edu.