Kinesthetic engagement in Gestalt evaluation outscores analytical 'atomic feature' evaluation in perceiving aging in crystallization images of agricultural products.

There is an increasing interest in a systemic approach to food quality. From this perspective, the copper chloride crystallization method is an interesting asset as it enables an estimation of a sample's 'resilience' in response to controlled degradation. In previous studies, we showed that an ISO-standardized visual evaluation panel could correctly rank crystallization images of diverse agricultural products according to their degree of induced degradation. In this paper we examined the role of contextual sensitivity herein, with the aim to further improve the visual evaluation. To this end, we compared subjects' performance in ranking tests, while primed according to two perceptional strategies (levels: analytical vs. kinesthetic engagement), according to a within-subject design. The ranking test consisted out of wheat and rocket lettuce crystallization images, exhibiting four levels of induced degradation. The perceptual strategy imbuing kinesthetic engagement improved the performance of the ranking test in both samples tested. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the training and application of such a perceptual strategy in visual evaluation.

Development and Application of a Test for Food-Induced Emotions.

This study aimed to develop a test to measure food-induced emotions suitable for stable food and beverages. All of the experiments were conducted under the conditions of a consumer sensory evaluation according to German standard DIN 10974. Test development included descriptors' derivation and factor analysis as well as a comparison between the new test (empathic food test, EFT) and a hedonic sensory test and an unspecific psychological test, known as a multidimensional mood questionnaire (MDMQ). Nineteen sensory experts derived twelve items using free-choice profiling. After an exploratory factor analyses, ten of the intended twelve items were integrated into two scales. To compare the new questionnaire (EFT) to the MDMQ and a hedonic test, panels of 59 (EFT), 64 (MDMQ) and 63 (hedonic sensory test) untrained individuals described their perceptions after consuming sensorially similar pairs of milk, water, bread and sugar. The benchmark of comparison was the power to discriminate between the food pairs. Test-retest replicability was demonstrated. All three tests presented slight differences in sample preference and effect size depending on the offered products. These findings underscore the need to test new methods with a wide range of products. Further research is needed to investigate the relationship between sensorial perception and emotional response.

Organic food processing: a framework for concept, starting definitions and evaluation.

In 2007 EU Regulation (EC) 834/2007 introduced principles and criteria for organic food processing. These regulations have been analysed and discussed in several scientific publications and research project reports. Recently, organic food quality was described by principles, aspects and criteria. These principles from organic agriculture were verified and adapted for organic food processing. Different levels for evaluation were suggested. In another document, underlying paradigms and consumer perception of organic food were reviewed against functional food, resulting in identifying integral product identity as the underlying paradigm and a holistic quality view connected to naturalness as consumers' perception of organic food quality. In a European study, the quality concept was applied to the organic food chain, resulting in a problem, namely that clear principles and related criteria were missing to evaluate processing methods. Therefore the goal of this paper is to describe and discuss the topic of organic food processing to make it operational. A conceptual background for organic food processing is given by verifying the underlying paradigms and principles of organic farming and organic food as well as on organic processing. The proposed definition connects organic processing to related systems such as minimal, sustainable and careful, gentle processing, and describes clear principles and related criteria. Based on food examples, such as milk with different heat treatments, the concept and definitions were verified. Organic processing can be defined by clear paradigms and principles and evaluated according criteria from a multidimensional approach. Further work has to be done on developing indicators and parameters for assessment of organic food quality.

First steps in the development of a psychological test on the effects of food on mental well-being.

How do you feel after drinking milk or soy milk? The aim of this preliminary study was to find out if it is possible to measure the psychological effects of staple food items using a consumer test (according to DIN 10974), assessing the mental state of the participants. Results of two tests with dairy products and non-dairy milk substitutes, two vegetable tests, and two tests with bakery products are presented and discussed in the context of the further development of a standardized and validated test to measure the effects of food on the human mental state.