Influence of familiarity on consumer acceptance of value-added products from Justicia heterocarpa leaves
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Date
2025-08-15
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Urmia University
Abstract
This study investigated the sensory perception and consumer acceptability of value-added products derived from Justicia
heterocarpa, an underutilized indigenous leafy vegetable with potential nutritional benefits. A total of 110 participants,
comprising 80 semi-trained students unfamiliar with J. heterocarpa and 30 untrained university workers familiar with J.
heterocarpa in term of consumption and utilization. Four samples (freshly harvested, blanched dried, unblanched dried,
and fermented) were tested for consumer acceptability using a 9-point hedonic scale. The results revealed a significant
influence of the panelists on flavor (p < 0.001) and overall acceptability (p = 0.003) among familiar and unfamiliar
panelists. Unfamiliar panelists rated the flavor and general acceptability of the fermented vegetables higher. There were
significant differences in color (p < 0.0001), flavor (p = 0.0002), and general acceptability (p = 0.0235) between the familiar
and unfamiliar groups. Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between general acceptability of flavor (r =
0.81) and texture (r = 0.65). Principal component analysis identified flavor and texture as the primary drivers of overall
acceptance. These findings offer valuable insights into the development of palatable processed J. heterocarpa. These
findings underscore the importance of carefully considering the effects of different processing methods when formulating
product development strategies to enhance consumer acceptance.
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Familiarity, Hedonic scale, Indigenous leafy vegetables, Principal component analysis, Vegetable processing.
Citation
https://doi.org/10.30466/fsp.2025.56347.1009