Different liking but similar healthiness perceptions of rye bread among younger and older consumers in Sweden

Summary

Rye breads, especially those with a chewy texture and sour flavor, have shown several health benefits but their consumption is lower among younger consumers than older. This study explores liking of commercial rye bread in younger and older consumers in relation to socio-demographics, childhood bread-eating habits and food choice motives. Further, sensory attributes are explored in relation to the consumers’ concepts of a rye bread and healthiness in bread. Nine commercial rye breads, previously profiled by descriptive sensory analysis were tasted by 225 younger (18–44 years) and 173 older (45–80 years) consumers. Internal preference mappings by principal component regression for each age group showed low liking for rye bread with a chewy texture and sour flavor in the younger consumer group. Based on the preference mappings, the age groups were separately clustered. Associations between clusters and background variables were studied using discriminant partial least squares regression. Liking of rye bread with a chewy texture and sour flavor in the younger consumer group was associated with e.g., more education, females, childhood bread consumption and the food choice motive health. In the older consumer group, it was related to e.g., more education and childhood bread consumption. Partial least squares regression 1 showed that the combination of sensory attributes such as a light color and soft texture led to the perception of bread being less healthy and not a rye bread, and a dark brown color, chewy texture, sour and bitter flavor to the perception of a healthier bread and rye bread.