Abstract

Many factors - including flavor, appearance, texture, and nutrition - impact how an individual enjoys their food. Eating is a multi-sensory experience that is different for each person. However, there seems to be a shortage within advertisements prepared by the food industry to appeal to these varying traits. This study uses a survey and focus group to focus specifically on how texture can impact the consumers' perception and preference of food. This information is crucial for the industry to learn more about because there may be better ways to market each food item to build stronger consumer preferences. Results from these tests have not been collected yet, but from looking at resources regarding texture preferences, it is predicted that food items with clear descriptions of texture (if the texture is preferred) is more likely to be desired. The study will look at not only the food items themselves, but will also compare different appeals used in advertisements.