Sensory/mixability preference evaluation of cholestyramine powder formulations

This double-blind, crossover trial compared the sensory and product preparation characteristics of two cholestyramine powder preparations. The study involved 100 healthy volunteers, aged 22-65 (mean 42 years). Questran, a currently marketed product containing sucrose as a sweetener, was compared with Questran Light, a new formulation substituting aspartame for 90 percent of the sucrose. Comparisons were conducted with the two products mixed in water and orange juice. The subjects expressed a significant overall preference for the new formulation mixed in either water (77 percent) or orange juice (80 percent) (p less than 0.01 in both comparisons). Subjects expressed an overwhelming preference for the old product (99 percent) with respect to ease of preparation, although the ratings of the new product were generally neutral rather than negative. The new product is somewhat more difficult to prepare compared with the old cholestyramine preparation, but offers significantly increased patient acceptance based on sensory evaluations.