Profiling Individual Differences in Alcoholic Beverage Preference and Consumption: New Insights from a Large-Scale...

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Sensory Science
• Consumer Behavior

Background:

• Alcohol consumption is culturally significant, influencing diet and social norms.
• Understanding alcohol preference drivers is crucial for public health, policy, and market strategies.
• Individual sensory perception significantly impacts liking and intake of alcoholic beverages.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how oral responsiveness influences liking and intake of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
• To identify consumer segments based on beverage liking and consumption patterns.
• To explore the role of gender, age, and sensory perception in alcohol preference.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 2388 Italian consumers (ages 18-60) on beverage liking and intake.
• Assessment of oral responsiveness to 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil (PROP), basic tastes, astringency, and pungency.
• Analysis of liking patterns for 14 alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, considering demographics and sensory data.

Main Results:

• Three distinct liking patterns (Spirit-lovers, Beer/wine lovers, Mild-drink lovers) were identified in both genders.
• Women generally liked and consumed fewer alcoholic beverages than men, but liking patterns were similar.
• Mild-drink lovers, primarily younger women, showed higher sensory responsiveness and lower alcohol consumption.

Conclusions:

• Orosensory properties significantly drive alcoholic beverage liking patterns across consumer segments.
• Personalized recommendations can be developed by integrating socio-demographic and perceptive variables.
• Sensory attributes like burning and bitterness may naturally limit excessive alcohol consumption.