Children's acceptability profiles for biscuits with different fiber content.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Sensory Analysis
• Pediatric Nutrition

Background:

• Dietary fiber intake is crucial for children's health, but high-fiber products face rejection.
• Understanding sensory drivers of acceptance is vital for developing palatable high-fiber foods for children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate children's acceptability of high-fiber biscuits.
• To identify sensory properties influencing liking and disliking of these products.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative descriptive analysis and instrumental texture analysis of eight commercial biscuits.
• Evaluation of overall liking and preference by 110 Spanish children (6-12 years old).
• Determination of moisture and water activity in relation to sensory properties.

Main Results:

• Increased fiber content in biscuits correlated with harder, crispier, and chewier textures.
• Soft texture was identified as the primary sensory driver of liking.
• Chocolate-containing high- and medium-fiber biscuits were preferred by some children, despite harder textures.
• Fruit fillings or pieces were identified as key drivers of disliking.

Conclusions:

• Children's liking of biscuits is significantly influenced by texture, with softness being preferred.
• Product formulation, such as incorporating chocolate, can enhance the acceptance of high-fiber biscuits.
• Avoiding fruit fillings may improve the palatability of fiber-rich products for children.