To Örebro University

Consumer attitudes toward novel fresh herb cultivation methods, including urban farming, hydroponics, and robotic cultivation, were explored among 148 participants in the UK. Urban farming emerged as the preferred method, followed by hydroponics, while robotic cultivation was least favoured. The study tested two hypotheses regarding the influence of environmental concern on acceptance of parsley from the different methods, and the impact of food technology neophobia on acceptance of parsley from hydroponics and robotic cultivation. Consumer levels of environmental concern positively influenced their acceptance of parsley from urban farming, while food technology neophobia negatively impacted the consumer acceptance of hydroponic and robotic cultivation methods. The study underscores the perceived natural elements inherent in these methods. Urban farming seems to align well with consumers ' values of nature and sustainability. Tailored messaging highlighting the natural aspects of all these methods, and addressing concerns about the use of technology, may help to bridge the gap between innovation and consumer acceptance, contributing to the delicate balance between tradition and innovation in agricultural strategies. At the same time, however, the study 's exploratory nature may limit the generalizability of the results. Future research could broaden the participant sample and explore additional psychological factors shaping attitudes toward novel agricultural techniques.

In this pilot study, we investigated the use of the Double-Grip Analysis method as a tool to create analogue wines. The study involved four groups of sommeliers using the method to identify critical analytical and analogical attributes in four commercial wines. The basis of communication with this method is via the use of analogies, metaphors, and practical examples that emerge during the analysis and the dialogue. An overmatured rosé winewith mature flavours and low acidity served as the base for all groups when replicating the commercial counterparts making analogue wines. Atfirst, the study aimed to assess the sommeliers’ ability to use this method in blending and wine production. In addition, the study explored the acceptability of these analogue wines, as they aim to  eplicate sensory characteristics of commercial counterparts, providing environmentally friendly alternatives. A panel of 20 consumers evaluated the quality of the wines as guests at a blind tasting dinner. The results help to shedl ight on the effectiveness of the Double-Grip Analysis Method, while at the same time providing insights into the acceptability of these analogue products amongst consumers. This research contributes to the field of culinary exploration and sustainable alternatives in the wine industry.

Introduction: The knowledge accrued through research in the domain of crossmodal correspondences has had a significant influence on a diverse array of disciplines, including behavioral studies, neuroscience, computational modeling, and notably, marketing, with the objective of aligning sensory experiences to help shape patterns of consumer behavior. A study is reported that explores the extension of these principles to the communication of products having a notably complex sensory profile, specifically within the context of wine. The central aim of the project is to explore the feasibility of using crossmodal communication as a strategic tool to augment the congruence between the consumers’ multisensory expectations and their sensory experiences. For consumers venturing into the realm of wine selection without the advantage of prior tasting experience, it is of paramount importance to possess a robust understanding of the mandated information. This encompasses critical elements such as the wine’s origin, grape varietal(s) used, geographical indications, producer qualifications, and the potential implications of these factors on the final wine product. This level of comprehension stands as a necessary prerequisite, enabling these consumers to make informed choices that align with their preferences, even in the absence of previous sensory encounters. Nonetheless, semiotic investigations underscore the significance attributed to symbolic components such as signs, logos, colors, gestures, and linguistic cues. Research from the field performing multisensory studies, presents a counterpoint to prevailing communication paradigms, advocating for a heightened incorporation of metaphors, analogies, symbols, metonymies, and allegories. This alternative approach aims to enhance the efficacy of communication strategies, offering a more profound and evocative means of conveying intricate messages on a more holistic level.

Methods: A questionnaire was sent to a specific group of engaged wine consumers (n = 329). Besides questions regarding demographics, purchase behavior, and consumption behavior, the questionnaire included examples of multisensory communication through a selection of symbols, as well as alternative wine information.

Results: The results showed significant correlations between demographics, consumption behavior, and attitudes toward the tested multisensory symbols and alternative information, thus helping to gain a better understanding of the sensory properties that should be communicated on wine labels.

Discussion: The findings reported here highlight the effectiveness of visual crossmodal communication as a promising pathway capable of skillfully capturing consumer attributes, conveying multisensory experiences, and portraying the comprehensive timeline of taste evolution. As a result, it assumes a pivotal role as a communicative tool for intricate consumables, like wine, functioning at the crossroads of visual and sensory dimensions.

Kaffe är en älskad dryck och ett måste i morgonkoppen för många svenskar. I Sverige konsumerar vi runt 7,6 kilo kaffe per person och år. Det motsvarar ungefär två och en halv kopp per dag. Detta innebär att kaffe serveras i stora mänger i ett flertal olika situationer. Ingen måltid i Sverige är ansedd avslutad utan att det har druckits en kopp.

Den svenska kaffepausen i arbetslivet, ”fika”, är en inbiten sed och kan vara svår för utomstående att förstå och anpassa sig till. För att göra fika mer förståeligt och tillgängligt för andra har vi kartlagt vår fikakultur genom att undersöka hur kaffet konsumeras vid sidan av våra måltider. Vi ser här tydliga konsumtionsmönster som har en stor betydelse för våra rutiner och hur vi inordnar pauser för sociala praktiker. Samtidigt ser vi också att det finns anledning att göra oss uppmärksamma på hur och vad som konsumeras på fikapausen utifrån ett mer folkhälsoinriktat perspektiv.

Vi föreslår vidare studier för att öka förståelsen för fika, detta genom att undersöka fika som en social praktik. Genom att lyfta förståelsen för fika i relation till praktikteorins element av kompetenser, materialitet och meningsskapande, kan vi ges en ökas förståelse om hur olika värden skapas i relation till den svenska fikakulturen.

De aristoteliska kunskapsbegreppen; Episteme, Techne och Phronesis kan användas för att beskriva komplexiteten i en yrkeskunskap inom ett visst hantverk. Förmågan att prova vin är ett integrerat hantverk i att vara sommelier. Inom restaurangbranschen är det en viktig yrkeskompetens för sommeliererna. En provning består av olika kategorier av smaker, texturer och aromer, ibland metaforiska och till och med analoga dimensioner. Vinpresentationer och provningsanteckningar är ofta den enda "dokumentationen" från provning, men smakupplevelser används sällan explicit som en sekundär analys. Den här artikeln syftar till att fördjupa förståelsen av sommelierens professionella smakupplevelse, som ett estetiskt hantverksutövande, baserat på smakerfarenheter förknippade med vinserveringar. Genom att sortera bland smakade viner efter specifika provningar lyckades vi revitalisera och tematisera innebörden av dessa provningar. För att komma åt meniskapande drivkrafter användes en triangulering av Bourdieus kapitalteori, dialogmetod och beprövad erfarenhet. Analys visar hur smakupplevelser är en drivkraft för nyfikenhet och självutveckling. Detta tycks vara viktigt inte bara som ett pedagogiskt verktyg i gastronomiska studier utan också som ett sätt att identifiera sommelierens implicita kunskaper.

Introduction: This research investigates consumer acceptance of alternative methods for communicating information about wine, focusing on the alignment between sensory attributes and consumer expectations.

Methods: A survey was administered to wine enthusiasts to assess their attitudes toward crossmodal communication.

Results: The findings reveal significant associations between consumer behaviors and acceptance of alternative communication methods, highlighting the emerging field of crossmodal correspondences.

Discussion: These results suggest that leveraging crossmodal correspondences can enhance the match between a product’s sensory qualities and consumer expectations, potentially reducing wine wastage resulting from unmet consumer preferences. These findings have implications for improving communication strategies in the wine industry and enhancing consumer experiences.

There is an increasing interest in the use of automation in plant production settings. Here, we employed a robotic platform to induce controlled mechanical stimuli (CMS) aiming to improve basil quality. Semi-targeted UHPLC-qToF-MS analysis of organic acids, amino acids, phenolic acids, and phenylpropanoids revealed changes in basil secondary metabolism under CMS, which appear to be associated with changes in taste, as revealed by different means of sensory evaluation (overall liking, check-all-that-apply, and just-about-right analysis). Further network analysis combining metabolomics and sensory data revealed novel links between plant metabolism and sensory quality. Amino acids and organic acids including maleic acid were negatively associated with basil quality, while increased levels of secondary metabolites, particularly linalool glucoside, were associated with improved basil taste. In summary, by combining metabolomics and sensory analysis we reveal the potential of automated CMS on crop production, while also providing new associations between plant metabolism and sensory quality.

In this paper we present a multidisciplinary approach combining technical practices with sensory data to optimize cultivation practices for production of plants using sensory evaluation and further the how it affects nutritional content. We apply sensory evaluation of plants under mechanical stress, in this case robot cultivated basil. Plant stress is a research field studying plants' reactions to suboptimal conditions leading to effects on growth, crop yield, and resilience to harsh environmental conditions. Some of the effects induced by mechanical stress have been shown to be beneficial, both in futuristic commercial growing paradigms (e.g., vertical farming), as well as in altering the plant's nutritional content. This pilot study uses established sensory methods such as Liking, Just-About-Right (JAR) and Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) to study the sensory effect of mechanical stress on cropped basil induced by a specially developed robotic platform. Three different kinds of cropped basil were evaluated: (a) mechanically stressed-robot cultivated, (b) non-stressed -robot cultivated from the same cropping bed (reference); and (c) a commercially organic produced basil. We investigated liking, critical attributes, sensory profile, and the use of a semi-trained culinary panel to make any presumptions on consumer acceptance. The semi-trained panel consisted of 24 culinary students with experience of daily judging sensory aspects of specific food products and cultivated crops. The underlying goal is to assess potential market aspects related to novel mechanical cultivation systems. Results shows that basil cropped in a controlled robot cultivated platform resulted in significantly better liking compared to commercially organic produced basil. Results also showed that mechanical stress had not negatively affected the sensory aspects, suggesting that eventual health benefits eating stressed plants do not come at the expense of the sensory experience.