Cross‐Cultural Comparison of Consumer Acceptability of Kimchi with Different Degree of Fermentation

Abstract

Strong flavor developed during fermentation can affect foreign consumer's liking of kimchi (fermented vegetables with seasonings). This study was conducted to compare the cross-cultural preference of American versus Korean consumers for kimchi fermented to different degrees. Kimchi samples fermented to different degrees (pH 5.9, LFK; pH 4.2, MFK; and pH 3.9, HFK) were presented to American (n 5 111) and Korean consumers (n 5 101). The degree of liking and attribute intensities were assessed using the 9-point hedonic scale and Just-aboutRight scale. Consumer demographics and kimchi consumption habits were also collected. American consumers significantly preferred MFK and HFK to LFK, whereas Korean consumers did not show any significant preference among the samples. American consumers reported that the sourness and spiciness of LFK were not intense enough. The frequency of kimchi consumption by American consumers was positively associated with their preference for more fermented kimchi, while the level of fermentation of the daily consumed kimchi was well associated with Korean consumers' preference for kimchi. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSIt is challenging for food industries to launch fermented ethnic food products, such as fermented soy products and vegetables, in foreign markets because acceptability for products with different degree of fermentation may differ across culture and also based on previous experience. The present study investigated how foreign consumers accept one such food, kimchi, at different fermentation levels, particularly in relation to their previous experiences. Results of the present study can help researchers and marketers to establish more effective strategies for developing ethnic foods targeting foreign markets by providing the optimal level of fermentation accepted by foreign consumers and consumer profile. In addition, our findings on the relationship between previous exposures and liking aid in understanding potential mechanisms underlying acquisition of liking for ethnic food by foreign consumers.

American consumers' perception and acceptance of an ethnic food with strong flavor: a case study of Kimchi with varying levels of red pepper and fish sauce

“…A balance in gender (50:50, men–women) and the level of exposure to Kimchi (50:50, frequent–infrequent consumers) were also considered. A consumption frequency of once a month was selected as a criterion to distinguish infrequent and frequent consumers based on a previous study …”

“…Adaptation and a hedonic shift induced by long‐term exposure have been suggested as the mechanisms underlying acquisition of liking and increased tolerance of spiciness . A previous study, which focused on fermentation flavor and sourness of Kimchi, reported that consumption frequency of Kimchi is positively associated with the American consumers' preference for more fermented Kimchi. Considering Kimchi consumption is continuously increasing worldwide, it is reasonable to assume that a more authentic version of Kimchi may be accepted more favorably by frequent users.…”

Comparison of a descriptive analysis and instrumental measurements (electronic nose and electronic tongue) for the sensory profiling of Korean fermented soybean paste (doenjang)

“…Generating a method of sensory profiling and measuring consumer acceptability are the starting points needed to develop products to satisfy the quality standards that many consumers demand (Varela & Ares, ). Several studies have reported the descriptive profiles and/or consumer acceptability of Korean foods (Chambers, Lee, Chun, & Miller, ; Chang, Kwak, Yoo, & Lee, ; Jang, Kim, Lim, & Hong, ; Kim & Lee, ; Kwak, Ahn, Kim, & Lee, ). For doenjang , Kim, Hong, Song, Shin, and Kim () described the sensory characteristics and consumer acceptability of doenjang and reported that consumer acceptability was positively affected by sweetness and umami and negatively influenced by saltiness, meju , soy sauce, and fermented fish sauce flavors.…”

Importance of Applying Condiments in a Commonly Consumed Food System for Understanding the Association Between Familiarity and Sensory Drivers of Liking: A Study Focused on Doenjang

“…Furthermore, it is worth noting that although the general trend for overall liking and familiarity did not significantly differ between the 2 age groups (Table ), the overall liking and familiarity scores for the traditional‐type samples (TSB1 and TSB2) tended to be lower for YC than OC consumers. Product familiarity is one of the most important determinants influencing the overall liking of consumers for a traditional fermented food such as Doenjang (Choi et al., ; Chung et al., ; Hong et al., ; Jang et al., ; Yusop, O'Sullivan, Kerry, & Kerry, ). Because the present OC consumers were more likely to be exposed to such products, these consumers seemed to accept traditional‐type products better than did the YC consumers.…”

“…Thus, when the samples were evaluated in soup, which is a form that is more familiar to consumers, the expectations may have played more important role, thus resulted in discrepancy in familiarity and preference for traditional‐type samples between YC and OC. Considering the importance of familiarity in association to expectation (Piqueras‐Fiszman & Spence, ) and overall acceptability of a product (Choi et al., ; Chung et al., ; Hong et al., ; Jang et al., ; Laing et al., ; Pagès, Bertrand, Ali, Husson, & Lê, ; Prescott, ; Prescott et al., , ; Yusop et al., ), assessing consumer responses for the representative consumed form can be critical for understanding the drivers of liking for condiments such as Doenjang .…”