This study aims to investigate how objective (chemical composition, processing method) and subjective (perceived fat content) milk characteristics influence taste perception.
A blind tasting experiment was conducted with 36 participants who evaluated six commercial milk samples (all 2.5% fat) differing in thermal processing and brand territorial coverage. Each sample was tasted twice, yielding 432 observations. Fatty acid profiles were quantified via gas chromatography. Panel regression models [pooled ordinary least squares (OLS) model, fixed effects (FE), random effects (RE)] were estimated to account for repeated measures and unobserved individual heterogeneity.
Perceived fat content consistently and significantly enhanced taste scores across all specifications (p < 0.001). Ultra-pasteurization showed a marginally positive effect in the baseline model but lost significance once fatty acids were included. In the extended model, butyric acid emerged as a strong positive predictor of taste (p < 0.01), while caprylic and capric acids were not significant. Notably, milk from local brands received substantially lower taste ratings than federal brands (p < 0.01) after controlling for composition and individual effects. Random-effects models were preferred based on specification tests.
This study advances the literature by integrating objective chemical markers (individual fatty acids) with subjective perceptual drivers within a unified panel econometric framework. The use of blind tasting isolates sensory experience from packaging cues, revealing that butyric acid – despite its modest concentration – exerts a large influence on consumer liking. These findings offer an interesting observation for dairy producers, highlighting the complex interplay between actual composition and consumer perception.
