Recalled preference of Spanish consumers for smoked food

The aim of the present study was to reveal if sensory properties of smoked food could be considered as decisive in the determination of one product’s preference over another. In addition to this, this work tries to clarify whether the flavour obtained in commercial smoked products was noticed and clearly recognized. This study consisted of two parts; first, a preference testing without physical products (recalled preference) presented using a nine‐point hedonic scale, and second, a difference testing with selected products using the triangular test. Consumers showed a preference for non‐smoked products, particularly for cheese, sausages and chips. The first preference dimension of the internal preference mapping (MDPREF) analysis accounted for 74.6 per cent of total variation indicating overall agreement about likings relating these products, with cheese being the most acceptable overall. Analyzing triangular test results it may be concluded that other factors but sensory ones must be defining consumer representations of smoked food, without a correspondence with its real organoleptic properties.