Use of the Kano model and sensory evaluation in the development of an iron supplement for women

Abstract

The study presents an alternative for the preparation of questions using the Kano model to evaluate the presentation of a powdered, water-soluble supplement. The results were used to develop a formulation containing chelated Fe-peptides for women. The experiment was carried out in two steps: (a) an online survey to determine the satisfaction with the powdered iron supplement in relation to other presentations, and the flavor preference, (b) sensory evaluation of the formulations developed. A total of 364 replies were collected in the online survey, which indicated indifference with respect to satisfaction for the use of a powdered, water-soluble product as compared to pills, drops, and syrups. The flavors preferred were: lemon (46.6%), orange (40.9%), chocolate and red fruits (32%). The sensory test (n = 121) of the three formulations (strawberry, tangerine, and chocolate) containing 14 mg Fe2+ per sachet, validated the tangerine flavor as the most accepted and chocolate as rejected by the consumers. Practical Applications Iron supplements do not have very attractive flavors and have an unpleasant metallic aftertaste. Thus, in order to present a new type of supplement still unavailable on the market, the use of a comprehensive approach making use of methods such as the Kano model and a sensory evaluation, could help elucidate this question. The Kano model is an efficient tool used to evaluate attributes and allows one to obtain other information about consumer desires in both explicit and implicit ways. However, the application of the Kano model for attributes with three or more levels has been little explored. Thus, the present study presents an application of this model with the use of direct questions for an attribute with four levels, and the application of sensory tests that allow one to direct and optimize product development. The analysis of the information obtained contributed to the development of a sensorially acceptable powdered, water soluble iron supplement.