Consumer Perception of Sugar Kelp (Saccharina latissima) Addition to Soup

Abstract

Seaweed is a sustainable and nutritionally beneficial ingredient; however, consumers do not regularly eat it in North America. Sugar kelp is one variety of seaweed that is presently underutilized and this study will evaluate Atlantic Canadians’ sensory perception of sugar kelp addition to soup. Participants’ (n = 90) liking and sensory perception of seaweed addition to soup (control [no sugar kelp], 4% wt/wt, 6% wt/wt, 8% wt/wt and 10% wt/wt) was evaluated. A second sensory trial evaluated the amount of sugar kelp the participants (n = 83) would add to the soup if given the opportunity and their resulting sensory perception. The participants used hedonic scales, check-all-that-apply, and general labelled magnitude scales to evaluate the soup. The results identified how consumers perceive sugar kelp in soup, as well as their liking of sugar kelp in soup. In both trials, the participants indicated that sugar kelp could be added at approximately 6% wt/wt without impacting their acceptance. Liking of the soup’s flavour was negatively impacted by the sugar kelp addition; however, it did not impact the amount of soup participants consumed in the second trial. The sugar kelp addition increased the intensity of saltiness and umami at the 6% wt/wt addition level and lower, but at 8% wt/wt the soup was associated with pungency and off-flavours. The results suggest that sugar kelp addition to soup is acceptable at low levels.