Effect of serving containers on the consumer acceptance of Doenjang stew

This study aimed to determine effects of serving containers on the consumer acceptance of doenjang stew. Consumer acceptance testing was conducted on two doenjang paste samples (i.e., commercially produced and traditionally produced doenjang, respectively) used to prepare doenjang stew by following a standard recipe (N = 88). In this experiment, the main variables included serving containers of doenjang stews: ttukbaegi (an earthen pot), a melamine bowl, and a disposable plastic cup. Consumers preferred doenjang stew made of commercially produced doenjang over traditionally produced doenjang stew regardless of the serving container. When doenjang stew was served in a disposable plastic cup, significant decrease in liking was observed in comparison with doenjang stew served in other containers regardless of the type of doenjang. Increase in the overall liking of doenjang stews was observed when served in ttukbaegi (an earthen pot) at appearance-only evaluation condition. However, from results of taste evaluation, no difference in liking according to the serving container was observed. The change in the serving container affected product appearance evaluation, but not in taste evaluation. In other words, when tasting is involved, intrinsic factors such as taste or flavor have a greater influence on liking than extrinsic factors such as serving containers. Practical Applications: Doenjang is fermented soybean paste, which is typically included in a stew or soup recipe. Stew is typically served in containers of ttukbaegi or soup bowls. On the other hand, most consumer studies have utilized disposable cups or bowls for serving doenjang stews. In this study, whether serving containers affect the consumer acceptance of doenjang stews was investigated. Results of this study suggested that the impact of serving containers on the consumer acceptance of doenjang stew is minimal when tasting is involved in consumer evaluation; this result indicated that compared with serving containers, intrinsic factors affect consumer liking to a higher extent. These results can provide valuable information for the experimental design of future consumer studies on doenjang-type food items.