Articles

"Properties Tree" in the Consumer Criteria Evaluation for Sugary Confectionery Products

Authors:

Irina Yu. Reznichenko, Nina A. Frolova, Ekaterina E. Zharskaya, Yana S. Kovalchuk, Margarita A. Solovyova

Abstract:

The article concerns the development analysis results of the consumer market of sugar confectionery products at the present stage. The authors analyzed caramel market in Russia for the period 2019-2020. They note that the caramel production is not stable. In 2019, the volume of caramel production was 2.8% lower compared to 2018, and in 2020 it decreased by another 12.2 % compared to 2019. The researchers recorded the change in the market structure: the traditional caramel segment was shrinking; the functional segment was increasing. They revealed “property tree” for evaluating consumer criteria of the sugar confectionery on the example of caramel with filling; to do this they conducted the consumer criteria analysis (factors preserving the quality (packaging, labelling); destination indicators; ecological and ergonomic indexes), and a study of organoleptic, physical and chemical parameters. The hierarchical structure of the “property tree” reflects the indicators nomenclature, including those that are not regulated by the requirements of regulatory documents. The thesis presented quality indicators studies result of six samples of caramel with filling sold by the federal retail. The authors identified the compliance and non-compliance with the requirements of the current regulatory documents. They determined that among the indicators of social purpose, the key for the consumer was an affordable price, while the product had to contain the appropriate sensory characteristics and had to exclude synthetic flavors and dyes. Aesthetic indicators reflect the available and reliable information about the product, the type of packaging material and colorfulness of the design, as well as the impact of packaging disposal on the environment. The results obtained can be useful for manufacturers and practitioners of trade in the formation of the product range of a trade organization.

Keywords:

caramel products; criteria; hierarchical structure; sensory characteristics; quality

For citation: 

Irina Yu. Reznichenko, Nina A. Frolova, Ekaterina E. Zharskaya, Yana S. Kovalchuk, Margarita A. Solovyova. Properties Tree in the Consumer Criteria Evaluation for Sugary Confectionery Products. Индустрия питания|Food Industry. 2021. Vol. 6, No. 1. Pp. 5–12. DOI: 10.29141/2500-1922-2021-6-1-1