Acceptability of a new olive pomace enriched biscuits (PreBiÒ®) in a dietary intervention with mildly hypercholesterolemic volunteers

Several studies have demonstrated that a diet rich in food contained polyphenols and fibres can modulate the composition and the metabolic activity of the human gut microbiota and modify cardiovascular risk factors. Familiarity and sensory perception are key factors driving food choices and are crucial aspects that have to be considered, especially in the case of phenol-rich foods characterized by bitterness and astringency. Thus, the main objective of this study was to assess the effects of exposure on acceptance for a new olive pomace enriched formulation (PreBiÒ®). This activity is part of a nutritional study, which aimed at measuring the impact of the consumption of this olive pomace product on the gut microbiota and its metabolic activity in mildly hypercholesterolaemic subjects. In a double-blind, controlled parallel dietary intervention, 62 otherwise healthy subjects were randomly assigned to eat daily 90 g of olive pomace-enriched biscuit (olive-enriched product, OEP) or an isoenergetic control (CTRL) for 8 weeks. At T0 (beginning of the treatment), T1 (after 16 days), T2 (after 31 days), T3 (after 46 days), liking scores were collected using a 9-point hedonic scale. Results showed a significant difference between the control and the test group. In the test group, a different effect of exposure was found: a cluster (n= 12) that showed a significant increase of liking and a cluster (n=22) that showed a significant decrease of liking. No gender or age effects were found. The results of this study showed that acceptance of a new functional product is influenced by a multidimensional process that does not run just through exposure. Increasing sensory quality of new functional foods is a key strategy to aid in the promotion of healthy eating habits and the improvement of the quality of life. Study supported by OlioCRU srl and Autonomous Province of Trento (LP 6/99)