HIV-positive and HIV-negative consumers accept an instant soy maize porridge

• Published in: Health SA = SA Gesondheid Vol. 13; no. 3; pp. 42 - 53
• Main Authors: Bosman, Magdalena J.C., Bouwer, Susanna C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia University of Johannesburg 01.09.2008; African Online Scientific Information Systems (Pty) Ltd t/a AOSIS; AOSIS (Pty) Ltd
• Subjects: Acceptability; Comparative analysis; Consumers; Food and nutrition; Health aspects; HIV patients; HIV-positive; Porridge; Psychological aspects; Soy maize porridge; Soybean; South Africa
• ISSN: 1025-9848; 2071-9736
• DOI: 10.4102/hsag.v13i3.285

The objective of this study was to assess consumer acceptability, preference and consumption intent of an instant soy maize porridge, compared to an instant plain maize porridge, in order to determine the successful inclusion of the soy maize porridge as a food supplement for HIV subjects in a subsequent nutrition intervention trial, to improve their nutritional status. A 5-point hedonic and food action rating scale was used for this purpose. HIV-positive (n = 57) and HIV-negative (n = 47) subjects were recruited on a basis of availability and willingness to participate. Long-term acceptability and compliance of HIV-positive consumers (n = 9) was assessed after three and five months. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey's multiple comparison test and T-tests (p ≤ 0.05) were performed. Overall, consumers found the soy maize porridge significantly more acceptable, preferred it to, and also intended to consume it more often than the plain maize porridge. There were no significant differences between the HIV-positive and HIV-negative group regarding acceptability, preference and consumption intent. After three and five months, the HIV-positive consumers (n = 9) did not find acceptability of the soy maize porridge significantly different from the first evaluation. It therefore had the potential to be included successfully in the nutrition intervention trial. The current study emphasises the need for sensory evaluation of food products prior to including them in intervention studies, to assess consumers' acceptance of them. Die doel van hierdie studie was om verbruikers se aanvaarding, voorkeur en voorneme van verbruik van 'n kitssojamieliepap, in vergelyking met 'n gewone kitsmieliepap te bepaal, ten einde die suksesvolle insluiting van die kitssojamieliepap as voedselaanvulling vir HIV-proefpersone om hul voedingstatus te verbeter, in 'n daaropvolgende voedingsintervensiestudie te ondersoek. 'n Vyf-punt hedoniese en voedselaksieskattingskaal is vir hierdie doel gebruik. HIV-positiewe (n = 57) en negatiewe (n = 47) proefpersone is op grond van beskikbaarheid en gewilligheid om deel te neem, gewerf. Langtermynaanvaarding en inskiklikheid van HIV-positiewe verbruikers (n = 9) is na drie en vyf maande bepaal. Variansie-analise (ANOVA), Tukey se meervoudige vergelykingstoets en T-toetse (p ≤ 0.05) is uitgevoer. Verbruikers het oor die algemeen die sojamieliepap betekenisvol meer aanvaarbaar gevind, dit bo die gewone kitsmieliepap verkies, en was ook van voorneme om dit meer dikwels as laasgenoemde te verbuik. Daar was geen betekenisvolle verskille tussen die HIV-positiewe en -negatiewe groep ten opsigte van aanvaarbaarheid, voorkeur en voorneme van verbruik nie. Na drie en vyf maande het die HIV-positiewe verbruikers (n = 9) nie die aanvaarbaarheid van die sojamieliepap betekenisvol verskillend van die eerste evaluering gevind nie. Dit het dus die potensiaal gehad om suksesvol in die voedingsintervensiestudie ingesluit te word. Die huidige studie beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid van sintuiglike evaluering van voedselprodukte voor die insluiting daarvan in intervensiestudies, ten einde verbruikers se aanvaarding daarvan te bepaal.