Fortified porridges: sensory evaluation and consumer acceptance
Fortification only works if people eat the food. A sensory science lens on Uganda’s most common complementary meal.
Iron and zinc premixes can transform the nutritional profile of a porridge. They can also turn it grey, metallic and unappetising. Getting the sensory balance right is the difference between a policy success and a rejected sachet.
Panel methodology
A trained sensory panel of eighteen assessors evaluated nine porridge formulations against colour, aroma, mouthfeel, aftertaste and overall liking. Consumer trials with 240 caregivers followed.
The winning formulation
A millet–soy blend fortified with encapsulated iron scored 7.8 out of 9 on overall liking — statistically indistinguishable from the unfortified control, while meeting 65% of a child's daily iron requirement per serving.
