HOME PLACEMENT TESTING OF LAMB CONDUCTED IN SIX COUNTRIES

Consumer placement tests, which are used to assess products in an appropriate context, were performed in 36 households comprising 2 to 8 persons in England, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy and Spain using leg joints from 2 types of lamb raised in each of those countries. Ratings of odor, tenderness, juiciness, flavor and overall liking were different among lamb types and overall, the least tender was the least liked. Variations in ratings of cooking odor given by the cook only, which were most marked by the Greek and Spanish panels, were correlated with assessments of the other qualities given by the whole household. Variations in liking were less among individuals within a household than between households and reduced as the number of individuals in a household increased. The structure of a panel is important and should be taken into account when analyzing and concluding from consumer placement tests.