New child-friendly assessments of food odor identification ability, awareness and use of odor cues

• Exposure to food odors has been demonstrated to increase appetite, yet little is known about the role of olfaction in picky eating. Picky eating, the unwillingness to try new foods or eat familiar foods is common among children and linked to a low intake of fruits and vegetables. Objective: To develop two new child-friendly assessment tools, that will be put in use to investigate the relationships between olfaction, picky eating, and, fruit and vegetable liking among children. Methods: The following assessment tools were developed: 1) a test assessing fruit and vegetable odor identification (using food-grade aromas), similar to the validated U-sniff test but also quantifying the liking of the odors 2) a self-reported questionnaire tool assessing the awareness and use of odor cues in everyday life, developed from the interview guide Children’s Olfactory Behaviors in Everyday Life (COBEL). Development and evaluation were performed by conducting cognitive interviews with 20 children (aged 5-13). As a next step, 100 Swedish children aged 9-11 years are recruited to participate in data collection (April/May 2023). Data will also be collected on 1) willingness to consume, and liking of, the corresponding fruit and vegetables in a tasting session 2) general odor identification ability, using the validated U-Sniff test 3) the degree of picky eating and, liking of fruits and vegetables, using questionnaire assessments.

Ämnesord

LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER  -- Lantbruksvetenskap, skogsbruk och fiske -- Livsmedelsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES  -- Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries -- Food Science (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Annan hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Other Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

olfaction

children

fruits and vegetables

picky eating

food neophobia

Kostvetenskap

Food, Nutrition and Dietetics

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)