Consumer Acceptance of Cow's Milk Versus Soy Beverages: Impact of Ethnicity, Lactose Tolerance and Sensory Preference Segmentation

ABSTRACT In a large‐scale study of milk and milk‐substitute beverages appropriate for individuals with lactose intolerance, a total of 893 consumers rated reduced‐fat (2%) cow's milk the highest, followed by fat‐free cow's milk, and in turn, followed by soy‐based milk‐substitute beverages. No interactive effect on overall liking was found for ethnicity, age or gender, or lactose tolerance/intolerance, with the pattern of liking following that established for the total panel of 893 participants. Two sensory preference segments emerged – sweet seekers (37%) and cream seekers (63%), respectively. These segments transcended conventional geo‐demographics and lactose tolerance. Both segments assigned higher liking ratings to white milk products than to white soy products. However, the sweet seekers liked the reduced‐fat and fat‐free cow's milk products about equally, while the cream seekers preferred the reduced‐fat cow's milk product. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Cow's milk is recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans because of its unique nutrient package. Because of beliefs about lactose intolerance, nondairy beverages are being recommended for those with lactose intolerance, including dairy substitutes in federal feeding programs. As there have been limited studies regarding the acceptance of substitute beverages, we conducted a study to determine “white” milk and milk‐substitute beverage product liking among consumers. Findings indicated that lactose‐free cow's milk is significantly better accepted than all tested soy‐based beverages. Furthermore, the lactose‐free, reduced‐fat cow's milk is better accepted than the lactose‐free, fat‐free cow's milk. Thus, the practical application of this research is to provide new information to health professionals and other stakeholders about taste preferences for milk, and substitute beverages to aid in making recommendations for obtaining dairy nutrients for those with lactose intolerance.