Pleasantness of Cookies, Juice and Their Combinations Rated in Brief Taste Tests and Following Ad Libitum Consumption

Four combinations of cookie and juice were presented to 42 subjects for ratings of pleasantness of the items and their combinations (Experiment 1). Pleasantness of juice contributed to the pleasantness of a combination more than that of cookie (multiple regression analysis). In Experiment 2, subjects (N=41) rated each combination after ad libitum consumption in four separate sessions. Pleasantness of a cookie contributed more to the pleasantness of a combination than that of juice, and the average R2 obtained in multiple regression analysis was higher than in Experiment 1, suggesting that ratings after ad libitum consumption are more reliable. Pleasantness ratings explained ad libitum consumption of an item up to 23%, but perceived hunger and thirst, and consumption of the other item were at least equally good predictors. It is concluded that the pleasantness is only one among the multiple factors affecting amounts consumed in laboratory conditions.