6533b7d0fe1ef96bd125b571

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Comparison of sensory visual properties of food products in real and virtual conditions

subject

description

International audience; As Virtual Reality usages expand, as professional tools in one hand and as gaming devices in another hand, the use of these technologies for consumer science and sensory science is more and more interesting to be investigated. Before using Virtual Reality to evaluate new products, it seems necessary to check the similarities and differences of the visual attributes of products in real and in virtual. All the experiments were conducted with Unity software and HTC Vive Helmet. First, we designed virtual sensory booths, similar to the booths of AgroParisTech sensory Lab. Then, we choose a set of real products (cookies from the market) and digitalize them. At last, virtual cookies were implemented in the virtual booths to be virtually handled by consumers. The visual properties of the products were evaluated in real and in virtual with two sensory description methods: flash profile then conventional profile, using two groups of 10 panelists. Our main purpose was to compare the results of these two methodologies in both environments. The first group began in the virtual environment and proceeded with the real one. The second group did the opposite. Results from one environment to another are quite similar for the two first dimensions, which are mainly color and size. Criteria related to chocolate chips and details seems to be underused in the virtual environment. The results are very encouraging for the use of Virtual Reality for sensory science. But we still need to work on the software aspects, resolution of the virtual products during digitalization and the notion of presence to be able to use these types of technology for precise evaluation of the products.