Evidences of regional differences in chlorine perception by consumers: sensitivity differences or habituation?
Résumé
Chlorinous flavors are one of the leading cause of customers’ complaints and dissatisfaction with drinking water. To investigate potential regional differences in chlorine perception, sensory testing experiments were conducted in France and in Spain to assess consumers’ sensory sensitivity (chlorine flavor detection threshold) as well as their liking and acceptance for chlorinated solutions. The chlorine flavor detection threshold was found to vary depending on countries (0.17 mg/LCl2 in France and 0.56 mg/LCl2 in Spain). According to the relation found between chlorine practices and average flavor detection thresholds, it is likely that habituation may support observed sensory differences between the two countries. In addition, consumers’ liking and acceptance for chlorinated water was found to be in agreement to their sensory sensitivity: the higher the detection threshold, the higher the acceptability for chlorinated waters.