HEDONIC SCALES ARE A BETTER PREDICTOR THAN JUST-ABOUT-RIGHT SCALES OFOPTIMAL SWEETNESS IN LEMONADE

A comparison of hedonic scales and just-about-right (JAR) scales is ne eded because data in previous studies using JAR scales suggest that pr edicted optimum levels of ingredients often are not the same as the le vels in products that currently are sold successfully. Thus, in this r esearch, consumers tested lemonade varying in sugar concentration from 6% to 14%, using (1) a JAR scale formed by boxes or a line and (2) a hedonic box-type scale. Predicted ''optimum'' levels of sweetness for the lemonade and differences in liking for the formulations were deter mined, The JAR line and box scales gave similar predicted optimal resu lts (9.2% and 9.4% sucrose, respectively), which were significantly lo wer than the hedonic scale results (10.3% sucrose). In a preference te st, consumers significantly preferred the 10.3% sugar lemonade over th e 9.3% concentration, indicating that, based on paired preference test ing, the hedonic scale resulted in better prediction of optimal sweetn ess than the JAR scale.