Consumer Survey of Selected Thai Rice for Elderly Using Focus Group and Acceptance Test

Abstract

This survey aimed to study on the attitude and acceptance of elderly toward 9 varieties of Thai rice. The focus group discussion was conducted by 36 elderlies, separating into 3 groups and quoting by age; 60–69, 70–79 and 80 years old and over. Most of subjects normally consumed polished white rice because of softness and easily chewing. Especially the 80 years group, they often had the trouble of chewing and swallowing, thus they need softy to mushy rice. The subjects normally liked texture of unpolished color rice or brown rice mixed with polished white rice rather than unpolished color rice alone. The subjects were familiar with rice and brown rice because they knew that brown rice and color rice were good for health. However, elderly could not explain how brown rice or color rice was beneficial to their health. The consumer survey of 9 Thai rice varieties were involved by 216 elderlies with different genders, age, educations, vocations, income, living, and attendant. The sensory acceptance test was conducted using 9 point hedonic scale with Balanced Incomplete Block design (n = 216). The results showed that the liking score of Hom Mail brown rice  was the highest but not significantly different (p>0.05) from those of  Kam LeumPua and Kam Doi Saket in all attributes (appearance, color, aroma, flavor, sweetness, overall taste, hardness, softness, tooth pack and overall liking). In conclusion, the colored rice has high potential to be developed for the elderly consumer product with aroma, soft texture and health benefit.