Liking and consumption of fat-free and full-fat cheese

The objective of this study was to measure the impact of differences in taste test liking ratings of two samples of processed cheese upon consumption of those cheeses when they were served as part of a normal lunch. Firstly, forty subjects participated in a taste test to rate their liking for both cheeses, and then in a series of four lunches. Lunches consisted of the cheese plus 8 other items. Individual subjects' consumption of each food item was measured at the lunch. Ratings of hunger, prospective consumption (how much of each of the food served the subject thought he/she could eat) and post-consumption liking were obtained. Judges preferred the full-fat cheese to the fat-free cheese in both taste tests and post-consumption liking ratings. They ate more of the full-fat cheese and consumed more total fat and more total calories when the full-fat cheese was served. The amount of cheese eaten at lunch was related to both the liking of that cheese and to the amount of cheese the subjects thought they would be able to eat.