Children and one of the parents, from the Sydney metropolitan area ,Australia, were recruited by a recruitment agency. Children were aged 5 or 6 years and had to attend primary school
Children who strongly disliked two or more of the target vegetables as well as children, or children of parents , with any know food allergies or dietary intolerances were excluded. A total of 104 children participated in the study. Three vegetables, sweet potato (lpomoea batatas ), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea botrytis) and French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), were selected as examples of various vegetable categories. Vegaetables were chosen that were substantially different in sensory properties, had economic importance in terms of market value in Australia and were not highly likes nor highly dislikes by children in a pilot test. The pilot test (n =18 ) used the same recruitment criteria and methodologies as the actual consumer test. An additional vegetable, eggplant, was tested, but was disliked and was not selected for further testing. Each chid participated in a single session of approximately 50 min duration in which he/she tested the three vegetables in each of four variants. Sessions were held with six children at a time. Oral instructions were provided to the group, after which children were seated in adjoining test rooms. Two children occupied ied each room, seated opposite one another with screens on the table to prevent themm from interacting. E ach chid had one-onone assistance from a trained test administrator who assisted the child and recorded all responses. A test administrator was preferred over the child’s parent to ensuer consistency and objectivity and to avoid unintended bias (Guinnard,2000; Popper &Kroll, 2005). The parent was seated in close proximity, but not withinview of the child. Parent were instruct with their child during the teste testing. Children in the same sessions evaluated the vegetable types in the same order; this order was counterbalanced across the session. The tasting order of the four varians within vegetable ype was different for each child in one session and was counterbalanced across all children. Upon receiving a plate, expected preference was first measures by asking the child: “Could you please point out the sample that you think you will like the most ? ” . The children were instructed to base thie evaluation only on appearance. Children were not allowed to bring their nose to the plate, which was placed approximetely