Cross-cultural comparison of acceptance of soy-based extruded snack foods by U.S. and Indian consumers

This study aims to compare the acceptance of a soy-based extruded snack food by Indian consumers residing in India with surrogate consumers residing in the U.S.A. Soy-based snacks were extruded and contained varying levels of soy flour and grits. Seventy-two participants in the U.S.A. who frequently consume Indian snacks, as well as 67 Indian consumers in Bangalore, India, evaluated the samples. Based on the high degree of acceptance for many of the formulations tested, there is strong potential for the commercialization of this type of snack product. Analysis of variance showed significant liking differences across the samples for the U.S. group, but not for the Indian group. Internal preference mapping highlighted that individual taste differences were more dominant than cultural factors in determining preferences. Although testing of the actual target consumers is still preferred, cautious use of surrogate consumers may be useful for initial stages of product development.