Norwegian consumersʹ acceptability of boar tainted meat with different levels of androstenone or skatole as related to their androstenone sensitivity

The aim of work was to study Norwegian consumersʹ acceptance of pork meat with different levels of skatole and androstenone. One group of androstenone sensitive consumers (N = 46) and one group of non sensitive consumers (N = 55) participated in a home test and evaluated 11 samples with different skatole (range 0–0.35 ppm) and androstenone (range 0–9.0 ppm) levels. Liking of odour during frying and odour and flavour of the fried meat were evaluated. Results showed that the non sensitive consumers accepted all levels of androstenone in the samples. Sensitive consumers gave a significantly lower liking score for androstenone samples containing 3 ppm (and more) than the reference sample when evaluating these samples above the frying pan, but no significant difference were found between 3 ppm samples and reference samples when liking of fried meat was evaluated. This indicated that the sensitive consumers accepted 3 ppm in fried meat, but not if 3 ppm was present in the sample during the frying process. The same consumerʹs differentiated skatole samples with regard to flavour at 0.15 ppm. The Norwegian established practise with a threshold value of 0.21 ppm skatole is higher than the value accepted by the consumers.