Consumer acceptability and perceptions of maize meal in Giyani, South Africa

Figures & data

Table 1: Comparison between white sifted unfortified and white sifted fortified

	Mean score ^a
Attribute	White sifted unfortified (n = 48)	White sifted fortified (n = 48)	Significant difference?	Preferred sample
Aroma^b	2.77*	3.35*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White sifted fortified
Appearance: Colour^b	2.94*	3.63*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White sifted fortified
Appearance: Consistency^b	2.90*	3.46*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White sifted fortified
Texture: Feel (hand)^b	2.90*	3.35*	Yes, p ≤ 0.05	White sifted fortified
Texture: Grittiness (mouth)^b	2.81*	3.38*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White sifted fortified
Taste^b	2.81*	3.38*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White sifted fortified
Total score^c	16.96*	20.67*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White sifted fortified
^a1 = Dislike very much; 2 = Dislike moderately; 2.5 = Neutral; 3 = Like moderately; 4 = Like very much.
^bA mean attribute score of >2.5 indicates some level of liking, indicated by *.
^cA total score of >15 indicates some level of liking, indicated by *.

Table 2: Comparison between hammer-mill white with fibre and hammer-mill yellow with fibre

	Mean score ^a
Attribute	Hammer-mill white with fibre (n = 48)	Hammer-mill yellow with fibre (n = 48)	Significant difference?	Preferred sample
Aroma^b	2.43	2. 21	No, p > 0.1	None
Appearance: Colour^b	2.06	2. 29	No, p > 0.1	None
Appearance: Consistency^b	2.15	2.17	No, p > 0.1	None
Texture: Feel (hand)^b	2.00	2.21	No, p > 0.1	None
Texture: Grittiness (mouth)^b	1.79	1.98	No, p > 0.1	None
Taste^b	1.85	2.02	No, p > 0.1	None
Total score^c	12.08	1 2.83	No, p > 0.1	None
^a1 = Dislike very much; 2 = Dislike moderately; 2.5 = Neutral; 3 = Like moderately; 4 = Like very much.
^bA mean attribute score of >2.5 indicates some level of liking, indicated by *.
^cA total score of >15 indicates some level of liking, indicated by *.

Table 3: Comparison between hammer-mill white without fibre and hammer-mill yellow without fibre

	Mean score ^a
Attribute	Hammer-mill white no fibre (n = 48)	Hammer-mill yellow no fibre (n = 48)	Significant difference?	Preferred sample
Aroma^b	3.13*	3.00*	No, p > 0.1	None
Appearance: Colour^b	3.33*	3.25*	No, p > 0.1	None
Appearance: Consistency^b	3.31*	2.75*	Yes, p ≤ 0.05	Hammer-mill white no-fibre
Texture: Feel (hand)^b	3.29*	2.85*	Yes, p ≤ 0.1	Hammer-mill white no-fibre
Texture: Grittiness (mouth)^b	3.00*	2.83*	No, p > 0.1	None
Taste^b	3.06*	2.98*	No, p > 0.1	None
Total score^c	19.08*	17.67*	No, p > 0.1	None
^a1 = Dislike very much; 2 = Dislike moderately; 2.5 = Neutral; 3 = Like moderately; 4 = Like very much.
^bA mean attribute score of >2.5 indicates some level of liking, indicated by *.
^cA total score of >15 indicates some level of liking, indicated by *.

Table 4: Comparison between white sifted unfortified, white super fortified and hammer-mill white without fibre

	Mean score ^a
Attribute	(a) White sifted unfortified (n = 48)	(b) White super-fortified (n = 48)	(c) Hammer-mill white no fibre (n = 48)	Significant difference?	Preferred sample
Aroma^b	3.00*	3.56*	2.67*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White super fortified
Appearance: Colour^b	3.02*	3.75*	3.04*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White super fortified
Appearance: Consistency^b	2.88*	3.50*	3.06*	Yes, p ≤ 0.05	White super fortified
Texture: Feel (hand)^b	2.83*	3.46*	3.19*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White super fortified
Texture: Grittiness (mouth)^b	2.75*	3.40*	3,17*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White super fortified
Taste^b	2.71*	3.50*	2.98*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White super fortified
Total score^c	17.19*	21.17*	18.11*	Yes, p ≤ 0.01	White super fortified
^a1 = Dislike very much; 2 = Dislike moderately; 2.5 = Neutral; 3 = Like moderately; 4 = Like very much.
^bA mean attribute score of >2.5 indicates some level of liking, indicated by *.
^cA total score of >15 indicates some level of liking, indicated by *.

Table 5: Results of the focus group interviews

	Responses
Question	Homu 14A (n = 21)	Mahlathi (n = 27)
Suppose this yellow maize is packed like Iwisa would you buy it? Answer: Yes/No	Yes.	Yes.
You tasted the yellow maize here – how did you like it?	Did not like the taste, colour – 4 Liked it – 17	Yellow maize is bitter – 4 Yellow maize is nice – 32
What did you like about the yellow maize?	It contains Vitamin A.	Yellow maize is rich with things that make our bodies healthy.
What else did you like about the yellow maize?	Liked the aroma.	No response.
Let's look at the texture. We tasted the texture twice. You know when we eat our food we use our hands. How did the yellow maize feel to you as you pressed it between your fingers?	It's okay.	Fine yellow maize meal is okay, but we don't like the rough maize meal.
What about when you were chewing it?	Felt good about it.	It is fine.
If you are given a choice between Iwisa/Ace and yellow maize meal, which one would you choose?	Yellow maize meal.	We like the fine yellow maize meal and would buy it.
We want to know exactly what the people in the Limpopo Province say about the yellow maize meal. We want to know your honest truth.	People say that they don't like the smell and colour. We get it during drought.	We like the yellow maize. We usually get it during drought. We wish we could get a continuous supply.
If this yellow maize is sold in shops would you buy it? Answer: Yes/No	Yes	Yes
Suppose the price of yellow maize meal is up and for white maize meal the price is low – which one would you buy?	Will buy white maize meal – 4. Will buy yellow maize meal – 17	Will buy white maize meal.
So price can affect your choice?	Yes	Yes
Tell me, today we just looked at pap, but what we want to see is if there are any other occasions you can use this yellow maize because we have established that you are fine with fine yellow maize meal.	Not sure other than using it for pap.	Any occasions as long as the price is right. These include weddings and cultural feasts. The choice is determined by the owner of the feast who has a greater say in what can be cooked.
Is there anything else you can tell us? In what conditions do you normally get the yellow maize meal?	During drought it is supplied to the area.	During drought is when we usually get it.
So there has been drought before in this area – so you have been exposed to it before?	Yes. During good rains yellow maize can't be found anywhere in this area.	In times of drought and after the drought we wish we could continue getting the yellow maize meal.
In other words the failure is in the area of manufacturers' thinking that if they produce it people would not buy it/eat it? Maybe that's why they are not producing it?	Note: This question was not asked in Homu 14A.	People would buy it as long as the price is right.
Do any of you grow the yellow maize in your gardens? Answer: Yes/No	Yes – 6 No – 15	Some of us have grown it and we like it on the cob.
What do you use for cooking it (equipment and fuel)?	Firewood and three-legged pots.	Firewood and three-legged pots.