*3.4. Sensory Evaluation*

Of the 109-consumer panelists, 60% were female and 34% were male (data not shown). All consumers were under the age of 65, with 50% of the consumer population between the age of 18 to 25 (data not shown). A total of 37% of the consumer population reported the consumption of scrambled eggs multiple times per week, and 34% reported consuming scrambled eggs at least once per week (data not shown). Recruited consumer panelists scored scrambled eggs similarly in appearance liking, aroma liking, color liking, overall liking, flavor liking, texture Just About Right (JAR), and purchase intent between the three treatment groups (*p* < 0.05, Table 7) using a 9-point hedonic scale: extremely dislike = 1 and extremely like = 9.

**Table 7.** Consumer 1 acceptance scores for scrambled egg samples produced from laying hens fed experimental diets 2.


1 In total, 109 consumer panelists scored scrambled shell egg samples for comparative sensory attributes. 2 Experimental diets: Control = soybean meal + corn, OA = control diet spiked with 2.64% oleic fatty acid oil, HOPN = high-oleic peanut + corn. 3 Liking attributes scores: 1 = extremely dislike and 9 = extremely like. 4 Just About Right (JAR) scores: 1 or 2 = too little, 3 = just about right, and 4 or 5 = too much. The reported percentage of consumers that selected each option used Chi-square for statistical analysis. 5 Aftertaste liking and JAR scores were from consumers who detected an aftertaste in the product. 6 Purchase intent scores: 1 or 2 = would not buy, 3 = unsure, 4 or 5 = would buy. a,b Means within the same row lacking a common superscript differ significantly (*p* < 0.05).

> Food flavor is consistently rated as one of the most important elements determining consumer product consumption, timeframe on the food market, purchase intent, and repeat purchase [40,41]. Other studies have reported that eggs produced from hens fed diets supplemented with unsaturated fatty acids from marine oils or linseed oils have undesirable off-flavors in the eggs [42] and/or meat [42] produced. In contrast, this study demonstrated that consumer panelists equally scored and preferred scrambled eggs produced from hens fed diets containing unsaturated fatty acids from high-oleic peanuts or

oleic acid, with no reports of conceived off-flavors. Thus, in this study, we aimed to not only examine the effects of feeding production hens HOPN on the fatty acid profile of the shell eggs produced, but also to determine the effect on sensory attributes and consumer acceptance of the eggs produced. Hence, feeding a high-oleic peanut diet and/or OA supplemented diet did not adversely affect the sensory attributes or consumer acceptance of the eggs produced.
