Assessing consumers’ acceptability of traditional pork products (TPP) from local breeds is part of evaluating the sustainability of local chains. Expectations and hedonic perception of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Noir de Bigorre (NB) dry-cured ham produced from the pure Gascon breed were assessed. The study was conducted in Toulouse (France), as an expanding market for TPP, with 124 consumers who regularly purchased TPP (quota sampling method). Three products were used: “NB-PDO dry-cured ham 24-month curing – local pig breed in extensive system” (NB24), “NB-PDO dry-cured ham 36-month curing – local pig breed in extensive system” (NB36) as an innovative TPP to enhance sensory quality, and “Iberian ham – 50% Iberian pig” (IB) as a competing product. Following the expectation disconfirmation theory, the sensory test included three phases: blind (tasting without information), expected (product description only) and actual liking (tasting with information), using a 9-point scale from 1 (extremely dislike) to 9 (extremely like). Data were analysed using a mixed linear model including the effects of product, phase, interaction between product and phase, consumer session as random, and considering repeated measures within consumer. The blind hedonic test showed no differences (P>0.05) among products, which all had high blind liking scores (6.7-6.8). Product description strongly influenced expected liking (P<0.001), with a higher score for NB36 than NB24 (7.8 vs 7.2, respectively, P<0.05) and the lowest score for IB (5.2). The informed hedonic test showed higher actual liking scores for NB36 and NB24, which were similar, than for IB (7.4 and 7.2 vs 5.9, respectively, P<0.001). Both NB hams had higher actual liking than blind liking scores (P<0.05), denoting a positive effect of information on acceptability. Actual liking was similar to expected liking for NB24, indicating fulfilment of hedonic expectations. In contrast, actual liking was lower than blind liking for IB (P<0.05). This study will be supplemented by a study of consumer preferences and willingness to pay.
