Acceptability of sweet potato dishes in preschool children

Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati prihvatljivost jela od batata (njoke i kolač) u djece predškolske dobi s područja Virovitičko-podravske županije. Batat je povrće relativno novo na našem tržištu i zasada nema veće značenje u prehrani našeg stanovništva. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 158 djece (75 djevojčica i 83 dječaka) u dobi 2 do 6 godina. Prihvatljivost ponuđenih jela ispitana je pomoću hedonističke skale s likovima sa 7 stupnjeva (od 1 – naročito visoko nepoželjan do 7 – naročito visoko poželjan). Rezultati su pokazali da djeca ove dobi teško prihvaćaju nova jela specifičnog okusa. Tako je kolač prihvatilo svega 25% djece, za razliku od njoka, gdje je čak 75% djece imalo je pozitivan stav prema ovom jelu. Kolač od batata ima specifičan okus, posve nov za djecu, pa su ga ocijenili kao neznatno nepoželjan (3,0 ± 1,9), dok su njoke vrlo slične uobičajenim njokima od krumpira i ocijenjene su znatno bolje i to kao umjereno poželjne (5,5 ± 2,1). Iz dobivenih rezultata proizlazi da, ukoliko se želi uvesti ovo povrće u svakodnevnu prehranu male djece, treba voditi računa da se pripremi na način da ponuđeno jelo ne bude drugačije po okusu i izgledu od jela koje djeca ove dobi konzumiraju.The aim of this study was to evaluate acceptability of sweet potato dishes (dumplings and cakes) of preschool children at the area of Virovitica-Podravina County. Sweet potatoes are relatively new vegetable available on market, and for now don\u27t have some significant meaning in the nutrition of people from these regions. One hundred and fifty-eight preschool children participated in our study (75 girls and 83 boys), 2 to 6 years of age. Acceptability of offered sweet potato dishes was tested by facial hedonic 7-point scale (from 1 – dislike extremely to 7 – like extremely). The results had shown that the children of that age hardly accept new meals with a specific taste. So, the cake was accepted by only 25 % of the participating children, while 75 % of them had positive approach towards sweet potato dumplings. Sweet potato cake has a very specific taste, completely new to children, so they grade it as dislike slightly (3.0 ± 1.9), while sweet potato dumplings are very similar to potato dumplings and were accepted much better, therefore graded as liked moderately (5.5 ± 2.1). The results had shown that in the process of introduction a new vegetable to children and including it in their daily nutrition, preparation should be especially taken care of, because served meal shouldn’t differ much from the meals children of that age usually consume