Understanding Generation Z's Food Neophobic and Sensory Perception Toward Modified Texture of Traditional Beverage (Case Study: <i>Beras Kencur</i> , Indonesian Traditional Beverage)

ABSTRACT Nowadays, the youth, especially Generation Z, have low attractiveness toward Indonesian traditional rice‐based beverages like beras kencur due to its unfavorable texture and their food neophobic behavior. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the sensory characteristics that emerge in Gen Z and the influence of food neophobic behavior toward their perception when consuming beras kencur with modified texture. This study evaluates the sensory properties involving hedonic, sensory intensity, emotion‐sensory, and collative properties, using 120 untrained panelists. The results showed that guar gum increases the influence of food neophobic behavior, affects the panelists' score of beras kencur in terms of hedonic, sensory intensity, emotion‐sensory, and collative properties attributes by increasing the score of the attributes on 0.15% guar gum addition but decreasing the score on higher concentrations. Considering the results, adding 0.15% guar gum was considered the best treatment according to the panelists' score of beras kencur 's acceptance. It provoked more positive emotions than other treatments.