Sugar Content & Sweetness Perception Research 

Curious about how sugar exposure in early childhood shapes long-term eating habits, I designed and conducted an independent research study during college.

• Selected 15 commercial children's beverages and measured objective sugar content using a refractometer (°Brix)

• Conducted sensory evaluation with a 20-person panel using a 7-point sweetness intensity scale

• Analyzed results using ANOVA (SPSS) to test for statistically significant differences across products and flavor groups

• Found that objective sugar content and perceived sweetness did not always align — a gap with real implications for consumer education and product development

• Presented findings at a research competition