Tootsie Rolls are an iconic treat with a high nostalgia factor. The Tootsie Roll website even touts that their brands "resonate strongly among every age, group, culture and demographic…qualifying them as a truly enduring, iconic American confections" (Goldberg, McDonell, Santhakumar, Wood, & Marquardt, 2010, p1). However, evolving health concerns make it impossible for many Americans to enjoy this treat. Therefore, it is possible that a sugar-free product sweetened with Stevia may be able to satisfy the desire for a Tootsie Roll without the associated sugar concerns. This product was developed using natural and healthier ingredients based upon a modified homemade recipe for the Tootsie Roll found at the Prairie Homestead website (Winger, 2013, pg. 1). Survey Process

Utilizing a recipe from the Prairie Homestead website, the author created a sugar-free version...

This product was offered to survey participants in a taste-test comparison with regular Tootsie Rolls made with sugar. The product was then offered to 47 survey participants in a blind taste-test. After tasting the products, the survey participants were informed which product was sugar-free and which product was a regular Tootsie Roll. They were then asked the following three yes or no questions: 1) Is the taste of a sugar-free Tootsie Roll comparable to the taste of a regular, filled with sugar Tootsie Roll or Pop?; 2) Is the sugar-free Tootsie Roll/Pop perceived as a healthier alternative?; and 3) Would you purchase a sugar-free Tootsie Roll/Pop?
Results

The results of the taste test revealed that, for some consumers, the sugar-free Tootsie Roll did approximate the taste of a regular Tootsie Roll.

When asked the…