Table 4

Examples of comments on factors that would improvise acceptability and consumption frequency of bitter melon-containing food dishes.

Recipes

Comments to the question "How could this dish be better so that you would consider eating it?"

Chili

➢ "Use more beans, they help temper the bitterness; needs stronger flavor (try adding chipotle pepper)"

➢ "I think this is a great way to incorporate bitter melon."

➢ "Onions and garlic"

➢ "Adding more sweetener"

➢ "More rice"

➢ "Add salt"

➢ "Needs more spices; I like spicy chili"

➢ "I think meat could overpower the bitterness"

Tomato Sauce

➢ "Less bitter, less hard chunks"

➢ "Don't like bitter food; needs meat"

➢ "It could be better with more sugar."

➢ "This was very good! It would be very good with scallops, as they have a nice contrasting 'sweetness'."

➢ "Maybe a little more spices"

➢ "More garlic"

➢ "I thought the flavor, texture, & seasoning were all pretty good. Maybe if some cheese were added it would make it more appealing."

➢ "Still quite bitter, but the spices actually cover it well. The spiciness is quite strong."

Curry

➢ "Way too bitter; needs meat"

➢ "It would be better with more gravy"

➢ "Maybe add other veggies; it was really bitter."

➢ "Could have more curry and spices"

➢ "More salt and spice; too plain"

➢ "Stronger curry spice; garlic would help; and spice peppers"

➢ "More garlic"

➢ "More sugar or I would eat it when I'm sick."

Minestrone Soup

➢ "Make it more sweet or salty to cover up the bitter after taste."

➢ "This would actually be a really good dish with a little more garlic and salt."

➢ "Less pepper taste; love the veggies (carrot & corn)"

➢ "The spices really contribute a lot to this dish and bitter melon taste is minimal; maybe more spices or tomato flavoring?"

➢ "Add meat"

➢ "More herbs and seasoning"

➢ "I liked that it was flavored well and that the bitter melon flavor was pretty well balanced. I wouldn't change it."

➢ "Less bitter"

➢ "It was too bitter; maybe use less bitter melon. More garlic might be good."

Snee et al. Nutrition Journal 2011 10:78   doi:10.1186/1475-2891-10-78