# Determination and Risk Assessment of Flavor Components in Flavored Milk
## 3 Results and Discussion  
### Distribution of Sample Characteristics  
There were 2108 valid questionnaires obtained, with a questionnaire efficiency of 90.36%. The sociological characteristics of participants are shown in Table S2, including genders, ages, occupations, region of residence, and flavor preferences. In this study, the distribution of gender was lopsided, with females (60.2%) more represented than males (39.8%). This gender ratio is consistent with the study investigating the impact of society and lifestyle factors on dairy consumption [26]. The average weight (kg) and daily consumption per capita (g) from different ages and regions were shown in Table 2. There was a significant difference in the daily per capita intake of flavored milk between males and females (\(p<0.01\)). Males consumed more than females among all age groups, but the results were not consistent with [PERSON] et al. [27]. Teenagers (<18 years old) had the highest dairy consumption (males 77.57 \(\pm\) 89.34 g, females 55.14 \(\pm\) 52.44 g), followed by persons aged 18-24 years (males 57.66 \(\pm\) 89.59 g, females 50.57 \(\pm\) 56.66 g). Previous studies indicated teenagers consumed more flavored milk than plain milk in order to enhance their consumption of sugar and fat [28]. Chinese teenagers (66 g) consumed more flavored milk per day than adolescents (50 g) in the United States [1].  
This study also analyzed flavored milk consumption in seven regions, namely eastern, southern, central, northern, northwestern, southwestern, and northeastern China. Males from northern China (55.13 \(\pm\) 133.73 g) and northeastern China (64.33 \(\pm\) 87.32 g) had higher flavored milk consumption than other regions. In the northeast, the consumption of males (64.33 \(\pm\) 87.32 g) was much higher than that of females (36.12 \(\pm\) 48.83 g). Gender, grade, and region all had an impact on the intake of milk. Some results found that children in northern schools were more likely to consume milk than children in southern schools in the United States [29].  
In addition, we investigated flavor preferences for flavored milk in Figure 1. Results indicated that people preferred strawberry flavor, milk flavor, chocolate flavor, wheat flavor, red date flavor, mango flavor, and yellow peach flavor, while raspberry flavor, red bean flavor, passion fruit flavor, and pineapple flavor were liked by fewer people. Taste had a significant impact on children's flavored milk consumption, and a high association with brands and emotions was shown. Some studies discovered that 50% of Belgian children (8\(\sim\)13 years old) preferred chocolate flavor first and fruit flavors second [30] and removing the option of chocolate flavored milk significantly reduced intake of milk [31].  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Gender** & **Age** & **Average Weight/kg \({}^{*}\)** & \begin{tabular}{c} **Day per Capita** \\ **Consumption/g \({}^{*}\)** \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **Coefficient** \\ **of Variation** \\ \end{tabular} & **Area** & **Average Weight/kg \({}^{*}\)** & \begin{tabular}{c} **Day per Capita** \\ **Consumption/g \({}^{*}\)** \\ \end{tabular} & \
\begin{tabular}{c} **Coefficient** \\ **of Variation** \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \multirow{7}{*}{
\begin{tabular}{c} K\(\leq\)18 \\ 18–24 \\ 25–30 \\ \end{tabular} } & 57.39 \(\pm\) 10.95 & 77.57 \(\pm\) 89.34 & 1.15 & Eastern China & 67.11 \(\pm\) 9.24 & 53.08 \(\pm\) 96.82 & 1.82 \\  & 18–24 & 65.89 \(\pm\) 10.29 & 57.66 \(\pm\) 89.99 & 1.55 & Southern China & 63.43 \(\pm\) 9.97 & 50.86 \(\pm