Food Biz Kids: Spray vitamins a good idea, but ...

Micro SprayMicro Laboratories Inc., Johnston, R.I.www.globalsweet.comLuke Rehage, 7^th grade:

The Micro Spray Children's multivitamin is a nice way to get vitamins. It's tasteless and convenient to take four times a day. The packaging is small, portable and easy to manage. It is perfect to carry around all day in your pocket to take as directed. There is no detectable taste in the spray, and it is unnoticeable after a few seconds. It's a convenient way to get daily necessary vitamins and is a good addition to other vitamins on the shelf.

Hannah Kaplan, 7th grade:The packaging isn't very attractive. I'd like to see more color added so that maybe kids would think it looks more attractive. It reminds me of glue stick or chapstick. The aftertaste is not good; I think it's too strong. It also tastes like some kind of rotten food! I really don't like it. I think the spray bottle seems very convenient for someone who is in a hurry, but I don't like the taste. Anders Pollack, 7^th grade:The packaging isn't very appealing. It looks like some weird drug. It says "caution," which makes you a little uneasy, and all of the ingredients are strange vitamins that sound like diseases. It tastes and smells like really watery cornflakes. It's a weird buttery water sort of taste and feels just like water. Personally, I'd rather just take a chewable pill or swallow a capsule.Skye Litten, 7th grade:The texture is fine. It tastes kind of fruity, but you might want to go with strawberry, fruit punch and other flavors. It tastes like ripe fruit. If you want kids to take it, you could put cartoons on the package. The whole thing kind of looks like a glue stick, but it's easy to open.David Blechman, 7^th grade:The packaging is really cool; it looks like a breath spray. But, in truth, I almost died. It tastes like liquid shoe polish. I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy. Stick with Flintstone Kids vitamins. People, this stuff is not worth going on the market. It smells good, but a little in your mouth and your face will turn green.Ana Grahovac, 7th grade:It's very easy to open. You just pull off the top and spray. Then you can snap the top back on and put it in your pocket. The packaging isn't very appealing because it looks like something the doctor would give you. Kids might like it if there was more color. Micro Spray tastes like old vanilla with almonds. It would probably taste much better with artificial flavorings. I don't really think it's a necessary product. It might be healthy, but capsule vitamins are more appealing and taste better. It might be good if you are on the go or in a hurry. Amy Wheeler, 7^th grade:When I first saw Micro Spray, it really didn't catch my eye or make me eager to spray it in my mouth. It looks like something your mom would force you to take. When I tried to pull the top off, it seemed hard. But it popped off all of a sudden, so it wasn't difficult to open. When I tried to spray it into my mouth, I had to spray a couple of times before I could actually feel it in my mouth. It doesn't taste too good to be honest, but it doesn't taste too bad. I would definitely argue with my mom if she wanted me to have some.Lazar Barjaktorevic, 7^th grade:Micro Spray is a good idea and seems to be effective. The packaging needs to be more colorful. Artificial flavors are needed to make the product fun -, not a chore to take. I congratulate you on your idea though.Daniella Elvira, 7^th grade:I don't like the packaging, because I don't think it appeals to kids. I don't like the sour milk taste. It needs a flavor like cherry. It smells all right though ,- like popcorn. This is a necessary product because some kids do not like pills and chewables.Sam Abonce, 7^th grade:It should be colorful because then kids will use the product. It tastes like baby milk with powder. Micro Spray should taste sweeter or, at least, taste like fruit. It looks fine -- very unique. I guess it is necessary. It would be nice to not chew or swallow vitamins.Maddy Norris, 7^th grade:This is a nasty product; it's not appealing to children. The fact that it's necessary to take it four times a day makes it cumbersome. I know kids won't like it and even the packaging is repulsive. I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy.If you have a new product you want to test on our 7th- and 8th-grade panelists, contact Diane Toops at [email protected], or (630) 467-1300, ext. 321.