The attitudes of Italian consumers towards jellyfish as novel food

The globalization of food markets and the recent upgrade of the European regulation on novel foods open up new possibilities for the introduction of edible jellyfish in the diet of Europeans. In spite of no tradition of eating jellyfish in Italy and, more generally, in Western countries, several Mediterranean jellyfish species have biological and nutritional features with a large potential as innovative, sustainable novel food and source of bioactive compounds. To evaluate the Italians’ attitude of considering jellyfish as food source, a survey has been carried out on a group of 1445 individuals. A questionnaire was designed to assess the jellyfish consumption attitude (JCA) of respondents and explore the effect of their individual traits (socio-demography, personality, behavior habits, neophobia, disgust sensitivity) on JCA. Gender, age, and travelling habits differently affected JCA. Possible culinary uses and food pairing of jellyfish were also significantly influenced by JCA. Individuals with the highest propensity to accept jellyfish as food are young people, familiar with the sea environment, with high education level or students, and frequent travelers. Food neophobia and sensitivity to disgust are confirmed as personality traits able to strongly impair the acceptability of a novel food. Finally, this work provides insights into the acceptance and rejection variables that should be taken into account when an unfamiliar new food product, such as jellyfish, is planned to be introduced in a new dietary culture and new markets.     

Four questions on European consumers’ attitudes toward the use of genetic modification in food production

Four questions on European consumers’ attitudes to the use of genetic modification (GM) in food production are posed and answered: (1) how negative are consumer attitudes to GM applications in food production? (2) How do these attitudes affect perception of and preference for products involving GM applications? (3) How deeply rooted are these attitudes? (4) Will the attitudes change due to more information and/or product experience? Drawing on two major studies researching these questions, it is concluded that consumer attitudes towards GM in food production are negative, that these negative attitudes guide the perception of food products involving the use of GM and lead to a range of sweeping negative associations which overshadow potential benefits perceived, that these negative attitudes are embedded in a system of more general attitudes, especially attitude to nature, to technology, and alienation from the marketplace, implying that they are deeply rooted, and that they will not easily be changed by information. They may change, however, due to own experience with products produced using GM and involving clear consumer benefits.     

Preferences and attitudes towards açaí-based products among North American consumers

Euterpe oleracea, Mart. is a palm tree widely distributed in South America and the juice which is prepared from its eatable pulp is popularly called “açaí” in Brazil. It has a high nutritional value consisting mainly of fat, fiber and vitamin and minerals, but is also rich in anthocyanins, phenolic compounds and demonstrates high antioxidant capacity. The aim of this study was to evaluate North American consumers' acceptance, intention to purchase and attitudes towards different açaí-based products available in the US. Acceptance and purchase intention tests were carried out with 155 consumers for seven different açaí-based products. Demographics and attitudes were also measured in an exit survey. A sorbet, a juice and a smoothie were the most liked products but purchase intentions were relatively low. Overall liking was driven by liking for flavor and aftertaste of the products. Consumers' segmentation based on acceptance revealed three groups, with a segment of açaí likers and another of dislikers. Most consumers had heard of açaí (83.9%) and 55.5% had tasted it before. Consumers knew açaí was healthy, nutritive, and rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants; however they did not know that açaí was oily, rich in fiber and that it may prevent degenerative diseases. Most participants showed low food neophobia (67.7%) and 51% scored high in general health interest. A promising market for açaí-based products among American consumers maybe women and health conscious consumers.     

Uncovering the mind-sets of consumers towards food safety messages

Knowing the specific characteristics which trigger a strong sense of safe versus unsafe allows risk communicators to reach consumers effectively with targeted messages. Using experimental design of ideas and conjoint measurement, we assessed consumer interest in and perceived safety of food characteristics that consumers think to be important when they make a purchase decision. The study identified the specific characteristics and the associated phrasing. The data generate a database by which we understand the perceptions of risk. In turn the database shows how these risk perceptions vary by conventional subgroups (age, gender, ethnicity), and by different mind-sets that exist in the population. The results combine insights about acceptance with insights about safety, answering questions that could not have been previously addressed in this efficient, quantitative way. The study is the first in a series designed to create a large-scale database of safety for food, beverage, and eating situation, based on the perceptions of consumers. The study opens up a new area for consumer understanding dealing with the perception of intangible topics including safety, compliance, and ‘good-for-you’.     

Fruit and vegetables liking among European elderly according to food preferences,attitudes towards food and dependency

As the population ages and dependency for food-related activities increases, it becomes crucial to better understand food expectations of elderly consumers. Fruit and vegetables (F&V) are generally appreciated by elderly people. However, few studies have investigated elderly peoples’ F&V liking, taking into account their dependency and countries’ specificities. The present study aims to identify the liking of F&V, eating styles and food selectivity depending on the country of residence and levels of dependency. A European survey was conducted with 420 elderly people delegating meal-related activities, living at home or in nursing homes. Based on general food preferences, three eating styles were identified. Results showed that F&V liking is a segmenting variable. Elderly people from the style 1 (n = 145) do not really appreciate fruits nor desserts. On the contrary, elderly people from style 2 (n = 121) are really fruit lovers. Finally, elderly people from style 3 (n = 126) liked desserts, fruits, and even more vegetables. Results showed that elderly people were nor selective towards F&V, even if there were some exceptions as exotic fruits (disliked by 19%) and fennel (disliked by 33%). Fruit and vegetables selectivity was significantly different between countries (p < 0.001), but not between men and women, or between categories (p > 0.05 in both cases). Selectivity for F&V was very variable and could reach 32 vegetables among 42 and 28 fruits among 34. The most selective participants were from Finland and the least ones, from the UK. These results can be used to design and/or adapt F&V-based products according to elderly consumers’ liking, taking into account their country of origin and their dependency.     

Attitudes towards organic foods and risk/benefit perception associated with pesticides

A sample of 947 subjects completed a questionnaire assessing attitudes and beliefs towards the consumption of organic fruits and vegetables. A section of the questionnaire was aimed at assessing the role of trust on perception of risks and benefits associated with pesticides on foods. The subjects tended to hold positive attitudes towards eating fruits and vegetables produced by organic agriculture. The component attitude was found to be a significant predictor of intention to eat organic fruits and vegetables. Intention was found to have a good and significant effect on self-reported consumption. Trust had a positive influence on perceived benefits and a negative influence on perceived risks. Significant relationship was found among perceived benefits and risks associated with pesticides. The results of the cluster analysis indicated the presence of a group of subjects who had less positive attitudes towards organic fruits and vegetables, perceived less risks and more benefits associated with pesticides.     

Neural correlates of attitudes and risk perception for food technology topics

Food technologies provide numerous benefits to society and are extensively vetted for safety. However, many technological innovations still face high levels of skepticism from consumers. To promote development and use of food technologies, it is critical to understand the psychological and neurobiological processes associated with consumer acceptability concerns. The current study uses a neuroscience-based approach to understand consumer attitudes and perceptions of risk associated with food technologies and investigate how such attitudes impact consumer’s processing of information related to food technologies. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activation while participants processed infographics related to food technology topics. For technology topics perceived as riskier (antibiotics and hormones), activation was higher in areas of the lateral prefrontal cortex that are associated with decisional uncertainty. In contrast, technology topics that were viewed more favorably (sustainability and animal welfare) tended to activate the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, a region that processes positive affect and subjective value. Moreover, for information about hormones, the lateral PFC activation was associated with individual differences in resistance to change in risk perception. These results reveal how attitudes and risk perception relate to how the brain processes information about food technologies and how people respond to information about such technologies.     

Perceived fit of different combinations of carriers and functional ingredients and its effect on purchase intention

Scientific research that can support the consumer-oriented development of functional food products is still scarce. Up until now, only few studies have investigated consumer acceptance of different carrier-ingredient combinations in food products. The present study aims to identify which functional ingredients are accepted by consumers in selected food product categories such as yoghurt, muesli bars, fish balls, tuna salad, baby meals, rye bread and bacon liver pâté. Intentions to purchase different carrier-ingredient combinations are explained by perceived fit of a particular carrier-ingredient combination, as well as respondents’ general attitudes towards functional foods and their health concerns. A sample of Danish consumers (n = 959) participated in a survey. Results show that perceived carrier-ingredient fit is strongly related to purchase intentions. In addition, small effects of attitudes towards functional food were found. Perceived carrier-ingredient fit was related to familiarity with the combination and healthiness of the carrier food.     

Beliefs and attitudes of butchers and consumers towards dry-cured ham

The objectives were to evaluate the attitude of butcher and consumer towards soft and pasty texture problems in dry-cured ham and to assess the butcher and consumer behaviour when selecting and purchasing this product. Ninety-nine butchers and 200 consumers were interviewed with 17-question and 20-question surveys, respectively. The texture problems (softness and pastiness) were highly important for both butchers and consumers. The characteristics most frequently considered “important” or “very important” by butchers were processing time, smell/aroma and texture as selection criteria and salty taste and aged/matured flavour as sensory indicators of dry-cured ham quality. According to butchers’ opinion, salty taste and their own advice are the factors most frequently considered “important” or “very important” as affecting the consumer’s decision to purchase. For the consumer, the sensory attributes were considered more important than extrinsic characteristics when purchasing dry-cured ham.     

European consumer attitudes on the associated health benefits of neutraceutical-containing processed meats using Co-enzyme Q10 as a sample functional ingredient

This study accumulated European consumer attitudes towards processed meats and their use as a functional food. A survey was set up using an online web-application to gather information on consumer perception of processed meats as well as neutraceutical-containing processed meats. 548 responses were obtained and statistical analysis was carried out using a statistical software package. Data was summarized as frequencies for each question and statistical differences analyzed using the Chi-Square statistical test with a significance level of 5% (P < 0.05). The majority of consumer attitudes towards processed meat indicate that they are unhealthy products. Most believe that processed meats contain large quantities of harmful chemicals, fat and salt. Consumers were found to be very pro-bioactive compounds in yogurt style products but unsure of their feelings in meat based products, which is likely due to the lack of familiarity to these products. Many of the respondents were willing to consume meat based functional foods but were not willing to pay more for them.     

The effects of carrier,benefit, and perceived trust in information channel on functional food purchase intention among Chinese consumers

The importance of consumers’ perceptions and adoption behavior has been recognized in the development of functional food innovation, but the issues have not been widely explored in China. This study aimed to examine the effects of carrier, benefit, and trust in information channel about functional foods on purchase intention as well as the demographic differences of these effects. A survey with 1144 respondents from Mainland China revealed that carriers were more important factors than benefits for perceived attractiveness and purchase intention. Benefits were more positively evaluated when attached to a more attractive carrier. Benefits of improving the body’s natural defense system were most favored by all groups; benefits about specific diseases were suitable to tailor for certain groups. Consumers with low educational level were reluctant to functional foods. The improvement of consumer education level does not necessarily increase the consumers’ purchase intention. Given the Chinese acquaintance society and the jeopardized public trust in food safety, the interpersonal channel was the most trusted information channel. However, perceived trust in mass media had more remarkable effects in predicting purchase intention toward functional foods, the typical products with credence attributes. Trust in mass media negatively interacted with friends’ recommendation in affecting purchase intention. These findings extend our understanding of how to tailor products for different groups and the effects of information channels on purchase intention.     

Prostaglandin E synthase 2 (PTGES2) Arg298His polymorphism and parameters of the metabolic syndrome

The prostaglandin E synthase 2 (PTGES2) gene maps to a locus linked to obesity and is involved in the synthesis of the antilipolytic compound prostaglandin E(2). In a recent study, we found an association of the minor PTGES2 Arg298His allele and lower risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the European Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) and Cooperative Health Research in the Augsburg Region (KORA) cohorts. Here, we employed our Metabolic Intervention Cohort Kiel (MICK) to assess the influence of the PTGES2 Arg298His polymorphism on a wider scale of parameters of the metabolic syndrome and postprandial metabolism. In comparison to subjects homozygous for the Arg allele, carriers of the His-allele showed significantly lower fasting insulin (geometric mean +/- SEM: 11.8 muU/mL, 11.41-12.25 versus 13.0, 12.71-13.33; p = 0.023), lower postprandial insulin levels after an oral glucose tolerance test (area under the curve 77.2, 74.07-80.52 versus 81.2, 78.8-83.63; p = 0.023) and lower homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-insulin-resistance (3.030, 2.909-3.157 versus 3.346, 3.257-3.438; p = 0.041) and HOMA-beta-cell-function (107.2, 104.04-110.52 versus 117.2, 114.65-119.71; p = 0.019). Adjustment for body mass index (BMI) resulted in a loss of these significant differences. BMI tended to show lower values in His-allele carriers, (p = 0.067). In conclusion, risk-reducing effects of the minor His allele of the PTGES2 Arg298His polymorphism could be mediated partly by lowered BMI.     

The effect of cocoa, soy, oats and fish oil on metabolic syndrome in rats

BACKGROUND: The effect of functional foods alone or in combination (cocoa + soy + oats + fish oil) on hepatic damage in rats affected with metabolic syndrome was investigated. RESULTS: Rats that were given cocoa showed a decrease in the levels of triglycerides (TGs) and glucose (63 and 32% respectively) as well as a decrease in blood pressure (15%). Animals fed with soy showed a reduction of 21% in total cholesterol, 15% in blood pressure and 44% in TGs, while feeding oats reduced the concentration of TGs by 53% (P < 0.5). Fish oil caused a reduction in TGs (56%) and glucose (26%). The effect on blood pressure was statistically significant for the groups supplemented with cocoa, soy, cocoa + oats and the total mix. The main finding was a reduction in liver steatosis in animals supplemented with cocoa + oats (from 30 to 4.7% steatosis). Cocoa or fish oil alone did not protect the liver from damage, while cocoa + fish oil did. CONCLUSION: The most relevant effects were that the cocoa + oats mix decreased steatosis by a very large percentage, as did the cocoa + fish oil mix and the mix of all four functional foods. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Socio-demographic and attitudinal determinants of nutrition knowledge of food shoppers in six European countries

Nutrition knowledge is a prerequisite for processing nutrition-related information when making food choices. Insight into determinants of nutrition knowledge is important both for designing measures aimed at increasing levels of nutrition knowledge and for food industry attempting to position food products based on their nutritional properties. Shoppers recruited in the UK, Sweden, France, Germany, Poland and Hungary (total n = 5967) filled out a questionnaire measuring their nutrition knowledge with regard to dietary recommendations, sources of nutrients, and calorie content of food and drink products. Differences in the level of knowledge found were related to country, socio-demographic characteristics, attitude to healthy eating, and use of different sources of nutrition knowledge. Results showed that nutrition knowledge is multi-dimensional, with especially knowledge on calorie content being unrelated to the rest. Attitude to healthy eating and use of different information sources were weakly but significantly related to level of nutrition knowledge. Direct effects of socio-demographic characteristics were stronger, and inter-country differences were pronounced, with highest scores for the UK, suggesting that the history of health policies and nutrition-related initiatives taken by retailers and manufacturers, together with cultural differences, are a major factor affecting how people acquire knowledge about food and health.     

Sodium status and the metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been greatly increased, worldwide. In recent years, investigators have proposed that sodium might contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome; however, the published data were conflicting. The present systematic review aimed to summarize the evidence from observational studies in this regard. We conducted a systematic search for relevant observational studies investigating the association between sodium status and MetS, published until June 2017 in electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and Google Scholar. Summary effects were derived using random effects model. After screening the records, seventeen publications with 66,274 participants were eligible to be included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The analysis revealed that subjects with MetS have significantly higher levels of sodium compared to healthy controls (Hedges' g = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.29, I² = 68.6). Subgroup analyses revealed that the difference was significant when the sodium status was assessed using urinary sodium levels. The random effects meta-regression analysis also revealed that body sodium level increases with the number of MetS components. Furthermore, participants with highest dietary/urinary or serum sodium levels had 37% higher chance of developing MetS when compared with participants with the lowest sodium levels (OR = 1.37 95%CI: 1.31, 1.42, I² = 86.9). The current meta-analysis revealed that higher sodium input into the body is directly associated with the likelihood of MetS. Prospective cohort studies and well-designed randomized clinical trials considering the effect of sodium restricted diets on the risk of MetS as an outcome are necessary to represent the causal association.     

食品多酚对2型糖尿病及其代谢综合症的干预研究进展

文章综述了近些年来国内外有关食品多酚对2型糖尿病及其代谢综合症影响的研究进展,阐述了食品多酚对高血糖调节的可能机制,指出有必要从食物原料中进一步筛选和挖掘更多具有显著降糖效应的多酚类成分,并研制出丰富多样的降糖食品。     

Harmonisation of food categorisation systems for dietary exposure assessments among European children

Within the European project called EXPOCHI (Individual Food Consumption Data and Exposure Assessment Studies for Children), 14 different European individual food consumption databases of children were used to conduct harmonised dietary exposure assessments for lead, chromium, selenium and food colours. For this, two food categorisation systems were developed to classify the food consumption data in such a way that these could be linked to occurrence data of the considered compounds. One system served for the exposure calculations of lead, chromium and selenium. The second system was developed for the exposure assessment of food colours. The food categories defined for the lead, chromium and selenium exposure calculations were used as a basis for the food colour categorisation, with adaptations to optimise the linkage with the food colour occurrence data. With this work, an initial impetus was given to make user-friendly food categorisation systems for contaminants and food colours applicable on a pan-European level. However, a set of difficulties were encountered in creating a common food categorisation system for 14 individual food consumption databases that differ in the type and number of foods coded and in level of detail provided about the consumed foods. The work done and the problems encountered in this project can be of interest for future projects in which food consumption data will be collected on a pan-European level and used for common exposure assessments.