Effect of a health claim and personal characteristics on consumer acceptance of fruit juices with different concentrations of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.)

Self -reported knowledge and understanding of added sugars by consumers in Ghana

The consumption of added sugars has been a major concern among consumers and researchers around the world. Some of these added sugars pose health threats such as obesity, and liver diseases to consumers. Therefore, consumers' understanding and knowledge of added sugars is important in regulating the intake of food items that contain different types and levels of added sugar. In this study, the knowledge and understanding of staff (consumers) of the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ghana, was assessed through survey The results showed that about 38.5 % of consumers always read food labels whereas 3.1 % never read the labels of food they purchased. However, only about 20 % of consumers considered added sugars as most important information on food labels while most (about 38 %) were concerned about the calorie level in food items purchased. Based on the consumer's knowledge of sugars and sweeteners, there was a high level of disparity in classifying sugars in food as sugars and sweeteners. In addition, most consumers reported that they would adversely avoid food items containing lactose, isoglucose, and saccharin. The awareness of the consumers to the WHO recommendation for sugar reduction, the gender (P = 0.278), age (P = 0.959), level of education (P = 0.888), and staff category (P = 0.944) did not influence their decisions on purchasing food items with added sugars Most consumers were interested in issues of food and nutrition. Therefore, it is recommended that staff are taken through aspects of food nutrition as well as the consumption of added sugar towards the recommended levels.

Fermentation Kinetics, Microbiological and Physical Properties of Fermented Soy Beverage with Acai Powder

In this study, the effects of the fermentation kinetics, determination of the number of lactic acid bacteria, texture, water holding capacity, and color of fermented soy beverages with acai powder (3 and 6% w/v) were investigated. The addition of acai powder significantly influenced the fermentation kinetics based on changes in pH, accelerating fermentation in the initial period. The results showed that the acai additive did not affect the enumeration of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis. The presence of acai inhibited the proliferation of Streptococcus thermophilus compared to the soy beverage without acai powder added. However, the higher the acai additive, the more Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria were detected: 4.39 CFU/g for 6% acai powder sample and 3.40 CFU/g for 3% acai powder sample. The addition of acai to the soy beverage reduced its firmness, consistency, cohesiveness, and viscosity index after fermentation. A slight difference was observed in the lightness and whiteness of fermented soy beverages with 3% and 6% acai powder.

Neuroprotective activities of acai berries (Euterpe sp.): A review

Dietary interventions rich in fruits and vegetables in aging people can reverse or mitigate age-related cognitive declines, delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), and provide long-term health dividends. The novel food, popularly known as "Acai", is a berry belonging to the Euterpe genus of tropical palms trees and natively found in South America. Euterpe oleracea has been given much attention among scientists due to its high antioxidant capacity compared to other fruits and berries. Additionally, acai pulp composition analysis found that it contains various biologically active phytochemicals. In this review, we focused on current evidence relating to acai berry neuroprotection mechanisms and its efficacy in preventing or reversing neurodegeneration and age-related cognitive decline. A number of studies have illustrated the potential neuroprotective properties of acai berries. They have shown that their chemical extracts have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and maintain proteins, calcium homeostasis, and mitochondrial function. Moreover, acai berry extract offers other neuromodulatory mechanisms, including anticonvulsant, antidepressant, and anti-aging properties. This neuromodulation gives valuable insights into the acai pulp and its considerable pharmacological potential on critical brain areas involved in memory and cognition. The isolated chemical matrix of acai berries could be a new substitute in research for NDD medicine development. However, due to the limited number of investigations, there is a need for further efforts to establish studies that enable progressing to clinical trials to consequently prove and ratify the therapeutic potential of this berry for several incurable NDDs.

Perception of Gluten-Free Bread as Influenced by Information and Health and Taste Attitudes of Millennials

Information on what drives consumers to like or dislike bread is needed to provide insight on developing gluten-free (GF) bread, using indigenous and sustainable crops in Africa, such as sorghum and millet. Consumer attitudes toward the health and taste aspects of food are major drivers of food choices. The objectives of this work were (1) to determine the health and taste attitudes (HTAs) and general perceptions of a group of millennial consumers in South Africa (n = 354), concerning GF breads; and (2) to determine whether HTAs affect the acceptability of sensory properties of commercial GF breads, as assessed by consumers (n = 173), under informed and uninformed conditions. Mean scores of the taste factors were higher compared to health factors, indicating a greater taste orientation. The sensory properties of standard wheat breads were preferred over two commercial GF breads, irrespective of the health/taste interests of consumers, or if they were informed/uninformed about the nature of the bread (GF or wheat). Knowledge that bread samples were GF reduced only the acceptability of the aroma of GF bread. GF bread was perceived as healthier, but less tasty. For this group of millennials, the sensory properties of bread was the main driver of choice.

Process Analysis of Main Organic Compounds Dissolved in Aqueous Phase by Hydrothermal Processing of Açaí (Euterpe oleraceae, Mart.) Seeds: Influence of Process Temperature, Biomass-to-Water Ratio, and Production Scales

This work aims to systematically investigate the influence of process temperature, biomass-to-water ratio, and production scales (laboratory and pilot) on the chemical composition of aqueous and gaseous phases and mass production of chemicals by hydrothermal processing of Açaí (Euterpe oleraceae, Mart.) seeds. The hydrothermal carbonization was carried out at 175, 200, 225, and 250 °C at 2 °C/min and a biomass-to-water ratio of 1:10; at 250 °C at 2 °C/min and biomass-to-water ratios of 1:10, 1:15, and 1:20 in technical scale; and at 200, 225, and 250 °C at 2 °C/min and a biomass-to-water ratio of 1:10 in laboratory scale. The elemental composition (C, H, N, S) in the solid phase was determined to compute the HHV. The chemical composition of the aqueous phase was determined by GC and HPLC and the volumetric composition of the gaseous phase using an infrared gas analyzer. For the experiments in the pilot test scale with a constant biomass-to-water ratio of 1:10, the yields of solid, liquid, and gaseous phases varied between 53.39 and 37.01% (wt.), 46.61 and 59.19% (wt.), and 0.00 and 3.80% (wt.), respectively. The yield of solids shows a smooth exponential decay with temperature, while that of liquid and gaseous phases showed a smooth growth. By varying the biomass-to-water ratios, the yields of solid, liquid, and gaseous reaction products varied between 53.39 and 32.09% (wt.), 46.61 and 67.28% (wt.), and 0.00 and 0.634% (wt.), respectively. The yield of solids decreased exponentially with increasing water-to-biomass ratio, and that of the liquid phase increased in a sigmoid fashion. For a constant biomass-to-water ratio, the concentrations of furfural and HMF decreased drastically with increasing temperature, reaching a minimum at 250 °C, while that of phenols increased. In addition, the concentrations of CH3COOH and total carboxylic acids increased, reaching a maximum concentration at 250 °C. For constant process temperature, the concentrations of aromatics varied smoothly with temperature. The concentrations of furfural, HMF, and catechol decreased with temperature, while that of phenols increased. The concentrations of CH3COOH and total carboxylic acids decreased exponentially with temperature. Finally, for the experiments with varying water-to-biomass ratios, the productions of chemicals (furfural, HMF, phenols, cathecol, and acetic acid) in the aqueous phase is highly dependent on the biomass-to-water ratio. For the experiments at the laboratory scale with a constant biomass-to-water ratio of 1:10, the yields of solids ranged between 55.9 and 51.1% (wt.), showing not only a linear decay with temperature but also a lower degradation grade. The chemical composition of main organic compounds (furfural, HMF, phenols, catechol, and acetic acid) dissolved in the aqueous phase in laboratory-scale study showed the same behavior as those obtained in the pilot-scale study.

The Food Identity of Countries Differs Between Younger and Older Generations: A Cross-Sectional Study in American, European and Asian Countries

Current generations have been strongly influenced by mass communication and massive immigration flows, which may change local lifestyles and perceptions of inhabitants towards traditional foods and beverages (TFBs). TFBs constitute a core element of the cultural identity of a country, although some of them are losing their appeal. In this study, the authors explored the TFBs perceptions of inhabitants in nine countries to determine if their food identity is changing by analysing the TFBs most frequently mentioned by different age cohorts within a country. Six countries were found to have a distinctive core of TFBs shared across age cohorts (homogenous), whereas the remaining showed a heterogeneous pattern. Correspondence and cluster analyses usually grouped younger generations together implying higher similarities among these cohorts. Furthermore, the binary logistic regression analyses performed identified significant differences in the probability of mentioning a specific TFBs across age cohorts per country. Data collected show younger cohorts focusing on TFBs categorised as snacks and foods on-the-go, whereas older cohorts more often refer to time-consuming savoury preparations. The results suggest that lifestyles and current societal trends in food consumption, for example, convenience and healthiness, are impacting the food culture and identity of countries, and therefore play an important role in the variation of TFBs perception and consumption between age cohorts within countries. The results obtained in this study could not only be used by food policymakers and nutritionists to distinguish the current trends that are reshaping the food identity and eating behaviours of the population but also to improve or develop new dietary strategies by age cohorts in the countries studied.

The Relationship of Health and Nutrition Claims towards Purchasing Choices among Consumers in Shah Alam, Selangor

Consumers nowadays have more awareness for healthy foods and demanded healthier food choices to avoid health-related problems; therefore, industries had included health and nutrition claims on their products. Health and nutrition claims usually influence consumers' food choice decision. Products with health claim resulted in higher perception of healthiness and nutritional value of the product, even if the product was not considered as a healthy choice. The aim of this study was to assess whether the health and nutrition claims had led to a healthier perception or better evaluation of the product among consumers.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire on 385 respondents collected through convenience sampling. The survey consisted of four parts: socio-demographic background, health awareness, understanding and usage of health and nutrition claims, and purchase intention measured through the use of a mock packaging. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 22.

RESULTS

Most of the respondents aged 18-30 (81.0%) and almost half of them were Malay (45.7%) with bachelor/master or PhD qualification (60.0%). The distribution of household income for all categories was almost similar (18.2-20.8%). There was a significant statistical relationship between health awareness and purchase intention among respondents (r=0.391, p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Health and nutrition claims influenced consumer's perceptions and purchase intention, especially for those who were more concerned about their health, thus, more focus on policy regarding claims is needed.

Production of Fuel-Like Fractions by Fractional Distillation of Bio-Oil from Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) Seeds Pyrolysis

This work investigates the effect of production scales (laboratory, bench, and pilot) by pyrolysis of Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) seeds at 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, on the yields of reaction products and acid value of bio-oils. The experiments were carried out in batch mode using a laboratory scale reactor of 143 mL, a bench scale reactor of 1.5 L, and a pilot scale reactor of 143 L (≈1:10:1000). The bio-oil was obtained in pilot scale, fractionated by distillation to produce biofuel-like fractions. The distillation of bio-oil was carried out in a laboratory column. The physical-chemistry properties (density, kinematic viscosity, acid value, and refractive index) of bio-oils and distillation fractions were determined. The qualitative analysis was determined by FT-IR and the chemical composition by GC-MS. The pyrolysis showed bio-oil yields from 4.37 to 13.09 (wt.%), decreasing with reactor volume. The acid value of bio-oils varied from 68.31 to 70.26 mg KOH/g. The distillation of bio-oil produced gasoline, light kerosene, and kerosene-like fuel fractions, and the yields were 16.16, 19.56, and 41.89 (wt.%), respectively. The physical-chemistry properties of distillation fractions increase with temperature. The FT-IR analysis of bio-oils and distillation fractions identified the presence of functional groups characteristic of hydrocarbons (alkenes, alkanes, aromatics, and aromatics rings) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, ketones, esters, ethers, alcohols, phenols). The GC-MS identified 48.24 (area.%) hydrocarbons and 51.76 (area.%) oxygenates in the bio-oil produced in bench scale and 21.52 (area.%) hydrocarbons and 78.48 (area.%) oxygenates in the bio-oil produced in pilot scale. The gasoline-like fraction was composed by 64.0 (area.%) hydrocarbons and 36.0 (area.%) oxygenates, light kerosene-like fraction by 66.67 (area.%) hydrocarbons and 33.33 (area.%) oxygenates, and kerosene-like fraction by 19.87 (area.%) hydrocarbons and 81.13 (area.%) oxygenates.

Açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) Seed Extract Induces ROS Production and Cell Death in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line

Euterpe oleracea Mart. (açai) is a native palm from the Amazon region. There are various chemical constituents of açai with bioactive properties. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and cytotoxic effects of açai seed extract on breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) was applied to identify chemical compounds present in açai seed extract. LC-MS/MS and molecular networking were employed to detect the phenolic compounds of açai. The antioxidant activity of açai seed extract was measured by DPPH assay. MCF-7 breast cancer cell line viability was evaluated by MTT assay. Cell death was evaluated by flow cytometry and time-lapse microscopy. Autophagy was evaluated by orange acridin immunofluorescence assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was evaluated by DAF assay. From the molecular networking, fifteen compounds were identified, mainly phenolic compounds. The açai seed extract showed cytotoxic effects against MCF-7, induced morphologic changes in the cell line by autophagy and increased the ROS production pathway. The present study suggests that açai seed extract has a high cytotoxic capacity and may induce autophagy by increasing ROS production in breast cancer. Apart from its antioxidant activity, flavonoids with high radical scavenging activity present in açai also generated NO (nitric oxide), contributing to its cytotoxic effect and autophagy induction.

Use of almond flour and stevia in rice-based gluten-free cookie production

ABSTRACT

The gluten-free cookies were produced by replacing rice flour (RF) and sucrose content with almond flour (AF) and stevia. Supplementation of AF caused to decrease the moisture content of the gluten-free cookies; while ash, total protein, total fat and total dietary fiber content increased. Regarding of total phenolics; extractable, hydrolyzable and bioaccessible fractions of gluten-free cookie samples that were produced with 30% of AF supplementation, were increased by 43.69-73% compared with the control group that was prepared with 100% RF (p ≤ 0.01). Gluten was detected in the cookies with neither RF nor AF. No cross-contamination was detected during the production, too. Quality characteristics of the gluten-free cookies reached the acceptable level while AF and stevia contents were increased. Protein and dietary fiber contents of the cookie with AF and stevia were enriched to 82 and 96%, while the total carbohydrate amount decreased 19% (p ≤ 0.01). The contents of TEAC_ABTS and TEAC_FRAP of gluten-free cookies with AF and stevia were 5.72 ± 0.07 and 26.08 ± 0.49 µmol Trolox/g and higher than the control (100% RF + sucrose). It has found that physicochemical, nutrition and sensorial properties of gluten-free cookies that were produced with AF + stevia supplementation provided to produce more acceptable products.

GRAPHIC ABSTRACT

Understanding Consumers’ Convenience Orientation. An Exploratory Study of Fresh-Cut Fruit in Italy

In Western society, the fresh-cut fruit market is experiencing significant growth, especially in Italy, where, in 2019, the fresh-cut fruit sales volume increased by 35% compared with the previous year. This study aims to understand Italian consumers’ demand for fresh-cut fruits and to explore whether this trend is also affected by the prevalence of healthy lifestyles. Health orientation seems, in fact, to be a growing trend in the food sector. Research has recognized that consumers’ orientation towards products that are ready to be consumed is not only related to saving time. Sociodemographic factors and psychometric variables, including values and lifestyles, play important roles in understanding consumer demand for convenience products. For this purpose, the food-related lifestyles (FRLs) tool was used to profile consumers. The FRLs tool is a useful instrument that describes different ways in which people use food to achieve their values in life. Data were collected by using an online survey carried out with Italian consumers of fresh-cut fruits. By using a cluster analysis technique, four Italian fresh-cut fruit consumer target groups were identified. The largest target group was represented by uninvolved consumers, who are not inclined to cook or plan meals and who are very influenced by the advertising of food products in their buying decisions. An interesting target group, which may represent a challenge for food enterprises in the sector, was health-oriented consumers, who attach great importance to organic certification and to product information. This target group was also characterized by older consumers with higher net monthly household incomes than other target groups.

Importance of food choice motives vary with degree of food neophobia

Food Neophobia (FN) is a stable trait that measures individuals' propensity to avoid novel/unfamiliar foods. In this research, focus was directed to covariation between FN and food choice factors as measured using two variants of the food choice questionnaire (FCQ). To our knowledge, there are no previous studies which investigates these associations in detail, and in this regard the present research advances understanding of individual differences in FN and FCQ. Existing survey data were used, collected in the USA and Australia with ~1500 and ~750 consumers, respectively. Data from New Zealand came from studies conducted at central location test (CLT) facilities (Ñ400, Ñ1100). There were many consistencies in results across the four studies, and this was noteworthy considering that the data were obtained in 3 different countries across more than 10 years and with participants in CLT and online studies. The FCQ factor Familiarity always gained in importance with increasing FN. The FCQ factor Convenience also always gained in importance with increasing FN, in particular importance of simplicity in preparation and cooking. Conversely, the factors Health and Natural Content decreased in importance, as did factors linked to Environmental and Social Justice concerns. Price and Sensory Appeal remained very important for daily food choices among "neophobic" and "neophilic" consumers alike, and this mirrors past studies from diverse consumer populations. The importance of Mood was low regardless of FN status. Additional research is needed to confirm that these findings generalise to consumers in other countries, and assuming they do, this work contributes to the mounting evidence of the pervasive effects of FN on consumers' food-related experiences and motivations. Determining why FN influences food choice motives is an important next step.

Winemaking Byproducts as Source of Antioxidant Components: Consumers' Acceptance and Expectations of Phenol-Enriched Plant-Based Food

One of the food industry's priorities is to recover byproducts and move towards more sustainable systems. Among wine-chain byproducts, unripe grapes represent a promising source of antioxidants. However, the development of new foods enriched using phenol-rich ingredients is challenging due to their sensory attributes. The aims of the present study were to (1) use phenol-rich extract from unripe grapes to enrich a model plant-based food (beetroot puree-BP); (2) evaluate consumers' acceptance and expectations for the beetroot purée samples. The effect of information about the sustainability and pro-health activity of value-added ingredients on consumers' responses was also investigated. Four beetroot purees with increasing concentrations of phenol extract (0-1.93 g/kg) added were evaluated by 101 participants in three tasting conditions (blind: only samples; expected: only information without tasting; real: both samples and information).Liking slightly decreased with increasing concentrations of phenol extract, even if all the samples were considered acceptable. The health and sustainability information increased the hedonic expectations, although it was not assimilated by all consumers involved. The development of new phenol-enriched foods using functional ingredients from unripe grapes is challenging. However, it is also promising, since all the samples were generally accepted by the consumers and they presented phenol levels that were stable over time and that could have positive health effects when consumed.

Evaluation of the effect of label attributes over the purchase intention of a cashew nut functional beverage using conjoint analysis

The package label is an important factor to be evaluated, for constituting the first contact of the product with the consumer, which may exert influence on the purchase intention. Thus, this study identified and evaluated the importance of front label attributes of a new functional beverage made from cashew nut added with mango juice on consumers' purchase intention; it also evaluated the influence of consumers' attitudinal issues regarding functional foods on the importance of these attributes to the attitude of buying the beverage. Focus group methodology was used to assess which front label attributes of the product are important in the choosing process. The combination of attributes and their levels was used to develop 18 labels, which were analyzed by consumers in relation to their buying intention. The results were analyzed by conjoint and cluster analysis. The most relevant qualitative information on the purchase intention process of the cashew nut beverage highlighted by the focus groups were the illustration, the nutritional information (0% lactose and 0% cholesterol), and the term "prebiotic" with its functional claim. According to the conjoint analysis, the illustration was the attribute with more influence on the consumers' purchase intention concerning this product, revealing the consumers' preference for the image of the cashew nut standing alone on the label. Nutritional information and the term prebiotic and its functional claim had a positive impact, but were considered of low importance. Regarding the attitudinal factors involving functional foods there was no significant difference among the three groups of consumers.

Consumers' Trade-Off between Nutrition and Health Claims under Regulation 1924/2006: Insights from a Choice Experiment Analysis

The aim of this paper is to investigate consumers’ preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for functional mozzarella cheese whose health benefits (reduced fat and enrichment in omega-3) are communicated by using nutrition claims (article 8) and health claims (articles 13 and 14) of the EU Regulation 1924/2006. In order to achieve the stated objective a choice survey was developed and administered to a sample of Italian respondents. The product attributes and attribute levels included in the choice experiment were obtained from in-depth interviews conducted with stakeholders working on the development of this new product in the Italian region of Puglia. Results show that many participants were not aware of functional food. Marketing segmentation performed via latent class analysis indicates that the development of this hypothetical product should be based on the addition of naturally enriched omega-3. In terms of health communication under Regulation 1924/2006, heterogeneity of preferences of the nine identified segments reveals that respondents have a clear preference for products from the Puglia region, for the combined nutrition claim over single nutrition claims and for the reduction of disease health claim (article 14) over the health claim (article 13). In monetary terms, willingness to pay for health claims is higher than nutrition claims.

Who Buys Products with Nutrition and Health Claims? A Purchase Simulation with Eye Tracking on the Influence of Consumers' Nutrition Knowledge and Health Motivation

Nutrition and health claims are seen as a way of promoting healthy aspects of food. However, the results of previous studies have been contradictory regarding the effect of these claims on purchase. This study aims to achieve a better understanding of how the consumer characteristics ‘nutrition knowledge’ and ‘health motivation’ influence the purchase of products with nutrition and health claims and what role gaze behavior plays. We included gaze behavior in our analysis, as visual attention on the claims is a precondition to its influence on the purchase decision. In a close-to-realistic shopping situation, consumers could choose from three-dimensional orange juice packages labeled with nutrition, health, and taste claims. In total, the sample consisted of 156 consumers. The data were analyzed with a structural equation model (SEM), linking the purchase decision for products with claims to gaze data recorded with a mobile eye tracker and consumer and product-related variables collected via the questionnaire. Results showed that the variables in the SEM explained 31% (8%) of the variance observed in the purchase of products with a nutrition (health) claim. The longer a consumer looked at a specific claim, the more likely the consumer would purchase the respective product. The lower the price and the higher the perceived healthiness and tastiness of the product further heightened its likelihood of being purchased. Interestingly, consumers with higher nutrition knowledge and/or higher health motivation looked longer at the nutrition and health claims; however, these consumer characteristics did not show an effect on the purchase decision. Implications for policy makers and marketers are given.

Consumers' purchase decisions for products with nutrition and health claims: What role do product category and gaze duration on claims play?

Labeling food packages with nutrition and health claims is a widely used practice. This study aims to contribute to the literature by examining the gaze and purchase behavior of consumers regarding food products with nutrition and health claims. A close-to-realistic purchase situation with three-dimensional food packages with nutrition, health, and taste claims was simulated while the participants' eye movements were measured using head-mounted eye tracking glasses. In the purchase situation, two food categories with differing perceived healthiness were offered, orange juice and milk chocolate. In total, 156 consumers participated in this study which was undertaken in Germany. The findings indicate that each claim was noticed by at least 85% of the participants and health claims were looked at longer than nutrition or taste claims. Furthermore, when compared to other participants, the longer a participant looked at a specific claim, the more likely the participant was to purchase the respective product. Even though the product category had no effect on the gaze duration on claims, it affected the purchase behavior. Nutrition claims were preferred for orange juice while taste claims were preferred for milk chocolate. Health claims were preferred for neither. Marketers can benefit from this study, as it shows the gaze duration on claims influenced the purchase likelihood. Another important finding is that there are great differences between product categories regarding the type of claim consumers prefer.

Consumer and product-specific characteristics influencing the effect of nutrition, health and risk reduction claims on preferences and purchase behavior - A systematic review

The research on nutrition, health, and risk reduction claims (NHR claims) shows a lack of consensus as to whether these claims have a positive or negative effect on consumer's preferences and purchase behavior. This issue has been highlighted by many authors. Therefore, a comprehensive literature review was performed to find reasons for contradictory results. First, a theoretical framework was developed which divided the determinants of the effects of NHR claims on consumers' preferences and purchase behavior into consumer and product-specific characteristics. Additionally, a categorization for the different NHR claim types was constructed to make the studies comparable. Afterwards, the scientific literature from the 1980s until May 2017 was scanned and 66 articles were found to be relevant. Consumer-specific characteristics such as nutrition knowledge, health motivation, familiarity, and socio-demographic characteristics were found to influence the NHR claim effect. Important product-specific characteristics were the perceived healthiness of the food product, the interaction between the product and the nutrient in the NHR claim, and the interaction between the claimed benefit and the NHR claim type. The consumer's nutrition knowledge and the product's perceived healthiness were deemed to be the most promising determinants for further investigation.

Eat healthy? Attitudes of the German population towards industrially produced cardioprotective food

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is likely to increase in incidence. Foods with cardioprotective functions, e.g. specific functional food, could reduce CVD risk factors and hence CVD incidence. Little is known about industrially modified foods with cardioprotective functions.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In a large German sample (n = 1007), attitudes of consumers in Germany towards industrially produced cardioprotective food were assessed using Cluster analyses. Consumers were contacted via telephone and interviewed using questionnaires. Overall, about 25% knew about industrially produced food with cardioprotective function. Our analysis revealed a small but determined group of consumers who think very skeptical about cardioprotective products, but we also identified a favorable group. These two groups only differed in age, with the skeptical group being ten years older.

CONCLUSIONS

The rising number of industrially modified products with potential cardioprotective benefit is met by skepticism and a lack of knowledge by German costumers. If large scale studies show health benefits of these products, these will need to be better communicated to German customers in order to address possible doubts or concerns and to encourage healthy eating habits in consumer eating behavior.

Influence of package and health-related claims on perception and sensory acceptability of snack bars

Concerns for health can lead to healthier food choices, especially if the consumer is well informed. This study aimed to evaluate the importance of package and health-related claims on Brazilian consumers' acceptance of snack bars. In order to evaluate package attributes, in focus groups discussions, 19 consumers chose the most important factors that influence their purchase decisions. Next, 102 consumers evaluated six commercial brands of snack bars in a three-session acceptance test: the first with no information about the product, the second containing the product package and the third with information on health-related claims associated with consumption of the bar. In general, package attributes, price and flavor were the most important factors that influence the purchase of snack bars. Health claims positively influenced consumer acceptance, but information concerning the absence of gluten and lactose did not significantly alter sensory acceptance. The presence of omega-3s, sugars, preservatives, flavorings and colorings have the potential to improve acceptability, because they were able to raise the acceptance of the seed bar, removing it from the rejection region. Protein and nut bars are not well known to the general public and the lower mean acceptance of the seed and protein bars demonstrated the need for sensorial improvement.

Australian consumer awareness of health benefits associated with vegetable consumption

AIM

The present study investigated the perceived health benefits of specific vegetable consumption to guide the use of nutrition and health claims on vegetable marketing collateral.

METHODS

Free elicitation and consumer ranking data were collected through an online survey of 1000 adults from across Australia and analysed for the perceived importance of vegetables in the daily diet, number of serves consumed per day, knowledge about health-related benefits of specific vegetables and perceived health benefits of vegetable consumption.

RESULTS

The importance of vegetables in the diet and daily vegetable consumption was higher in people from an English-speaking background, females, people aged 45 years and over and people living in non-metropolitan areas. Digestion was selected as the major health benefit from consumption of specific vegetables. However, understanding of the health benefits of specific vegetable consumption was relatively low among consumers. Half of the respondents were not sure of the health benefits associated with specific vegetables, except for carrots and spinach. Some respondents volunteered nutrient content or other information.

CONCLUSIONS

There was no clear indication that consumers understand the specific health benefits conferred by consumption of vegetables. Nutrient and health benefit labelling therefore has the capacity to enhance knowledge of vegetable consumers. It is recommended that health benefit labelling be tailored to promote greater consumption of vegetables in those demographic groups where vegetable consumption was lower. The present study assists the Australian vegetable industry in helping consumers make more informed consumption choices.

Effect of Additional Information on Consumer Acceptance: An Example with Pomegranate Juice and Green Tea Blends

Pomegranate Juice (PJ) and Green Tea (GT) products have increased in popularity because of their beneficial health properties. Consumers look for healthier beverages, and rely on labels, claims, and product packaging when choosing a product. The objectives of this study were to determine (1) the sensory profiles and acceptance of PJ and GT blends; (2) whether additional information would have an effect on consumer acceptance; and (3) the total phenolic content (TPC) of the samples. Six PJ and GT blends were evaluated by a descriptive panel in order to explore sensory differences in flavor characteristics. A consumer panel (n = 100) evaluated the samples before and after beneficial health information about the samples was provided to them. The blends that were higher in tea concentration were higher in Green and GT-like flavors, and lower in berry, beet, floral, sweetness, and cherry flavors. The overall liking scores of all of the samples increased after the information was provided to the consumers. The sample highest in PJ and lowest in GT blend was liked the most. In addition, as the samples increased in PJ, the TPC content increased. These results may be of interest to the beverage industry, providing information of consumer liking of beverage blends, and how information on health related claims affects consumer acceptance.

Deciphering the consumer behaviour facets of functional foods: A literature review

This paper presents a systematic literature review of studies investigating various facets of consumer behaviour towards functional foods. It focuses on published international research on functional food attitude and behaviour from across the world. Research papers (n = 112) that were identified were coded in terms of study type, variables studied, product type, participant profile, research methodology and analysis details, as well as results and implications for future research. Results provide a systematic overview of the context in which behaviour towards functional foods have been examined in the past and provide a synthesis of findings in four categories of determinants, namely (1) Personal Factors, (2) Psychological Factors, (3) Cultural & Social Factors, and (4) Factors relating to the functional food product. A reference model for the relationships between these factors and behaviour of consumers is derived.

Salient nutrition labels increase the integration of health attributes in food decision-making

Every day, people struggle to make healthy eating decisions. Nutrition labels have been used to help people properly balance the tradeoff between healthiness and taste, but research suggests that these labels vary in their effectiveness. Here, we investigated the cognitive mechanism underlying value-based decisions with nutrition labels as modulators of value.

More specifically, we used a binary decision task between products along with two different nutrition labels to examine how salient, color-coded labels, compared to purely information-based labels, alter the choice process. Using drift-diffusion modeling, we investigated whether color-coded labels alter the valuation process, or whether they induce a simple stimulus-response association consistent with the traffic-light colors irrespective of the features of the item, which would manifest in a starting point bias in the model. We show that color-coded labels significantly increased healthy choices by increasing the rate of preference formation (drift rate) towards healthier options without altering the starting point. Salient labels increased the sensitivity to health and decreased the weight on taste, indicating that the integration of health and taste attributes during the choice process is sensitive to how information is displayed. Salient labels proved to be more effective in altering the valuation process towards healthier, goal-directed decisions.

Characterization and comparison of phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity and instrumental taste profile of juices from different botanical origins

BACKGROUND

The European Union registered a consumption of about 10.7 billion litres of juices in 2011 and a great part of this amount is imported from other countries, which makes the monitoring of their quality essential. This work was aimed at mapping the quality of various juices from different botanical origins from instrumental taste, chemical marker and antioxidant capacity perspectives. It also characterized the individual phenolic composition of juices previously classified according to their antioxidant activity and total phenolic material level.

RESULTS

Overall, by using correlation analysis and chemometrics (HCA and PCA), data showed that total phenolics, specifically gallic acid, p-coumaric acid, anthocyanins, flavanols and flavonols, are the main contributors to the antioxidant activity. Elderberry and pomegranate juices presented the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity. On the other hand, orange, apple and cranberry juices had the lowest levels of total phenolics and flavonoids, DPPH and CUPRAC.

CONCLUSION

The use of chemometrics coupled to ANOVA seems to be a suitable approach to evaluate the quality of fruit juices from different botanical origins. Additionally, the instrumental taste profile correlated well with the chemical composition and antioxidant capacity, showing its potential application in assessing the functionality of juices.

Antioxidants and sensory properties of the infusions of wild passiflora from Brazilian savannah: potential as functional beverages

BACKGROUND

The study of biodiversity for species recovery and sustainable use has encouraged research with plants from Brazilian savannah. We aimed to characterize chemical and sensory properties of infusions of passifloras, due to their potential as functional beverages. Infusions and hydroalcoholic extracts of four species of wild passifloras, three varieties of Passiflora edulis and a commercial passiflora tea were evaluated for total phenolics (TPs), total flavonoids (TFs), condensed tannins (CTs), and antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP). Free-choice Profile and acceptance, compared with green tea, were performed for sensory characterization.

RESULTS

In general, infusions had higher levels of TPs and CTs than hydroalcoholic extracts, which in turn had higher levels of TFs. Infusion of P. nitida showed higher amounts of TPs and antioxidant activity. Acceptance of passiflora infusions was similar or higher than that of green tea, except for P. alata. P. setacea presented a sensory profile similar to other commercial teas and higher acceptance by a group of consumers.

CONCLUSION

Passiflora infusions showed different degrees of suitability as acceptable functional beverage. Identification of phenolics and other bitter compounds is needed to understand the intense bitterness of P. alata, as it did not present the highest contents of TPs, CTs and TFs.