This field experiment explored whether and to what extent claims about expert recommendations (i.e., those of the chef) and recommendations from other restaurant guests influenced customers' food choices in a restaurant. The menu in the study consisted entirely of vegetarian dishes, two of which were selected to be emphasised either as “Chef's choice” or as “Guests' choice” on the menu, thereby providing expert-based and social-based cues suggesting one of the dishes at different study time points. The selected dishes were a vegetarian version of a conventional Swedish meat dish (a plant-based patty) and a nonconventional dish (lentils with “zero-waste” pesto). Over four weeks, the restaurant's sales data were collected, and customers were invited to participate in a voluntary survey. This survey gathered information regarding sociodemographic characteristics and more details about the dish selection, including subjective ratings of dish liking and overall meal satisfaction. A total of 1540 dishes were sold, and 524 customers participated in the survey. The plant-based patty was the most popular choice across all weeks, and the “Chef's choice” had no additive effect, suggesting its high stability in popularity. Labelling a less popular dish (lentils with “zero-waste” pesto) with “Chef's choice” had a positive impact on its selection, while labelling it with “Guests' choice” made no difference. These results suggest that in the absence of meat options, some customers appear to transfer the concept of a meat-centric dish to a similar vegetarian dish (in this case, a plant-based patty), whereas a less popular dish with no resemblance to a conventional meat dish can become more popular when recommended by a presumable expert on the matter. However, further research is necessary to ascertain the efficacy of this effect in diverse restaurant contexts, based on designs with better possibilities to establish causality.

Plant-based food products offer a sustainable option for consumers seeking to reduce meat intake while maintaining the sensory satisfaction similar to conventional meat. However, the products in question are still unsatisfactory, and simulating the sensory properties that consumers find palatable remains significantly challenging. This study investigated the physicochemical and sensory properties of plant-based minced meat analogs, with an emphasis on texture (including texture profile analysis (TPA), liquid holding capacity (LHC), and fiber orientation) and appearance (color and particle size). Four commercial plant-based products were evaluated: two soy-based (Soy Ⅰ and Soy Ⅱ) and two pea-based (Pea Ⅰ and Pea Ⅱ) to elucidate the relationship between microstructural features and consumer sensory perception. TPA results indicated that soy-based products exhibited significantly higher hardness, gumminess, and chewiness compared to pea-based products. LHC and colour analyses revealed notable differences among the samples: Pea I showed the lowest mass loss, indicating superior water retention, while Pea II displayed pronounced red and yellow colour values. Particle size analysis indicated that Pea II and Soy I contained larger and more heterogeneous particles, whereas Soy II was characterized by smaller and more uniform particulates. Further, fiber orientation analysis revealed that Soy II exhibited more aligned fiber structures, which may contribute to its higher mechanical resistance and firmness. Sensory evaluation indicated consumer preference for Soy II, which was perceived as chewier and more rubbery in texture. The overall pattern from sensory evaluation was consistent with instrumental measurements, underscoring the utility of structural and mechanical analyses in predicting consumer acceptance

The role of food disgust on entamophagy acceptance is well established but further indepth analysis of how food disgust impacts other aspects that include a wider range of attitudes have been seldom investigated. The study employed a two-study mixed-methods approach to determine the impact of food disgust on consumer’s perceptions of insects as food and feed. In study one, an online questionnaire (N = 402) was deployed to determine the impact of food disgust on perceptions of insects as food and animal feed, familiarity, willingness to try foods containing insects, and sensory expectations. Food disgust inversely correlated with insects being acceptable as both food and feed. Individuals with higher food disgust had no willingness to try any foods with insects included. Providing information had a minor change on sensory expectations of hypothetical hamburgers with insects. In study two, participants were split into groups of low/high disgust and by five dietary orientations, and discussed topics concerning general attitudes towards traditional/alternative protein sources and insects as food/feed. Food disgust overrode differences in dietary orientation for participants’ attitudes towards insects as food. Themes including culture, sustainability, ethics, scepticism, hygiene, convention, and familiarity were identified. Themes of naturalness, food safety and ethics emerged in addition. The mixed-method approach revealed the reasons behind the general unwillingness to try insects and the types of barriers experienced towards insects as food. 

Food neophobia (FN) – the reluctance to try novel foods – may have served a protective, evolutionary function against consuming harmful foods. In modern societies, however, FN is a major barrier that limits dietary variety and negatively impacts acceptance of both new and familiar foods. Using an online survey (adults living in Sweden, n = 946) this study investigated the influence of FN on sensory expectations of five types of seafood (salmon, herring, oysters, octopus, and seaweed; presented as labelled images). Participants rated expected liking, emotional arousal, and perceived familiarity (quantitative scales) and described the sensory aspects they expected to like and dislike using their own words (open-ended responses). The open-ended responses were evaluated qualitatively and categorized into four sensory modalities (appearance, aroma, taste, and texture). Expected liking was highest for salmon (followed by herring, seaweed, and lastly octopus and oysters), and FN was negatively associated with expected liking for all species except salmon, possibly due to being familiar and regularly consumed in Sweden. Logistic regression was used to evaluate whether the likelihood of spontaneously mentioning each sensory modality as liked or disliked varied by species and FN score. This revealed that participants were more likely to mention liking aspects of taste and texture than aroma and appearance for all samples except oysters. Texture was commonly disliked for herring, oysters, and octopus, but not for salmon and seaweed. Higher FN scores increased the likelihood of mentioning all sensory modalities as disliked and decreased the likelihood of mentioning all sensory modalities as liked. Thus, higher levels of FN were associated with both an increased focus on sensory disliking, and lower expected sensory enjoyment across all modalities. These results suggest that FN may be at least partly driven by heightened sensory responsiveness and highlight the importance of understanding expectations prior to tasting.

For the sake of both the environment and human health, it is necessary to reduce meat consumption. However, increased consumer adoption of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) will only occur when such products are attractive. PBMAs with meat-like sensory attributes and those that can be cooked similarly to meat are known to be preferred, but the preference for meat-likeness varies depending on the consumer’s attitude towards meat. This study determined the relationship between consumers’ level of meat attachment (MA) on their sensory perceptions of and preference for commercial PBMAs, and their drivers of liking. MA was measured by the Meat Attachment Questionnaire (MAQ); consumers with either low or high MA (LMA and HMA, respectively) were invited to participate in the study (n = 99). The sensory characteristics of seven PBMAs were evaluated using a rate-all-that-apply (RATA) questionnaire, along with an ideal profile and product hedonics. Consumers with LMA had significantly higher overall, aroma, and taste liking, compared with consumers with HMA. Both LMA and HMA consumers similarly discriminated among the sensory properties of PBMAs and the ideal profile. Nevertheless, a further adapted penalty analysis showed subtle differences in consumers’ penalisation of sensory attributes depending on MA level. These findings could be used for future research and the development of PBMAs based on consumers’ MA; they could also be extended for application in a meal context where the PBMAs are consumed. 

Purpose: Seafood consumption in Sweden is below the national recommendations and limited to very few species. This study aims to explore the factors shaping seafood choices at the point of purchase among a sample of current consumers in Sweden, and examines their attitudes regarding seafood consumption more broadly. Design/methodology/approach: Convenience sampling was used to recruit consumers planning to purchase seafood at a supermarket in Sweden. Participants’ shopping trip was recorded using wearable eye tracking glasses and, upon completion, semi-structured interviews were conducted using a cued retrospective think aloud method. This exploratory study integrates qualitative data (N = 39) with eye tracking data (N = 34), to explore how seafood choices unfold when consumers purchase at the point of purchase. Findings: Purchases were mostly restricted to familiar seafood species. Four interlinked main themes were identified from thematic analysis of the interview data: Ambivalence, Nice and Necessary, Proficiency with Seafood and External Influences. Sustainability information (e.g. certifications) faced strong competition from other visual elements at the point of purchase, receiving less attention than product imagery and pricing information. Originality/value: This study is the first to explore the factors shaping seafood choices of current consumers at the point of purchase. The unique approach, combining explicit and implicit measures, enriches understanding of the factors influencing seafood choices and how these may interrelate. The results are valuable for the industry and contribute to the literature by identifying possible routes to improve seafood sustainability communication.

Lingonberry is a common wild berry that is often sold as jams and beverages. It naturally contains high amounts of the weak acid preservative benzoic acid making it an interesting ingredient for shelf-life extension. Despite this, their use as a raw ingredient is limited by the inherently intense sour taste. This study aimed to improve the taste of lingonberry juice by subjecting it to malolactic fermentation in order to reduce the sourness, and to investigate the benzoic acid in lingonberries as a natural preservative in juice blends by determining the microbial stability. After initial screening of lactic acid bacteria, a Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain was used as the starter for subsequent investigations. Upon raising the pH, all malic acid was completely converted to lactic acid after seven days. The fermented juice was mixed with blackcurrant juice in different proportions. Challenge tests of the blends showed Listeria monocytogenes could not grow in any juice samples, while Candida albicans only grew in the pure blackcurrant juice. Aspergillus brasiliensis growth was delayed in all samples containing benzoic acid in a concentration-dependent manner. The sourness and astringency were substantially reduced in the juice with added L. plantarum compared to the unfermented juice. © 2024 The Authors

The success of seafood products on the market is heavily dependent on their sensory performance. Thus, research techniques involving measurements obtained from consumers are crucial to gauging market potential. Numerous methods are available for the sensory evaluation of seafood products, which can be broadly categorized into objective (analytical) and subjective (affective) measurements. This chapter describes a wide range of methods used in the sensory and consumer sciences. Methods covered include descriptive techniques, discrimination testing, and temporal methods, as well as hedonic and preference testing and others. Where possible, the methods are exemplified with studies on seafood products, and those that have not yet been utilized in seafood products but have strong potential are also described. Finally, the chapter outlines important considerations for planning sensory and consumer research in order to maximize the usefulness of the results collected.

Plant-based analogues (PBAs) for meat and dairy are typically categorised as ultra-processed foods. However, current evidence that PBA consumption negatively impacts health is controversial. As such, these products may be inappropriately negatively coloured by the “processed foods are unhealthy” heuristic. We investigated the strength of this heuristic among Swedish consumers and explored its impact on perceived healthiness within different food categories (meat, dairy, seafood, vegetables/legumes, and PBAs). In an online experiment, participants (N=563) rated the healthiness and level of processing of 24 food products (presented as images), completed the food technology neophobia (FTN) scale, and reported consumption frequency of different foods. The results indicated that this heuristic, measured as Pearson’s r between perceived healthiness and level of processing, was prevalent and robust (posterior mean = -0.58, probability of association>99 %) as well as stronger among women and individuals with higher FTN. Moreover, the impact of the heuristic differed across food categories: healthiness ratings for vegetable/legume and seafood products perceived as processed were more negatively impacted compared to those for meat products (probability of association>99 %). The potential implications of this for the protein shift and encouraging substituting red meat with products based on raw materials associated with health (i.e., plants and seafood) are discussed. 

Improving health and sustainability outcomes in WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, Democratic) nations necessitates a reduction in red meat consumption. Seafood is often overlooked in achieving this goal. However, simply consuming more of familiar fish species places high stress on production of these species. For this reason, diversification of seafood consumption is also critical. Here the motives for seafood consumption (frequency and diversity) are investigated across two studies by adapting the 4Ns survey to the seafood category. This 16-item survey measures four factors underpinning meat consumption: namely that it is ‘Natural’, ‘Necessary’, ‘Normal’ and ‘Nice’. Swedish consumers’ hedonic and sensory expectations of two herring concepts (traditional pickled contra novel minced and presented as a burger) are also evaluated in relation to the 4Ns. Study 1 (N = 304) revealed that the seafood 4Ns scale had a similar underlying structure to that of meat and had good test-retest reliability. Study 2 (N = 514) showed that consumers expected to like the pickled herring (associated with being ‘seasoned’, ‘salty’, ‘sweet’, ‘firm’, ‘juicy’, ‘chewy’, and ‘slimy’) more than the minced herring (associated with being ‘mushy’, ‘fishy’, ‘grainy’, ‘dry’ and having ‘small bones’), and that ‘Nice’ scores affected expectations of both herring concepts. Food neophobia correlated inversely with seafood consumption frequency, expected liking, the ‘Nice’ subscale, and food agency. Critically, in both studies, enjoyment of seafood (higher ‘Nice’ scores) predicted more frequent and diverse seafood consumption, whilst agreeing that seafood is ‘Necessary’ for health predicted only consumption frequency, not diversity. Communicating the positive sensory attributes of seafood and developing novel product concepts in ways that disconfirm sceptical consumers’ negative sensory expectations may increase acceptance of both familiar and unfamiliar seafood concepts. © 2024 The Authors