Sonication: A sensory engineering approach reshaping consumer acceptance for novel foods

Abstract

Non-thermal ultrasound (US) is a powerful processing technology that alters the textural, physicochemical, and volatile properties of novel foods such as cultured meat, plant-based meat alternatives (PBMA), precision fermentation-derived products, insect-based proteins, and algae-based foods through cavitation-driven acoustic effects. These changes directly affect the sensory attributes that shape consumer perceptions and acceptance of novel foods. This review examines the mechanistic relationship between US food processing and the consumer sensory-acceptance barrier, drawing on evidence from sonochemistry, behavioral economics, sensory science, food policy, and digital marketing. We stated that US-induced modifications in flavor (through modulation of Maillard reaction precursors, volatile compound generation, and lipid oxidation control), texture (through starch gelatinization, emulsion stabilization, and myofibrillar disruption), aroma (through controlled release of encapsulated volatile compounds), and color (through Maillard browning and pigment stability) potentially contribute to consumer acceptance by affecting sensory attributes. However, these relationships should be considered as proposed pathways rather than experimentally validated causal mechanisms, as direct consumer acceptance studies remain limited. Specifically, US-modified flavor and texture profiles of PBMAs, microalgae ingredients, and insect protein powders address the most consistently cited sensory barriers to consumer trial and repeat purchase. The review further combines cross-domain moderators, cultural disgust, food neophobia, behavioral nudges, labeling framing, digital and social media influence, and pricing that operate at higher cognitive and policy levels, demonstrating how US sensory improvements must be coupled with consumer-centered communication strategies to translate physicochemical gains into marketplace acceptance. A comparative analysis of existing studies indicates a persistent attitude-behavior gap, suggesting that US-optimized sensory quality alone does not fully determine consumer acceptance.