Food Quality and Preference最新文献

{"title":"Examining mental shortcuts in consumers use of food package information for purchase decision. Is it a case of health, habit or haste?","authors":"Toritseju Begho ,&nbsp;Kai-Lin Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines how consumers use heuristics in food decision-making. Three research questions motivated the study. What types of food choice heuristics are most commonly used? How does reliance on heuristics vary by consumers' label-reading behaviour? To what extent do attitudes and personal characteristics influence heuristic use? Using a survey-based experiment, 508 Taiwanese participants were presented with five milk product profiles, each designed to trigger a specific heuristic (Take-the-best, Recognition, Emotional or Attribute Substitution). Choices were triangulated with data on label-use behaviour and food-related attitudes. Chi-square tests assessed associations between consumer attitudes and product choices, while multinomial logistic regression predicted drivers of heuristic use. The results show that most consumers do not consistently apply a single decision rule. Only 16.1 % demonstrated behaviour aligned with their stated preferences. Chi-square tests showed that decision patterns were strongly associated with whether participants prioritized health versus price/taste (χ² = 39.8, <em>p</em> &lt; .001) and, to a lesser extent, with habitual versus conscious shopping (χ² = 16.3, <em>p</em> = .038). Multinomial regression showed that label-readers were over five times more likely to choose emotionally framed options and three times more likely to choose cognitively framed ones, compared to price-driven (Take-the-best) choices. These findings show that price alone does not drive food decisions, even when it represents a clear monetary advantage. The study underscores the bounded rationality of consumers and suggests that label simplification, emotional salience and contextual framing may be more effective than information density in guiding healthier food choices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105727"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of the hedonic value of a starter dish on liking, emotional response, and intake of a plant-based main dish in an adolescent school setting","authors":"Margarita Kokkorou ,&nbsp;Caterina Dinnella ,&nbsp;Armand V. Cardello ,&nbsp;Erminio Monteleone ,&nbsp;Lapo Pierguidi ,&nbsp;Jan Wollgast ,&nbsp;Petros Maragkoudakis ,&nbsp;Sara Spinelli","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105725","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105725","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined the impact of hedonic contrast on adolescents' sensory and emotional responses, as well as intake, of an innovative plant-based main dish served in a real-life school canteen setting. A two-course Italian-style lunch was designed using either a bland or tasty variant of the same rice-and-vegetable starter, selected based on a preliminary study, followed by an innovative co-created plant-based dish, a lentil-pumpkin arancino. Across five weekly exposures, 128 students (aged 14–17) evaluated meal components using affective and emotional rating scales, alongside ad libitum intake measures according to a between-subject design (Meal with the tasty vs bland starter). Results from the initial exposure revealed no significant effect of starter condition on liking of the main dish. However, meals with the bland starter led to significantly higher intake and increased ratings of a high-arousal positive emotion (cheerfulness) toward the main dish, supporting a positive hedonic contrast effect on both behavior and emotional experience. With repeated exposures, a decline in liking and positive emotions was observed, particularly in the bland starter condition, suggesting a boredom effect. These findings indicate that emotional and intake responses to plant-based foods may be enhanced through hedonic contrast, even in the absence of increased liking, but also highlight the importance of menu variety to sustain positive effects over time. The findings offer practical insights for improving meal planning and support the introduction of healthy, sustainable, and innovative plant-based dishes in school foodservice contexts through the use of sensory and contextual strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105725"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gradual sugar reduction decreases sugar intake without changing product liking or amount eaten","authors":"Loma B. Inamdar,&nbsp;Zata M. Vickers","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105716","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105716","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Overconsumption of sugar, especially in sugar-sweetened beverages, is associated with health risks like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Our objectives were 1) determine how sugar-sweetened iced tea liking would change over time for people in a gradual reduction of sugar group compared to those in a control group, 2) determine if changes in liking ratings from the initial to the final taste test differed between the two groups, 3) determine if participants in the gradual reduction group increased their liking of lower sugar concentrations. Participants that consumed sweetened tea at least three times per week enrolled in this three-phase study: an initial taste test, a 12-week repeated consumption phase, and a final taste test. At the initial and final taste tests participants were served teas differing in sugar content. We divided participants into a control or a gradual reduction group for the 12-week repeated consumption phase by balancing the groups for their initial hedonic sensitivity to sweetness and their motivation to decrease their dietary sugar intake. The control group received a 7.7 % sugar-sweetened tea for the duration of the 12 weeks. The gradual reduction group received a tea that was reduced weekly in increments of 10 % of the previous week's sucrose concentration. Over the consumption phase, liking decreased gradually and equally for the control and gradual reduction groups. From the initial taste test to the final taste test the lowest acceptable, ideal level, and the highest acceptable level of sweetness did not differ between the control and gradual reduction group.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105716"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bridging the gap between human-based and AI-based food perception: A comparative study of sensory preferences across gender and age groups","authors":"Emad Rahimipouri,&nbsp;Arash Ghaitaranpour","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105724","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105724","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the growing integration of artificial intelligence into consumer research, this study explores the use of ChatGPT to simulate food-related preferences. The primary goal was to assess how closely AI-generated responses reflect real human sensory choices. A total of 240 real participants were recruited across three age groups (under 10, 20–30, and over 40 years), equally distributed by gender. In parallel, 240 artificial consumer profiles were generated in ChatGPT. Participants completed a visual questionnaire covering four domains: preferred potato shape, preferred frying method, the impact of nutritional information, and willingness to pay more for healthier products. Results showed that both human and AI groups preferred thick-cut fries and deep-frying. However, when nutritional information was provided, a noticeable shift toward air-frying occurred, particularly among women and individuals over 40. Overall, the AI responses aligned with human data in over 80 % of cases. That said, discrepancies became apparent in questions requiring higher-level reasoning, such as interpreting nutritional labels or making economic trade-offs. The reduced accuracy in complex decision-making contexts indicates that these models require further refinement and validation before they can be considered completely reliable alternatives to human-based studies. Despite these limitations, the findings show that language models hold strong potential for use in early-stage sensory evaluations and consumer-related decision-making, a valuable capability particularly when access to real participants is limited, such as during pandemics. These insights could support the development of innovative food products that better align with the preferences of diverse consumer groups.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105724"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145155853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Consumer minimalism in local food consumption: The impact of pro-environmental self-identity and locavorism","authors":"Ting Zhang ,&nbsp;Klaus G. Grunert ,&nbsp;Yonglin Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105711","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105711","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Concerns with global climate change and interest in finding solutions for environmental issues have prompted consumer interest in consuming local food. As a sustainable lifestyle, consumer minimalism has attracted much attention from various research domains. However, in the local food consumption context, research on the antecedents and the impact of consumer minimalism on consumer behaviour remains overlooked. The present research studies the influence of consumer pro-environmental self-identity, consumer minimalism and locavorism on consumers' willingness to purchase local foods. We conducted two online surveys in China. We used PLS-SEM for data analysis. The results of the structural model evaluation show that there is a significant positive relationship between pro-environmental self-identity and consumers' willingness to purchase local foods. This relationship is partly mediated by consumer minimalism and locavorism. Findings of this research advance the theoretical understanding on preferences for local food and minimalistic consumption. The paper also provides practical insights into local food marketing for practitioners.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105711"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sensory characterisation and consumer acceptance of plant-based cheese alternatives – A Swiss perspective","authors":"Barbara Guggenbühl ,&nbsp;Annette Bongartz ,&nbsp;Saskia Mantovani ,&nbsp;Katharina Smith ,&nbsp;Thorsten Guksch ,&nbsp;Jeannette Nuessli Guth","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105713","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105713","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Consumer interest in plant-based cheese alternatives (PBCAs) has grown due to concerns about the environment, animal welfare, and health. This study assessed consumer preferences and sensory characteristics of PBCAs in the Swiss market. Four semi-hard and two soft cheese alternatives were evaluated in a consumer test with 219 participants (102 males, 117 females, diverse diet forms). Participants rated overall liking and visual appeal on a 9-point hedonic scale and assessed sensory attributes using check-all-that-apply and just-about-right scales. They also answered questions about attitudes towards plant-based alternatives. Sensory panel data (<em>n</em> = 10) completed the study by linking it to the consumer data. The chemical composition of the PBCAs was analysed for dry matter, fat, protein, salt, starch, and sugar content. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA and multiple factor analysis, were used to evaluate preferences and identify sensory attributes influencing liking.</div><div>Participants rated PBCAs as trendy but were less convinced of their taste or processing compared to dairy cheeses. Significant differences in overall liking and visual appeal were found, but none of the products were highly liked (scores between 3 and 5.9). No significant differences were observed between dietary groups. Attributes like savoury flavour, smooth texture, and creaminess were positively associated with liking, while bitterness and lack of creaminess were negatively associated. Consequently, to increase acceptance and consumption, PBCAs' sensory profiles and nutritional compositions should be optimised.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 105713"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145236180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Food choices flirt with gender norms in mating contexts","authors":"Agata Gasiorowska ,&nbsp;Michał Folwarczny ,&nbsp;Tobias Otterbring","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105712","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105712","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We investigated how gender and different social contexts guide impression management through food choices at a casual dining chain restaurant. Waitstaff unobtrusively recorded 300 orders by groups of diners coded as romantic dates, friendship gatherings, or family meals. Photographs of all 89 menu items available at the restaurant were independently rated on perceived femininity, masculinity, sophistication, and expensiveness, with the price of the chosen meals also noted. Multilevel Bayesian models showed that men ordered more expensive dishes than women, a difference most pronounced on dates. Food chosen by men (women) was also perceived as more (less) masculine and less (more) feminine, with these gender differences amplified during dates and attenuated during family meals. Regardless of gender, diners selected more expensive and more sophisticated items during dates (vs. family meals). These findings suggest that mate attraction heightens conformity to gender-typical consumption norms, demonstrating the adaptive and situation-specific nature of impression management in social eating settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105712"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Consumer preferences for Camelina oil: impact of sensory perceptions and information disclosure on acceptance of an unfamiliar oil coming from a minor crop","authors":"Anne Saint-Eve ,&nbsp;Jean-Denis Faure ,&nbsp;Alexandra Jullien ,&nbsp;Christophe Martin ,&nbsp;Stéphan Marette","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105722","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105722","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aims to assess how French consumers evaluate the traditional but unfamiliar camelina oil, focusing on liking scores and willingness to pay (WTP) through sensory perception and information disclosure. In a controlled lab experiment (<em>n</em> = 132, Dijon, France), participants first blind-tasted camelina oil, with half of them evaluating extra virgin olive oil under similar conditions for comparison. After this blind step, stepwise information disclosure on product identity, health and environmental benefits, and possible gene-editing (GE) improvements was proposed.</div><div>First, the blind tasting showed that 35 % of consumers disliked the camelina oil, while 45 % liked it. The correlations between liking scores and WTP are positive but relatively weak, particularly for the camelina oil, which had been previously seen in stores by only 12 % of participants.</div><div>Second, information disclosure had a significant impact on WTP. (1) The identification of organic camelina oil led to a significant increase in WTP, while a similar disclosure for extra virgin olive oil had no effect. Additional messages about (2) the benefits of the camelina oil for human health and the environment led to significant increases in WTP. Conversely, (3) GE information reduced WTP for 46.2 % of participants, despite being framed with positive outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of targeted messages in promoting novel, sustainable food products and underline the need to address consumer concerns regarding biotechnology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105722"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Psychological barriers for sustainable diets: Unpacking intention-behavior gaps in meat consumption","authors":"Noah Linder ,&nbsp;Therse Lindahl ,&nbsp;Nanda Wijermans","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105721","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105721","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Promoting a shift away from meat consumption towards an increased share of plant-based alternatives is a promising strategy for addressing environmental challenges while also improving population health. Many consumers already express a strong interest in adopting more sustainable and healthy diets, however, empirical evidence suggests that there is only a weak link between these intentions and actual dietary changes. To unpack this intention-behavior gap this study explores three research questions 1) What factors explain intentions to reduce meat consumption among meat eaters? 2) How much meat do individuals with reduction intentions consume, compared to those without such intentions? and 3) Among participants with reduction intentions — what factors drive their continued meat consumption? To answer these questions, we developed a survey and recruited a nationally representative sample of Swedish consumers (<em>n</em> = 998). A backwards stepwise regression, including 14 theoretically informed variables, revealed that attitudes— towards meat (β = −0.32) and plant-based proteins (β = 0.35) both — were the strongest predictors of intentions to reduce meat consumption. Individual factors like environmental self-identity (β = 0.13) and gender (β = 0.08) played smaller but meaningful roles as did practical considerations such as the perceived convenience of cooking meat compared to plant-based foods (β = 0.09). Furthermore, although the result showed a significant difference in self-reported meat consumption between individuals with high stated intentions to reduce meat intake and those with low or no intention, the size of the difference was small only (d = 0.15), bordering negligible, reaffirming the suspected intention-behavior gap. Among those with intentions to lower their meat consumption, only two key variables emerged as driving continued meat eating — <em>meat purchasing habits (β = 0.33)</em> and a <em>positive attitude towards mea t(β = 0.17).</em> These results underscore the challenges of translating intentions into action and highlight how different variables are important for a) shaping intentions and b) driving these into actions. While intentions are a needed prerequisite for voluntary behavior change, they sometimes prove insufficient on their own, especially when the aim is to change behaviors heavily governed by habits. Practical implications suggest that focusing on breaking habits and fostering positive attitudes towards plant-based alternatives are key in bridging the gap between intentions and actual diet changes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105721"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145155850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Visualizing odor: Cross-modal correspondence between the odor of botanical infusions and mosaic visualizations","authors":"Fabio Tuccillo,&nbsp;Iida Blom,&nbsp;Annika Häme,&nbsp;Sanni Karjalainen,&nbsp;Thomas Lostedt,&nbsp;Jalmari Tuura,&nbsp;Mari Sandell","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105720","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105720","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cross-modal correspondences between olfaction and vision influence consumer perception and can be leveraged for sensory-informed product and packaging design. This study examined whether abstract visual representations, derived from odor profiles and odor-evoked color associations, can reflect actual odor perception. Six botanical infusions were first characterized through Check-All-That-Apply with naive participants (<em>n</em> = 95). Abstract mosaic visuals were generated using Voronoi tessellation based on either the frequency of odor descriptors (odor profile-based, OP) or the colors associated with the odors (color association-based, CA). A second group of consumers (<em>n</em> = 103) evaluated the perceived correspondence of these mosaics and their packaging mockups with the infusion odor. They also rated their liking of the odor and of the mosaics, and their willingness to buy (WTB) the infusion based on its odor and the packaging. OP mosaics were generally perceived as more representative of the infusion odor than CA mosaics, though both designs received similar correspondence scores for mint and rooibos. OP mosaics were also visually liked more than CA mosaics. Cluster analysis revealed two consumer segments with differing correspondence patterns, independent of demographic or consumption variables. Odor liking was the strongest predictor of WTB, though visual correspondence and mosaic features such as warmness and lightness also positively influenced responses. By integrating odor and odor-evoked color associations into abstract visual design, this study advances the understanding of cross-modal correspondence in product perception and highlights the potential of cross-modal design strategies for the botanical infusion market.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105720"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}