David McBey , Graciela Martinez Sanchez , Graham Horgan , Jennie I. Macdiarmid , Benjamin J.J. McCormick
{"title":"Perceived effectiveness of 25 interventions and policies designed to reduce meat consumption","authors":"David McBey , Graciela Martinez Sanchez , Graham Horgan , Jennie I. Macdiarmid , Benjamin J.J. McCormick","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105693","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105693","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Meat consumption in many high-income countries exceeds planetary boundaries, with red and processed meat often eaten at levels linked to health risks. This study examined how attitudes to meat consumption relate to the perceived effectiveness of reduction policies and interventions. A survey of 1590 adults in Scotland, using the Capabilities, Opportunities, and Motivations of Behaviour (COM<img>B) framework, assessed meat consumption attitudes and behaviours. Participants completed a Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) task to rank the effectiveness of 25 potential policies and interventions. Latent class analysis identified four attitudinal subgroups: Resistant, Ambivalent, Open, and Active meat reducers. Meat was consumed on average five days per week. 51.1 % reported no intention to change their consumption, while 42.7 % were open to, or actively reducing intake. The frequency of meat consumption was lower in the Active group. Across the sample and classes, measures that lower the price of plant-based options and improve their appeal, variety, and availability were rated most effective, while information-only approaches (for example, flyers, weekly messages, celebrity endorsement) were consistently rated lowest. Class differences were modest; for example, the Resistant group rated fiscal and legislative levers slightly higher. These results support population-level changes to the food environment, especially pricing support and improving the appeal and choice of plant-based foods, over information-only strategies. COM-B segmentation can inform how these measures are framed for different audiences. Because ratings reflect perceived rather than tested effectiveness, they should guide policy and intervention prioritisation and design alongside experimental and implementation evidence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105693"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046916","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":"Corrigendum to “When the music stops: Crossmodal effects of sounds on taste do not explain changes in liking” [Food Qual. Prefer. 131 (2025) 105576]","authors":"Johan Swahn , Asgeir Nilsen , Iuri Baptista","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105684","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105684","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105684"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145263291","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}
Ji-Na Kim , Bo-Hyun Yun , Yeon-Joo Lee , Yoon-Ah Jang , Hye-Seong Lee
{"title":"Integrated sensory profiling of fresh lettuce varieties: Combining affect magnitude profiling with generalized descriptive analysis","authors":"Ji-Na Kim , Bo-Hyun Yun , Yeon-Joo Lee , Yoon-Ah Jang , Hye-Seong Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105694","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105694","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding sensory characteristics is essential for predicting consumer preferences and guiding product innovation. However, profiling fresh produce poses challenges due to its inherent variability and the lack of standardized category benchmarks. This study applied and evaluated Affect Magnitude Profiling (AMP), a consumer-centered sensory profiling method designed to address these challenges. AMP combines familiarization sessions, allowing consumers to generate intuitive and consumer-relevant attribute terms, with the Double-Faced Applicability (DFA) test, a two-step, Signal Detection Theory (SDT)-based procedure using bipolar semantic descriptors to quantify both the applicability and perceived strength of attributes with minimal training. Ten lettuce varieties were profiled using both AMP and generalized Descriptive Analysis (gDA). gDA, conducted with a trained panel, provided detailed, analytically derived sensory attributes, while AMP, conducted with a small consumer panel, generated holistic, affective, and consumer-relevant descriptors. Across 18 paired descriptors, <em>d</em>′<sub><em>A</em></sub> (affect-magnitude d-prime) values derived from AMP demonstrated great sample discriminability and identified key consumer-driven attributes driving liking, including ‘not bitter’, ‘taste good’, and ‘crinkled’. These findings highlight the complementary value of AMP and gDA: AMP captures consumer-relevant, affective perceptions and enables rapid, resource-efficient profiling, while gDA delivers analytical precision for interpreting consumer insights. Together, these approaches provide a robust framework for sensory characterization, early-stage product development, and the study of complex or variable products. AMP’s integration of consumer-derived language, familiarization, and SDT-based quantification offers actionable insights for both research and industry, enhancing the ability to align fresh product design with consumer expectations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105694"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145060995","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":"Understanding young consumers' attitudes towards plant-based products: A structural equation modelling analysis approach","authors":"Djemaa Moussaoui , Marija Banovic , Amparo Tarrega , Carolina Chaya","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105702","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105702","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growing interest in transitioning to more plant-based diets has increased the need to understand the factors that drive consumers' acceptance of plant-based alternatives. This study examines how individual traits, such as meat attachment, environmental and health concerns, animal sacrifice concerns, and food neophilia, influence young Spanish consumers' attitudes towards plant-based products. Data on consumers' attitudes towards meat reduction and food neophilia were collected from 361 consumers aged 18–35 years using an online survey. Consumers assessed their expected liking and purchase intention of plant-based burgers with different primary sources of plant protein (soy, pea, or wheat). The results showed that the source of plant protein did not affect consumer response. Meat attachment, environmental, and animal sacrifice concerns had significant (<em>p <</em> 0.05) direct effect on the expected liking and purchase intention of plant-based products, whereas the direct effect of health concerns was not significant (<em>p</em> > 0.05). Mediation analysis using indirect effect estimands in AMOS showed that animal sacrifice concerns mediated the relationship between environmental concerns and both expected liking and purchase intention (partial mediation), and between health concerns and the same outcomes (full mediation), whereas no mediation was observed for meat attachment. Hence, focusing on animal sacrifice concerns may be especially effective as a driver to reinforce the environmental and health benefits of plant-based alternatives, but not for those with meat attachment attitudes. Our findings highlight that food neophilia and dietary patterns play key roles in shaping young Spanish consumers' acceptance of plant-based products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105702"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145047315","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":"Does dark mean insect? Investigating the impact of food color on the perceived likelihood of insect ingredients and consumer acceptance","authors":"Zining Wang , Zhuo Gong , Jaewoo Park","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105689","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105689","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To mitigate the aversion triggered by visible insect cues, many food manufacturers process insect ingredients to make them visually imperceptible and incorporate them into familiar products. This strategy increases ambiguity for consumers in judging whether a product contains insect ingredients. In this context, this research examines whether a subtle visual cue—food color lightness—affects consumers' inferences about the presence of insect ingredients and their subsequent product acceptance. Across two online experiments, participants evaluated lighter- and darker-colored bread (Study 1) and cookies (Study 2). Results consistently showed that darker-colored foods led to a higher perceived likelihood of containing insect ingredients. Although the total effect of food color on consumer acceptance was not significant, mediation analyses revealed a significant indirect effect: darker color increased the perceived likelihood of insect content, which in turn significantly reduced acceptance. Moreover, Study 2 demonstrated that individual attitudes toward entomophagy moderated this indirect effect: it was negative for participants with unfavorable attitudes but reversed for those with highly positive attitudes. These findings contribute to the sensory marketing and food perception literature and provide valuable practical insights for developing insect-based food products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105689"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145020726","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 “High-in” nutritional warning scheme on consumer product perception after a short period of implementation in Brazil","authors":"Marcela de Alcantara , Inayara Beatriz Araujo Martins , Laudiane Justo Sant'Anna , Rosires Deliza","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105688","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105688","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nutritional warnings have gained popularity in Latin America and are designed to encourage healthier food choices. The study aimed to assess the impact of the “High-in” nutritional warning scheme – prior to its full implementation in Brazil - on the consumers' ability to understand the nutritional information, as well as their awareness, and self-reported use. 1033 Brazilian adults were recruited by a agency and assigned to one of two experimental conditions: products without “High-in” scheme (<em>n</em> = 521) and with (<em>n</em> = 512) “High-in” scheme. Three different product categories (grape nectar, toast, and sponge cake) were evaluated. For each category, participants assessed a series of three products and were asked to identify the healthiest option based on critical nutrient content, as defined by ANVISA. Additionally, participants' ability to recognize excessive nutrients across seven product categories was examined, along with their awareness of the policy and self-reported use of “High-in” in the group exposed to the “High-in” scheme. While most participants viewed the “High-in” scheme as a good idea, actual reported use was still very low. No significant differences were observed in participants' ability to interpret the nutritional information between the two experimental conditions. Presence of the “High-in” scheme and health concerns were cited as primary reasons for changing purchase decision among those exposed to black magnifier. These findings highlight the need for target communication campaigns that emphasize health concerns and assess whether such efforts can enhance the effectiveness of the “High-in” scheme by integrating it more meaningfully into consumer's decision-making process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105688"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145027384","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":"Does information exposure approximate information choice? An experiment on honey fraud information and valuation","authors":"Christopher R. Gustafson , Antoine Champetier","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105682","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105682","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We conducted a novel incentivized valuation experiment to study the implications of information exposure on consumer valuation and compare them to an approximation of real-world conditions in which people select information to view in an information-rich environment. Studies on the impact of information on consumer valuation typically direct participants to read researcher-provided information, but evidence from comparable studies of decisions in laboratory versus field settings suggests this approach may overestimate the real-world impact—that is, the external validity—of information when people must choose among many sources of information. We study the implications of information exposure vs. information choice by randomizing participants to one of those two conditions in a controlled valuation experiment based on the Becker-DeGroot-Marschak mechanism, addressing three aims. First, we estimate the difference in valuation of honey when individuals are exposed to information vs. when they can choose to access information. Next, we examine potential drivers of information search when individuals can choose to access information. Finally, we study the effects of exposure to information on subsequent information access. The research offers multiple contributions, including—most significantly—evidence that valuation changes in response to information does not reflect what happens when people can make choices about information access, which is critical for providing accurate estimates to researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders. It also contributes to our understanding of individuals' selection of information, identifying drivers of information choice. Finally, it provides estimates of the impact of information about honey fraud on consumers' valuation of honey. Honey fraud and its impact on honey revenues is a key issue for the beekeeping industry and an important determinant of the number of hives contributing to crop pollination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"134 ","pages":"Article 105682"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144919727","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":"Feminine plants, masculine insects: Branding alternative proteins with gendered cues","authors":"Kosuke Motoki , Jaewoo Park , Shin-ichi Ishikawa","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105686","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105686","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alternative proteins are garnering increasing attention as sustainable food sources. However, despite their environmental, nutritional, and ethical advantages, their consumer acceptance remains relatively limited. Branding represents a promising, yet underexplored, strategy for shaping consumer perceptions and enhancing acceptance. This study examined the impact of gendered brand cues on consumer evaluations of alternative proteins. We examined how consumers associate brand gender cues (feminine and masculine) with different types of alternative proteins including legumes, algae, insects, and cultured meat. Study 1 revealed that legume- and algae-based proteins are perceived as more congruent with feminine brand personalities, whereas insect- and cultured meat-based proteins are perceived as more congruent with masculine brand personalities. Studies 2 A and 2 B demonstrated that feminine brand design elements —such as rounded logos, slender fonts, and feminine-sounding names — are seen more suitable for plant- and algae-based proteins. In contrast, masculine design elements— angular logos, bold fonts, and masculine-sounding names align more closely with animal-based proteins. However, certain elements, such as colour, showed less consistent patterns. Study 3 further showed that feminine branding enhances brand attitudes toward plant-based proteins, and this effect is mediated by perceived brand–product congruence. Taken together, these findings highlight the importance of aligning brand gender cues with the type of alternative protein and offer practical implications for designing gender-congruent branding strategies in the alternative protein sector.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"134 ","pages":"Article 105686"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144932729","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}
Chanette Frederiksen , Derek Victor Byrne , Martin R. Yeomans , Barbara Vad Andersen
{"title":"Impact of interoceptive and exteroceptive attention during a lunch meal on appetite, pleasure, sensory-specific desires, and post-study consumption in healthy adult women","authors":"Chanette Frederiksen , Derek Victor Byrne , Martin R. Yeomans , Barbara Vad Andersen","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105687","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105687","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Attention to interoceptive (bodily sensations) and exteroceptive (sensory cues) signals while eating has previously been associated with more conscious food choices. However, the immediate effects of such attentional focus on appetite and subsequent intake are not fully understood. We investigated whether written instructions guiding attention to interoceptive, exteroceptive, or combined cues during a lunch meal influenced appetite, food-related pleasure, sensory-specific desires, and post-study consumption behaviour in healthy adult women. Potential effects of Body Mass Index (BMI) classification were also explored. Ninety-seven participants completed two test days. On test day 1, all participants completed a session where attention was directed to aspects of physical surroundings (e.g., lighting, sound). On test day 2, participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: 1. attention to environmental cues (repeated day 1), 2. Attention to interoceptive cues, 3. Attention to exteroceptive cues, or 4. Attention to combined interoceptive and exteroceptive cues. The focus of their attention, subjective appetite ratings, and post-study food intake were assessed. Our findings showed that attention could be successfully directed to the desired cues via written instructions, and while immediate appetite-related responses did not significantly differ between conditions, subtle changes in post-study consumption behaviour were observed. No difference was found based on participants' BMI classification. The ability to successfully direct participants' attention through brief written instructions in our study highlights a promising methodological tool for future studies exploring mechanisms behind eating behaviour and decision-making.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"134 ","pages":"Article 105687"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144925575","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}
Lisa Dubbiosi , Lapo Pierguidi , Monica Borgogno , Caterina Dinnella , Simona Sanesi , Erminio Monteleone , Sara Spinelli
{"title":"Implicit measure of emotional responses to fabric textures: an original approach based on the Affect Misattribution Procedure","authors":"Lisa Dubbiosi , Lapo Pierguidi , Monica Borgogno , Caterina Dinnella , Simona Sanesi , Erminio Monteleone , Sara Spinelli","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105685","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105685","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fabric texture significantly influences consumers' emotional responses, shaping product preferences. While explicit methods capture conscious evaluations, many emotional reactions occur automatically, outside awareness. Implicit measures can reveal these spontaneous responses, offering deeper insight into the emotional impact of texture, particularly in the absence of visual cues. This study applied an adapted Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP) to investigate implicit emotional responses to fabric textures using only touch. One hundred fifty-four Italian participants blindly touched one of six fabrics, cotton, synthetic leather, wool, bamboo sponge, velvet, and jute, selected for their potential to elicit varied emotions. Each fabric served as a prime stimulus. Immediately afterward, participants viewed an ambiguous stimulus (Chinese pictograph) and selected the emotion it evoked, irrespective of their tactile experience. Choices included four emotions reflecting distinct combinations of valence and arousal: happiness, relaxation, boredom, and sadness. Each fabric was presented three times in random order, and response times were recorded. Results showed clear patterns: velvet most frequently evoked happiness, bamboo sponge was linked to relaxation, and jute to sadness. Relaxation, a low-arousal positive emotion, was selected more quickly than sadness, suggesting that emotional valence influences the speed of automatic responses. These findings demonstrate that texture can elicit implicit emotional reactions and underscore the utility of implicit methods in sensory research. The proposed approach enables the measurement of both affective and emotion-specific responses to tactile stimuli. By highlighting texture as a key emotional dimension, this method supports emotionally driven product design and the development of more engaging, multisensory consumer experiences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"134 ","pages":"Article 105685"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144996412","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}