{"title":"Imagine it, trust it: How anatomical depiction influences consumer intention to purchase organic food","authors":"Rubing Bai , Baolong Ma , Zhichen Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105831","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105831","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As consumers' focus on healthy eating grows, enhancing their trust in organic food promotion has become an urgent industry priority. This paper reveals a new visual approach —anatomical depiction —and its enhancement of consumers' organic food purchase intention. This effect occurs because anatomical depiction elicits consumers' imagery of food making and plating, which is defined as “simulated making process”, thereby strengthening trust in organic food. Four preregistered experiments (data from <span><span>Wenjuan.com</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>) were conducted to verify these effects. SPSS 24.0 was used for data analysis, and G*Power was employed for post-hoc power analysis. A prestudy (<em>n</em> = 145, Chi-square) provided evidence for the simulated making process; Study1 (<em>n</em> = 192, ANOVA) showed the anatomical depiction's main effect; Study2 (<em>n</em> = 194, PROCESS model 6) validated serial mediation; Study3 (<em>n</em> = 201, PROCESS model 91) found more substantial effects for high (vs. low) ingredient diversity. This paper is the first to investigate the downstream effects of anatomical depiction in organic food research, identifying it as a trust mechanism with ingredient diversity as a boundary. These insights extend theoretical boundaries in visual cues and offer actionable recommendations, such as prioritizing anatomical depiction for high diversity organic food to optimize management and strengthen trust.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 105831"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798437","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":"Stress-driven shifts in sensory desire and food appetite","authors":"Soo-Hyun Lee , Jae-Hee Hong","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105816","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105816","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stress is a powerful trigger for cravings for certain sensory attributes. While stress-induced craving for high-calorie foods has been reported, the activation of the reward system by negative emotions may modulate desire for a wider range of sensory cues. This study investigated how lab-induced acute stress alters sensory desires and appetite for specific foods, and how these responses are moderated by gender and emotional eating behavior. Young adults (aged 20–39, <em>n</em> = 116) were randomly assigned to a stress or control group. Acute stress was induced using the Maastricht Acute Stress Test, while the control group performed a non-stressful task. Desire for 14 sensory attributes and appetite for 28 foods were measured before and after stress induction, and emotional eating tendencies were assessed. Stress significantly increased desires for spiciness, fattiness, and crispiness, while decreasing desire for moistness. Appetite increased selectively for spicy, high-fat foods. These effects were moderated by gender and emotional eating behavior, with stressed men and high emotional eaters showing greater increases in craving for spiciness. Sweetness was not craved under stress, possibly reflecting reduced reward sensitivity due to habitual exposure to sweet foods and a resulting shift in craving toward more arousing stimuli, such as spiciness. Sensory desire and appetite did not always align, suggesting a dissociation shaped by individual preferences and food-related context. These findings indicate that acute stress selectively alters sensory motivation and food choice. Further research is needed to examine implicit and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying stress-related sensory cravings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 105816"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145749643","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}
Jie Zhang, Zhengda Wu, Yulin Hu, Yilei Li, Jiayin Wang, Junhan Hu
{"title":"Ugly outside, healthy inside: How packaging information labels shape consumer perceptions of imperfect fruits","authors":"Jie Zhang, Zhengda Wu, Yulin Hu, Yilei Li, Jiayin Wang, Junhan Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105832","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105832","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Visual imperfections are a key barrier to consumer acceptance of imperfect fruits. A common cognitive bias—equating imperfection with spoilage (“ugly = spoiled”)—leads consumers to associate appearance defects with low quality or poor health, causing large amounts of edible waste. Although prior studies have improved willingness to buy (WTB), they have not fundamentally changed this perception. Moreover, the influence of packaging cues on reshaping such cognition remains underexplored. Grounded in cue utilization theory, this study designs an information label and tests its effectiveness through four online experiments involving strawberries, pears, and apples (<em>N</em> = 784 across 30 Chinese provinces). Results show that visual and textual cues on the label significantly increase consumers' WTB through a serial mediation of perceived naturalness and perceived quality. The indirect path—Information Cues → Perceived Naturalness → Perceived Quality → WTB—was significant (b = 0.775, 95 % CI: [0.5108, 1.0762]). These cues prompt consumers to reattribute visual imperfections to natural characteristics, thereby enhancing perceived quality and WTB. Furthermore, the label's effect remained stable when an organic certification was present, indicating a diminishing marginal effect of coexisting information cues (b = 0.095, 95 % CI: [−0.0290, 0.2426]). This study expands understanding of imperfect fruit consumption by revealing how external cues shape cognitive reconstruction and decision-making. It also provides actionable insights for packaging design, food waste reduction, and sustainable consumption promotion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 105832"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798435","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":"Demand for craft beer and craft wine: A choice experiment across on-premise contexts","authors":"Roberta Capitello, Claudia Bazzani, Diego Begalli","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105834","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105834","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores consumer demand for craft beer and craft wine in Italy, a traditionally wine-oriented country where wine consumption is declining while beer consumption is increasing. Using a choice experiment across four on-premise contexts (traditional restaurant, aperitif bar, sushi restaurant, and pizzeria), we analyze consumer preferences for craft and industrial variants. Data from 275 consumers were estimated with mixed logit models to derive willingness to pay (WTP), market shares, demand curves, and price elasticities. Results show that the craft attribute raises preferences across all contexts, with craft wine valued most in restaurants and craft beer in pizzerias. Demand elasticities differ by venue. Substitution patterns also emerge as craft beer competes primarily with its industrial counterpart, while craft wine shows stronger substitution with craft beer in some contexts, underscoring asymmetric relationships between products. Findings highlight the importance of context and craftsmanship in shaping demand and guide pricing and marketing strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 105834"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145880798","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}
Nazila Babakhani , Anna K. Zinn , Julia Carins , Sara Dolnicar
{"title":"Can physical performance food labels encourage healthier food choices among physically active people?","authors":"Nazila Babakhani , Anna K. Zinn , Julia Carins , Sara Dolnicar","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105798","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105798","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Labeling food options in workplace cafeterias is a cost-effective way of promoting healthy eating. Prior findings on the effectiveness of food labels are mixed. This study develops and empirically tests a new approach: signaling which aspects of physical performance are enhanced by which food item. The study focuses on physically active individuals eating at workplace cafeterias. Study 1 (survey experiment, <em>N</em> = 513) investigates how the new labeling strategy is perceived by physically active participants in a simulated work cafeteria setting. Study 2 (an eye-tracking study, <em>N</em> = 60) tests whether adding messages that leverage personal goals or social identity to the labels increases attention to the labels and their effectiveness. Findings suggest that the new labels outperform current nutritional and physical activity calorie equivalent (PACE) labels in terms of positive perception, emotional reactions, and self-reported usage. However, self-reported label use did not align with actual food selections, likely due to a simplified cafeteria task that failed to reflect real-life decision-making. Study 2 addressed this with a more realistic setup, showing that the new labels led to significantly healthier food choices compared to no label condition. Adding additional messaging to the labels to further increase their impact did not prove effective. The findings imply that simple, performance-aligned labels might be more effective than existing labels in promoting healthier food choices for physically active individuals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 105798"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837794","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}
Igor Souza de Brito , Elson Rogerio Tavares Filho , Rebeca B.E. de Mattos , Mônica M. Pagani , Eliane T. Mársico , Adriano G. da Cruz , Carolina P.C. Martins , Erick A. Esmerino
{"title":"Do hybrid yogurts ease dietary transitions? Multi-method evidence from Brazilian consumers","authors":"Igor Souza de Brito , Elson Rogerio Tavares Filho , Rebeca B.E. de Mattos , Mônica M. Pagani , Eliane T. Mársico , Adriano G. da Cruz , Carolina P.C. Martins , Erick A. Esmerino","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105837","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105837","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global shift toward sustainable diets has intensified interest in alternatives to conventional dairy. While plant-based products often encounter sensory and emotional barriers, hybrid yogurts (dairy products partially substituted with plant-based ingredients) are emerging as potential “sensory bridges” that may ease dietary transitions. Yet, little is known about how consumers emotionally and cognitively evaluate these innovations. This study aimed to map Brazilian consumers' expectations, emotions, and perceptions regarding traditional, hybrid, and plant-based yogurts. A multi-method approach integrated qualitative insights from online focus groups with quantitative data from Text Highlighting (TH), emotional profiling using the Circumplex-inspired Emotion Questionnaire (CEQ), and attribute associations via CATA. A total of 321 consumers participated. Results revealed that traditional yogurts elicited the strongest emotional comfort (secure/at ease, <em>p</em> < 0.001), while nut-based plant yogurts triggered higher negative emotions (unhappy/dissatisfied, <em>p</em> = 0.024). Coconut-based hybrids stood out by balancing emotional acceptance and functional perceptions, showing proximity to traditional products in terms of sensory familiarity and nutritional value, while incorporating sustainability-related attributes. Consumers perceived hybrids as promising solutions but still expressed apprehension linked to sensory deviations and ingredient unfamiliarity. Overall, the results demonstrate that dairy-coconut hybrid yogurts combine emotional acceptance with sensory familiarity, offering guidance for product formulation, consumer communication, and strategies to support gradual transitions toward more sustainable diets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 105837"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145749607","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 repeated visual and olfactory exposure to sweet and sour cues on appetite and food liking","authors":"Hee-Young Cho , Jae-Hee Hong","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105825","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105825","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated how repeated exposure to food-related sensory cues, varying in taste type (sweet vs. sour) and modality (visual vs. olfactory), influences appetite and liking responses. A total of 234 participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups, exposed to neutral (water, <em>n</em> = 81), sweet (chocolate milk, <em>n</em> = 76), or sour (lemonade, <em>n</em> = 77) cues across eight sessions. At each session, participants rated food wanting, liking, general appetite and cravings for sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness, and spiciness. Initial exposures to sweet and sour cues increased wanting and liking for the target foods and elevated cravings for the corresponding taste. However, repeated exposure resulted in satiation effects. Neutral cues showed no priming effect and even reduced appetite with repetition. General appetite increased initially but later stabilized with sweet and sour cues, whereas repeated exposure to neutral cues resulted in a consistent decline. Notably, cue effects extended beyond the targeted taste domains: repeated sweet cues increased cravings for bitterness, while sour cues significantly decreased cravings for spiciness over time. Visual cues had a more pronounced influence than olfactory cues, specifically in stimulus wanting and liking, general appetite, and cravings for sweetness and saltiness. These findings suggest that both sweet and sour sensory cues can modulate not only appetite for the targeted food but also for other foods with shared or differing sensory features. The results highlight the importance of cue type, sensory modality, and exposure frequency in shaping appetite and suggest potential applications for targeted appetite regulation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 105825"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145749653","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}
I Gede Agus Ariutama , Ram Pandit , Benedict White , Maksym Polyakov
{"title":"Discarding decisions: A behavioral analysis of consumer food waste in Indonesia","authors":"I Gede Agus Ariutama , Ram Pandit , Benedict White , Maksym Polyakov","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105814","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105814","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores consumer food waste decisions in Indonesia and aims to assess how economic, socio-demographic, and contextual factors affect the decision to waste food. We use a vignette approach to analyze consumers food waste behavior, that is, discarding meal leftovers. This research considers food waste not as a simple inefficient result, but an outcome of consumers weighing various trade-offs and economic incentives, including considerations of price, location, socio-cultural contexts and opportunity loss. By identifying and comparing consumers' behaviors using between and within-subject designs across two provinces—Yogyakarta and Bali—we found that consumers are more likely to discard leftovers when meals are affordable, when dining out occurs and when a smaller portion of the food is left. The between-subject and within subject designs give consistent results, confirming the robustness and reliability of this study. This consistency validates the efficacy of the chosen vignettes in capturing salient decision factors for individual consumers. Based on the findings, we offer some policy recommendations to address the high and increasing levels of food waste in Indonesia and other developing countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 105814"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145693402","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}
Jonas Potthoff , Maya Gumussoy , Anne Schienle , Edwin S. Dalmaijer
{"title":"Curious yet disgusted: A mobile eye-tracking investigation of visual attention to insect-based snacks in a buffet setting","authors":"Jonas Potthoff , Maya Gumussoy , Anne Schienle , Edwin S. Dalmaijer","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105826","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105826","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Western societies, many people are unfamiliar with insect-based foods and reject them, despite their promise as a sustainable alternative to conventional animal protein. This mobile eye-tracking study examined how people view and evaluate insect-based foods in a buffet setting. Thirty-seven participants (mean age = 26 years) freely viewed a buffet containing 12 items from four categories: insect-based snacks, novel non-insect snacks, familiar snacks, and non-food objects. Mobile eye-tracking measured total and mean fixation durations for each item. Participants also rated each food item on disgust and desire to eat. The findings show that insect-based and novel snacks were viewed significantly longer than familiar snacks and non-foods, indicating increased visual engagement rather than oculomotor avoidance. Mean fixation duration did not differ across categories. Insect-based snacks elicited significantly higher disgust and lower desire to eat than both novel and familiar snacks. In conclusion, despite high disgust and low desire to eat, insect-based snacks attracted more visual attention than familiar foods and non-foods. This suggests that food disgust is not associated with oculomotor avoidance which is commonly observed when disgust is elicited by non-food.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 105826"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145749652","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}
Siti Amelia Juraimi , Florence Sheen , Anna Fogel , Mary F.-F. Chong , Benjamin P.C. Smith , Aimee E. Pink
{"title":"Shaping future diets: Examining capabilities, opportunities and motivations to increase acceptance of alternative proteins in families","authors":"Siti Amelia Juraimi , Florence Sheen , Anna Fogel , Mary F.-F. Chong , Benjamin P.C. Smith , Aimee E. Pink","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105845","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105845","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Children have the potential to drive the adoption of alternative proteins (AP), yet studies exploring children and parents' perceptions, using developed frameworks such as the Capability, Opportunity and Motivation model of Behaviour (COM<img>B) are limited. Through an online questionnaire, we aimed to understand children and parents' awareness and consumption of plant-based meat, cultivated meat and insect proteins in Singapore and their willingness to try (WTT) and willingness to regularly consume (WTC). We also examined which COM-B domains predicted WTT and WTC as well as factors that predicted parent's willingness to let their child try (LCT) and willingness to let their child regularly consume (LCC). Children (<em>N</em> = 266; <em>M</em> = 11.47-years-old) and parents (<em>N</em> = 269; <em>M</em> = 42.34-years-old) were most familiar with and reported greatest previous consumption of plant-based meats, compared to the other AP types. Among children, motivation was a significant predictor of WTT (<em>p</em>s ≤ 0.015), and capability was a significant predictor of WTC (<em>p</em>s ≤ 0.019) for all AP. For parents, motivation was a significant predictor of WTT and WTC for all types (except WTT plant based and WTC cultivated meat; <em>p</em>s ≤ 0.003) and capability significantly predicted WTC cultivated meat and plant-based meat (<em>p</em>s ≤ 0.030). Opportunity was not a significant predictor for either WTT or WTC for children and parents. AP adding value to the child's diet were significant predictors of LCT and LCC (<em>p</em>s ≤ 0.004). Our results help to uncover the complex nature of consumer views of AP, and we make recommendation of interventions that could be developed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 105845"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145880797","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}