Predictors of food neophobia among Turkish university students and its association with food choices from online Turkish restaurant menu

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with food neophobia (FN) among Turkish university students, with a particular focus on comparing FN levels between students in food-related and non-food-related programs. Additionally, the impact of FN on food choices was investigated. Three groups of students were recruited: cookery/gastronomy and culinary arts (COOK) students (n = 484), nutrition and dietetics/food engineering (NUTRI-FOOD) students (n = 448), and students from non-food-related (NON-FOOD) departments (n = 431). Data included socio-demographic information, the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS), and an online food choice experiment using Turkish restaurant and café menus. The menu included options designed to evoke neophobic responses in the categories of starter, soup, main course, dessert, and beverage. The results of the study indicated that students’ department, international experience, and socio-demographic factors were the determinants of FN among students. COOK students exhibited lower odds of medium (OR: 0.68, 95% CI 0.49–0.95) and high (OR: 0.33, 95% CI 0.23–0.46) FN compared to students in NON-FOOD programs. However, FN levels did not differ between NUTRI-FOOD and NON-FOOD students. Higher academic year, higher paternal education and experience of being abroad were associated with lower FN, whereas lower appetite, history of food poisoning and middle income were associated with higher FN. Moreover, FN was negatively correlated with familiarity with most of the menu items. FN significantly influenced food choice, with students exhibiting high FN less likely to choose unfamiliar foods from online restaurant and café menus. The results highlight the link between familiarity with Turkish cuisine, food choice and FN.