Øydis Ueland

Consumer perceptions of food products involving genetic modification—results from a qualitative study in four Nordic countries

1. The present study addresses consumer acceptance of food products involving the use of different applications of genetic modification in four Nordic countries. Three food products were used as examples: hard cheese, hard candy, and salmon. Three types of applications of genetic modification were investigated: modification of the raw material, use of genetic modification in enzyme production, and direct use of genetically modified microorganisms. In addition, three levels of presence of the genetically modified material in the final product were investigated: not present, present, and present and living/able to function. 2. The results from consumer samples in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are remarkably similar, showing a strong stability in consumer reactions to the use of genetic modification in food production in these four countries. 3. Consumer perception is characterised by a basic dichotomy of GM and non-GM products. Being non-GM is regarded as a major benefit in itself. When a product involves genetic modification, this elicits numerous negative assocations, of which the strongest ones are ‘unhealthy’ and ‘uncertainty.’ 4. The level of presence of the genetically modified material in the final product has a clear impact on consumer acceptance. When the GM material is present and viable/able to function, acceptance is lowest. 5. The type of application of genetic modification has an impact on consumer acceptance as well, but it differs across products. Still, there is a clear tendency that acceptance of salmon products where the salmon itself was genetically modified was lowest among all products tested. 6. The consumer benefits which the application of GM brings about (e.g., improved taste, functional benefits, environmental benefits) are largely perceived, but cannot overcompensate for the negative associations to GM. In some cases, a supposed benefit (e.g., faster growth of salmon, leading to reduced energy costs) was actually perceived as a disadvantage. Benefits combining personal tangible benefits with societal relevance (e.g., a low calorie candy which can be consumed by people suffering from diabetes) may have most positive impact on consumer acceptance.

Gender specific preferences and attitudes towards meat

Abstract Recently, red meat avoidance has shown an increase in the industrialised countries, especially among young female consumers. Sensory factors as bloodiness in meat, difficulties coping with eating a fellow animal, and private body concern appear as the main reasons for red meat exclusion. The study addressed whether sensory attributes in meat are linked to attitudes and beliefs about meat. Based on previous studies, the expectation that red meat is linked to dislike and negative attitudes among young females was tested. The study used a quantitative approach, applying both a quantitative sensory profiling with trained panellists and a consumer study with a convenience sample. The trained sensory panel evaluated 22 sensory attributes of five meats, ranging from red (beef) to white (chicken) meat varieties. Comparable samples of the same meat varieties were served in randomised order to 206 young consumers, males and females between the ages of 14 and 30 years, in a blind preference test. Beliefs and attitudes towards meat-eating, and desired change in consumption frequencies of flesh products were also collected. Consumers preferred the white meat (chicken) to the red meats. The mean hedonic rating of meat decreased progressively as the meat increased in red colour intensity and typical meat flavours, and this was particularly evident for females. Females displayed, in contrast to males, significantly lower mean hedonic scores for the reddest meat varieties, i.e. ostrich, lamb and beef. Males displayed, compared with females, also a significantly higher attitudinal support for “pro-red meat” statements. The results were strengthened by significantly higher desired increase in consumption frequency of beef among male consumers. The link between consumer and product was established and revealed a close relationship between specific sensory attributes of meats and consumer attitudes towards meat. For example, sensory attributes related to white meat were correlated with negative attitudes towards red meat. The hypothesis that dislike of red meat varieties is more prevalent among females was supported.

Public attitudes towards genetically modified food

Purpose – This study aimed to investigate the impact of information about traceability and new detection methods for identifying genetically‐modified organisms in food, on consumer attitudes towards genetically‐modified food and consumer trust in regulators in Italy, Norway and England. It further aimed to investigate public preferences for labelling of genetically‐modified foods in these three countries.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was designed to investigate public attitudes toward genetically‐modified food and trust in different information sources. Participants were recruited in Italy, Norway and England for this study. A between subjects design was used, where each participant was randomly allocated to either the experimental “information condition”, or the control “no information condition”.Findings – Receiving information about new detection methods and traceability did not directly influence consumer attitudes towards genetically‐modified foods or trust in regulators. However, res...

Food risk management quality: Consumer evaluations of past and emerging food safety incidents

In European countries, there has been growing consumer distrust regarding the motives of food safety regulators and other actors in the food chain, partly as a result of recent food safety incidents. If consumer confidence in food safety is to be improved, a systematic understanding of what consumers perceive to be best practice in risk management is crucial. Previous qualitative and quantitative research has revealed underlying factors determining consumer perceptions of food risk management quality. The aim of the current case studies is to provide ‘proof of principles’ of these different factors against historic and emerging food safety incidents. Participants in four countries were questioned about country specific case studies, guided by the earlier findings regarding factors that determine perceived good practice in food risk management. In each country, two food safety incidents were selected. Semi-structured interviews with at least 25 participants per case study were conducted in Germany (BSE; nematode worms in fish), Greece (mould in Greek yogurt/carcinogenic honey crisis; avian influenza), Norway (E. coli in meat; contaminants in Norwegian salmon) and the UK (BSE; contaminants in Scottish salmon). The results generally confirm the importance of the previously identified factors, which help to explain relative perceptions of well and poorly managed incidents. Differences and similarities across countries and cases are detailed, and implications for future efforts to communicate about risk management are drawn.

Relationships between sensory evaluations of beef tenderness, shear force measurements and consumer characteristics

The supply of tender beef is an important challenge for the beef industry. Knowledge about the profile of consumers who are more optimistic or more accurate in their tenderness evaluations is important for product development and beef marketing purposes. Central location tests of beef steaks were performed in Norway and Belgium (n=218). Instrumental and sensorial tenderness of three muscles from Belgian Blue and Norwegian Red cattle was reported. Consumers who are optimistically evaluating tenderness were found to be more often male, less food neophobic, more positive towards beef healthiness, and showed fewer concerns about beef safety. No clear profile emerged for consumers who assessed tenderness similar to shear force measurements, which suggests that tenderness is mainly evaluated subjectively. The results imply a window of opportunities in tenderness improvements, and allow targeting a market segment which is less critical towards beef tenderness.

Consumer attitudes toward low stake risk in food markets

Consistency of quality is viewed as important for producers of consumer goods. However, there is no literature testing the importance of quality consistency on consumers’ willingness to pay for consumer goods. We use an experimental auction market to investigate how inconsistency in tenderness affects consumers’ willingness to pay for beef. We find that most consumers are risk averse with respect to sensory quality. Both the average tenderness and the variance of tenderness affected the consumers’ willingness to pay for beef. Reducing the uncertainty of the sensory quality by categorizing the beef into three tenderness classes increased the total value of the beef by 8%.