Search

Summary: Meat reduction, rather than total elimination, is emerging as a popular trend that fulfils most consumer demands. In this study, using survey results from 802 United Kingdom residents, we identified distinct groups of consumers based on their meat consumption habits and explored their attitudes towards meat reduction and their perception of hybrid meat products. Two distinct consumer segments were identified, named 'fans' and 'reducers'. 'Fans' were unwilling to reduce their meat consumption, considering it a right that makes them feel good. They were more optimistic regarding environmental concerns and less enthusiastic about the idea of hybrid meat products. On the other hand, 'reducers', although they consumed meat, expressed feeling bad about it and reported high levels of environmental concerns. These differences were also reflected in their willingness to eat and buy hybrid meat products, as well as the desired type of meat and meat‐to‐plant‐based ratio in their chosen hybrid meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Hybrid foods are made by blending animal‐based and plant‐based ingredients to make food products that are similar to the 100% animal‐based ones. Examples include hybrid meat products such as burgers or minced meat with vegetables or more recently hybrid dairy products such as cheddar cheese with oats. While hybrid meat products have been launched in several countries by both retailers and foodservice outlets, there are very few examples of hybrid meat products still available in the market, such as hybrid nuggets targeting children and hybrid minced meat products. This short viewpoint article covers some of the possible reasons this might be happening, presents examples of successful hybrid food products, discusses the importance of sustainability claims and the potential of hybrid meals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumption trends demand healthier meat products and require research into reformulation strategies. Ambiguities in consumer preferences for two processed meat reformulation strategies (i.e., ingredient "reduction" and nutrient "addition") were investigated. Using physical prototypes of omega-3-enriched pork sausages and sensory evaluation to reduce hypothetical bias, followed by a choice-based conjoint experiment, results suggested that consumers valued both "addition" and "reduction" reformulation strategies, and consumers' willingness-to-pay (WTP) premiums were the highest for omega-3 addition, followed by fat reduction, and were lowest for salt reduction. Moreover, WTP was influenced by sensory preferences and was positively correlated with sensory liking levels. Providing health-related information improved consumers' sensory perceptions of omega-3-enriched sausages. Findings imply that reformulated healthier meat products are acceptable to consumers. Moreover, to enhance consumers' valuation on new launches of healthier processed meat products, meat manufacturers should inform consumers of health-related reformulation information, provide consumers with opportunities to taste newly developed healthier processed meat products, and continuously optimize consumers' sensory experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A trend has emerged seeking to transform edible food waste into new consumable products, a process known as upcycling. However, there are limited studies on consumer knowledge and attitudes towards upcycled foods. This study is the first to compare a Western (United States (US)) and Eastern (China) country, in terms of consumer attitudes to upcycled foods and consumer preferences on new upcycled food combinations. The survey was distributed online and statistical analyses were performed to calculate differences between the two countries relating to willingness to try (WTT), willingness to buy (WTB), liking, familiarity, attractiveness, purchase likelihood and previous knowledge of upcycled foods. Results indicate that more participants in China had heard previously of upcycled foods than in the US, however familiarity was low in both countries. Overall, liking towards upcycled foods was higher in the USA than in China. In the US, the most popular combinations were snack foods with upcycled spent grains and upcycled vegetables included in soups, followed by upcycled fruit in snacks. In China the most popular combinations were fruit in snacks, breakfast foods and drinks. The preferred by-products in both countries were plant-based, but dairy was the third preferred choice in China. Chinese participants characterised upcycled foods in terms of quality and health more than the US, while 'reducing food waste' and being 'good for the environment' were equally associated with upcycled foods in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest in flexitarian diets, which has resulted in the commercialisation of new hybrid meat products, containing both meat and plant-based ingredients. Consumer attitudes towards hybrid meat products have not been explored, and it is not clear which factors could affect the success of such products. This study is the first to overview of the UK hybrid meat product market and to explore consumer's attitudes towards hybrid meat products in 201 online reviews, using tools and techniques of corpus linguistics (language analysis). In the positive reviews, consumers emphasised the taste dimension of the hybrid meat products, seeing them as healthier options with good texture and easy to prepare. The negative reviews related to the poor sensory quality and not to the concept of hybridity itself. Using a multidisciplinary approach, our findings revealed valuable insights into consumer attitudes and highlighted factors to consider to market new hybrid meat products effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]