Plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) are gaining increasing attention due to their potential role as substitutes for traditional meat products, driven by sustainability and health concerns related to animal production and consumption. Therefore, investigating and understanding consumer acceptance of less common PBMAs remains crucial. In this context, this research explored sensory expectations and actual experiences of a plant-based hotdog compared to a pork hotdog in a US sample. Using a within-subject design, participants (n = 88) evaluated both products before and after tasting, assessing overall liking, willingness to buy (WTB), and key sensory attributes. Furthermore, Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) batteries were used to explore product descriptors and situational appropriateness for consumption, while open-ended questions were employed to examine what consumers liked and disliked the most about the products in more detail. Results revealed no significant differences in expected liking between the two products before tasting. However, after tasting, the pork hotdog received significantly higher scores for both overall liking and WTB compared to the plant-based hotdog. Despite the plant-based product being associated with situations related to health and sustainability, it did not lead to the same appealing hedonic experience as the animal-based product. In addition, both penalty-lift analysis and text mining of the open-ended responses confirmed that consumers seek meaty characteristics in both animal- and plant-based hotdogs (e.g., "I don't like how light the meat is" or "would like a more meat flavor"). This research provides valuable implications for policymakers and the food industry in terms of aligning strategies with consumers' preferences and needs, supporting efforts to reduce red meat consumption and promote healthier, more sustainable dietary choices.

Background Sustainability labels (SLs) are increasingly promoted to guide consumer behavior towards more sustainable consumption choices. As a result, research on SLs has increased with numerous studies and reviews highlighting how specific sustainability claims are valued by consumers. Scope and approach This study presents a comprehensive meta-analysis of willingness to pay (WTP) for SLs displayed on food products, including a wide range of studies focusing on diverse food categories. To conduct the meta-analysis on SLs, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was used. Key findings and conclusion The analysis reveals that consumers, on average, are willing to pay a 29% price premium for products bearing SLs. This mean value masks significant heterogeneity in relation to label and product categories as well as consumer socioeconomic factors. Notably, carbon labels were associated with lower percentage premium WTP, while geographic and animal welfare labels drove higher premiums. From a product perspective, higher percentage premium WTP is observed for SL when used in meat, dairy, alcohol, coffee, and cereals when compared to vegetables. Moreover, consumers in higher-education segments tend to exhibit lower relative WTP, potentially reflecting greater skepticism toward label claims. Percentage WTP premium also decreases with higher product prices, indicating price sensitivity. Studies published after 2017 tend to report higher percentage WTP premium values, possibly linked to increased awareness of sustainability issues. The results empower policymakers, marketers, and stakeholders seeking to design more effective sustainability communication strategies, emphasizing the importance of label type, context, and consumer segmentation.

Insect-based feed is a promising solution to reduce the environmental impact of livestock production, but its market success depends on consumer acceptance of animal products raised on such diets. This study examines consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for insect-fed fish, chicken, pork, and eggs across five countries: China, Mexico, Italy, Belgium, and the United States. Using contingent valuation and randomized information treatments through a survey with a total sample of 3418 respondents, we assess how product type, country context, and consumer exposure to information influence purchasing behavior. Results show that product information generally reduces consumer resistance to purchasing insect-fed products, but its effect on raising WTP varies significantly by country and product. China consistently exhibits the highest WTP across all products, exceeding current market prices. Notably, information treatment about the sustainability, environmental and economic advantages of insect-based feed significantly increased WTP in Mexico but had little to no effect in Italy, Belgium, or the U.S. Results also suggest that consumers across all five countries value transparency and believe it is important to disclose feed-related information on product packaging. These findings suggest that targeted communication and policy efforts are needed to support broader consumer acceptance and price alignment for sustainable feed innovations in European countries and the US.

International organizations seek practical ways to encourage consumers to adopt healthy and sustainable diets. Visible information on the nutritional and sustainable impact of food through front-of-pack (FOP) labels could be a promising tool. In this scenario, the present study examined how nutritional and environmental labels influence consumer preferences for traditional foods with geographical indications. A lab experiment combining eye-tracking and a discrete choice experiment was conducted among 127 Italian consumers using Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese. Product alternatives varied by nutritional labels - Nutri-Score D (NS-D) vs. NutrInform (NI) - sustainable labels - Eco-Score C (ES-C) vs. Eco-Score D (ES-D), and price levels. Results showed that all attributes significantly influenced choice, with the ES-C and NI generating positive utilities and higher price premiums, while NS-D and ES-D led to negative utilities requiring price discounts. Eye-tracking data suggested that visual attention plays a role in explaining food choices. Specifically, results confirmed that overall visual attention to a product alternative increased its likelihood of being chosen, and that increased attention to price led consumers to make more considered tradeoffs between price and other product attributes. An opposite trend was found for the ES-C, possibly indicating that increased scrutiny led consumers to question the possibility of having higher ESs for the PDO product. Overall, this research highlights the relevance of visual attention and FOP labels in shaping food choices. These results provide evidence-based insights for harmonized FOP labelling policy development, highlighting the need for context-specific communication strategies that balance public health objectives and sustainable environment with the economic viability of traditional and origin-focused foods.

Previous research has shown that organic food labeling may lead consumers to biased processing of their preferences, the physiological mechanisms behind this phenomenon are not understood. For the first time, this manuscript combines consumer valuation and physiological measures to investigate the explicit and implicit preference dimensions of organic food. The explicit dimension was measured using the expected and actual degree of liking of two identical - but differently labeled - pear juices (organic and non-organic) while the implicit dimension was measured using the activity of the mylohyoid muscle (MM) and the 3D kinematics of the hand, and arm movements. Our findings reveal that the MM was activated during the pre-action phase, where participants observed the organic-labeled product, which suggests a selective anticipatory motor preparation. Moreover, kinematic analyses indicated that participants reached for the organic-labeled pear juice with a shorter reaction time and with more targeted grasping movements compared to the non-organic-labeled juice. In addition, the presence of the organic label significantly influenced consumers' degree of liking. Using this novel approach, these results contribute to a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying consumers' behaviors toward organic food products.

OBJECTIVE:Front-of-package (FOP) labeling schemes could be adopted to provide consumers with timely and credible information and to promote healthy and sustainable food consumption. In addition, when defining healthy and sustainable food behaviors, international authorities agree that reducing meat consumption could be of benefit to both human health and the planet. Given the increasing interest in plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) and FOP labels, we investigate in this study how interpretative FOP labels-the Nutri Score (NS) and Eco Score (ES)-impact consumers' sensory expectations and purchase intention of a meat product and its plant-based counterpart. METHOD:Using eye-tracking data, we analyzed whether and to what extent attention to these labels affects participants' behaviors (n = 76). In addition, to explore differences across consumer segments we divided our sample based on the Meat Attachment Questionnaire (MAQ) to classify subjects according to their bond towards meat consumption. RESULTS:Results showed that attention to the NS or ES did not impact participants with higher MAQ scores (i.e., with a more positive bond toward meat consumption); however, sensory expectations of both the meat and plant-based product were influenced by consumer visual attention for participants with a lower meat attachment level (i.e., with lower MAQ scores). Specifically, we found a positive relationship between the attention paid to the positive ES of the plant-based product and the expectation of liking it (abreviated as "expected liking"), and a positive interaction between the attention paid to the negative NS of the animal product and its expected liking. CONCLUSIONS:We show that favorable sustainable labels can positively shape consumers' expectations for PBMAs, while negative labels do not undermine expected liking or purchase intention for animal products, and discuss our results to provide insights for future research and implications for both food industries and policymakers.

By applying the means-end chains (MEC) theory, the purpose of this paper is to provide new insights related to the motivations behind consumer purchase intention of plant-based burgers (PBBs). We presented six pictures of PBBs showing the front and back of the product packages to 62 Italian burger consumers and asked them to rank their preferred product of purchase. This stage was followed by a soft laddering interviewing technique (“Why is this element important for you?") to elicit the most important attributes, consequences, and values associated with the selected product. Socio-demographic and attitudinal variables were asked to segment the sample into sub-groups. Our findings showed heterogeneity in the drivers leading consumers to purchase PBBs. Specifically, differences based on individual traits (gender and meat attachment level) and product characteristics (meat-like burgers vs. non-meat-like burgers) were identified. In addition, some similarities across consumer segments emerged, which confirm that both non-sensory attributes (e.g., nutritional information) and expected sensory characteristics (e.g., product appearance) are important elements to the market success of plant-based meat alternatives. Interestingly, environmental motives emerged only for specific consumer groups. Finally, to ensure the market success of PBBs, culinary professionals and marketing strategies should consider different consumer segments based on demographic and attitudinal variables to meet consumers’ specific needs. This study contributes to the literature on consumer motivation to include plant-based products by directly asking consumers to elicit the most important product attributes, consequences, and values linked to such products. Implications for the gastronomy sector and policymakers are provided.

Amid growing public concern about farmed fish, this study examines the drivers influencing consumers' purchase of Norwegian salmon in three European countries (Italy, Poland, and France), focusing on how health and environmental goals affect the motivation to consume Norwegian salmon. We applied the recent Theory of Reasoned Goal Pursuit (TRGP) - an extension of the well-established Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) - to data collected via an online survey of 765 salmon consumers (France: n = 260; Italy: n = 252; Poland: n = 253). The TRGP predicted behavioural intentions significantly better than the TPB (an overall increase of 12.5 % in explained variance) while maintaining similar explanatory power for self-reported consumption. Consistent with both TPB and TRGP, intention emerged as the main predictor of consumption, and a significant motivation-intention-behaviour relationship was observed across all countries. These findings reinforce the importance of targeting the determinants of intention in interventions aimed at influencing behaviour. Notably, this study is the first to apply the TRGP in a food consumption context, highlighting how incorporating consumers' active goals (health and sustainability) can improve the prediction of intentions. Our results underline the value of a goal-oriented approach to understanding food choices and offer practical insights for promoting healthy and sustainable salmon consumption.

Alternative plant and seaweed protein sources other than soy and pea have gained significant interest as sustainable replacements of animal proteins in the last decades. However, despite a large food safety literature base, there are concerns about their food safety risks. The current study aims to synthesize the existing knowledge and gaps on safety risks associated with brewers' spent grain (BSG), grapes, hazelnuts, potatoes, pumpkins, and seaweed. A systematic review between 2003 and 2023 was conducted in the PubMed database to identify microbial, chemical, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and allergenic risks in the key commodities. The records obtained were exported into an online reference management platform, screened by inclusion and exclusion search strings, and the duplicates were removed. Finally, two reviewers assessed the eligibility of the full-text articles. The findings demonstrated that 9127 papers were identified, and 1639 of them were left for eligibility assessment. The reviewers finally included 144 articles. Amongst the commodities, the most safety studies were on grapes, with 55 papers, followed by potatoes (n=38), seaweed (n=21), hazelnuts (n=19), pumpkin (n=9), and BSG (n=2), respectively. Based on the risk type, heavy metals were the most studied ones, with 49 papers, followed by mycotoxins (n=31), microbial risks (n=23), chemical contaminants (n=21), and allergenic risks (n=20), respectively. To meet the growing need for plant and seaweed proteins, their food safety aspects should be extensively studied to deliver safe, healthy, and affordable substitutes based on robust safety standards.

The adoption of alternative protein sources, including precision fermentation (PF) milk, emerges as a key strategy for sustainably nourishing a growing population, offering a viable alternative to conventional dairy production. This study investigates how different information framing, on animal welfare, health, and environmental benefits, affects consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP) for PF milk in Denmark (DK), Italy (IT), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). Using a choice experiment (CE) that examined milk products varying on several attributes, namely type of milk technology, animal welfare information, protein type, Carbon Trust label, and price, we found that consumers generally exhibited reluctance towards PF milk. This reluctance varied by country, the type of benefits provided, and consumer traits. Additionally, latent class analysis identified three consistent consumer segments across all countries, strong traditionalists with strong preferences for conventional cow milk, light traditionalists open to alternatives but price-sensitive, and a third group with inconsistent (random) choices, highlighting both commonalities and cross-country differences in responses to PF milk. Consumer preferences for policy labelling of PF dairy products vary by country, with the US and Italy exhibiting a higher preference for these new products labelled similarly to conventional dairy products. These findings offer valuable directions for effectively communicating the benefits of PF milk products across different cultural contexts. They highlight key marketing strategies for differentiation and competition in a market crowded with conventional dairy and plant-based options. Finally, they underscore important strategic and policy implications for future labelling and regulations of PF milk.

The aquaculture sector has seen significant growth recently but also faces sustainability challenges due to the use of fish meal and fish oil. This project explored the potential of using partially defatted Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly) larvae meal (BSFL meal) as a sustainable alternative to fish meal in Sparus aurata diets. The trial was conducted with 132 fish reared in six tanks and fed two aquafeeds: a standard (CTRL) and an experimental (IF) in which fish meal was replaced (10%) with partially defatted BSFL meal. Fillets were analysed for chemical composition, elemental composition, fatty acid (FA) profile, primary and secondary oxidative products, cholesterol, pH and colour. Moreover, a panel of food experts (n = 26) was involved in a discrimination sensory test (duo–trio test) on raw and cooked fillets. The results showed no differences in chemical and physical analyses. The FA profile of IF was characterised by a significantly higher content of lauric acid (p-value 0.009) and myristic acid (p-value 0.049) than the CTRL ones. The panellists correctly identified the raw samples and found differences. On the other hand, only about 50% of the assessors correctly identified the cooked samples. The overall results suggest that partially defatted BSFL meal may represent a valid alternative for aquafeed production that could affect the sensory properties of raw fillets without altering their nutritional composition.

Global rising concerns about non-communicable diseases and the environmental impact of food production require a call for action that involves a deeper understanding of how individuals make choices for healthy and sustainable diets. To further explore this topic, our study aimed at investigating how food involvement, perception, and sociodemographic factors influence the adoption of healthy and sustainable eating by using a socio-psychological model. Data were collected from a representative sample (n = 1001) of the US population using an online survey and linear regression models were employed to test the hypotheses of our theoretical framework. The main findings indicated a positive influence of involvement in and perception of self-reported behaviors towards both sustainable and healthy eating. However, contrasting results were identified for the moderating role of perception, which had a significant and positive moderating effect between involvement and self-reported eating for sustainable diets only. Regarding sociodemographic characteristics affecting healthy dietary behaviors, our model suggested that age, employment status, dietary regimen, and BMI influence consumers' self-reported healthy behaviors. Based on our findings, tailored strategies for policymakers and marketers are suggested. These strategies include education campaigns, widespread availability of sustainable products, and easily identifiable labeling systems.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:Recent decades have seen a remarkable westernization of diets and a decline in adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD). This study examined the eating habits of a representative sample of Italian university students to identify the determinants of adherence to the MD and the most relevant actions to improve their well-being. METHODS:The Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents (KIDMED) and Sustainable Healthy Diet (SHED) index questionnaires were used to explore MD adherence as the primary outcome, and dietary behavior sustainability, respectively. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle information was also collected. RESULTS:The final sample included 1434 subjects (18-24; 60% female). The median (IQR) KIDMED score was 6.0 (4.0-8.0) and 33% showed a high adherence to the MD. Having breakfast, eating fruit and vegetables at least once a day, consuming pasta or other grains almost daily, and using olive oil at home were among the most common positive aspects of students' diets. However, regular consumption of fish, nuts, legumes, dairy products, and a second serving of fruit and vegetables was less prevalent. Having an active lifestyle, eating more plant products, and having more sustainable dietary behaviors in terms of the SHED index, were the main determinants of a high KIDMED score. Likewise, graduate students, daily consumers of plant-based meat alternatives, and students attending university canteens daily were more likely to adopt healthier diets. CONCLUSIONS:Future actions are crucial to create a food environment that facilitates healthy and sustainable dietary choices among young adults, such as improving the nutritional quality of processed products and regulating their promotion, as well as implementing initiatives to improve university food services and encourage the use of campus dining facilities.

Sushi consumption has increased rapidly in European countries. The aim of this paper is to identify the factors influencing the intention to eat sushi. Data were collected using a questionnaire based on the extended Theory of Planned Behavior with a Croatian sample of sushi consumers (n = 517). Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the relationships between the TPB constructs. Consumer attitude had the greatest influence on intention to eat sushi, while subjective norms and innovativeness also had a positive and significant effect. Therefore, promoting sushi as a healthy, innovative, and tasty food is likely to increase its consumption.

Background Promoting healthy and sustainable diets is increasingly important and the Mediterranean Diet (MD) has been recognized as an appropriate example that can be adapted to different countries. Considering that the college years are the time when US young adults are most likely to adopt unhealthy eating habits, the present study assessed adherence to the MD and the sustainability of dietary behaviors in a nationally representative sample of US university students, aiming to identify crucial levers for improving their eating behaviors.Methods MD adherence and the adoption of healthy and sustainable dietary patterns were assessed through the KIDMED and the Sustainable-HEalthy-Diet (SHED Index questionnaires, respectively, administered through an online survey that also included sociodemographic and behavioral questions. Non-parametric and logistic regression analyses were performed.Results A sample of 1485 participants (median (IQR) age 21.0 (19.0-22.0); 59% women) correctly completed the survey. A medium adherence to the MD was the most prevalent (47%). According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, the likelihood of being more compliant with the MD increased when meeting physical activity recommendations, having a high SHED Index score, having the willingness to purchase and eat healthy and sustainable dishes, eating ultra-processed plant-based meat alternatives foods daily, and regularly attending the university canteen.Conclusions Encouraging dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods and with a moderate intake of animal products is crucial to increasing the adoption of healthy and sustainable diets, and university dining services represent a suitable setting to build a supportive environment that educates students on human and planetary health.

AbstractResource scarcity, the effects of climate change, food insecurity, and health issues related to dietary choices have prompted policymakers to develop new strategies to encourage populations to opt for healthy and sustainable (HS) diets. In this context, nudging strategies are promising tools to promote healthy and sustainable dietary behaviors. However, nudges are context-dependent as a specific nudging intervention should be employed in a specific context. This research aims at determining the effects of different nudges on students’ food choices in the context of a hypothetical online pre-ordering system of the college canteen. An experimental study was conducted in the USA with 1400 American college students (18–24 years old). We used a between-subject design with one control and three treatment groups—i.e., a HS logo to identify HS dishes, dish placement (the order in which dishes are displayed on the menu), and a combination of the two nudges. Our main results showed that the logo and logo plus placement led to a significantly increased selection of HS dishes among students who already had strong HS eating behaviors. In addition, individual characteristics (e.g., being flexitarian or vegetarian, being on a low-calorie diet, being a graduate student, and living in dormitories on college campuses) also affected their HS food choices; thus, the population traits, living conditions, and eating habits should be taken into consideration in order to establish successful nudging techniques.

Conventional livestock production and consumption contribute to climate change, biodiversity loss, and land scarcity. Among the several alternative protein sources currently under consideration, the use of edible insects as food offers environmental and nutritional advantages. However, consumer acceptance remains a key challenge. This study measures the intention to consume insects as food in a large representative sample of five countries (3,260 respondents) with traditions in entomophagy (Mexico and China) and those with no tradition (Belgium, Italy, and the United States). First, we examined the intention to consume whole and processed edible insects within each country by including gender, age, and familiarity with entomophagy. Second, we measured the impact of information on the benefits of insects as an alternative protein on the intention to eat both whole and processed insects for several categories. e.g., Bread or similar baked goods; Meat-like products (such as hamburgers); Pasta and related products; Specialty food ingredients (e.g. sports nutrition, food supplements); Protein bars; Snacks, crackers, or other similar products (e.g. biscuits).Some statistical methods such as one-way ANOVA, t-test, and Pearson have been used to test the effect of variables (e.g. age and gender) on the intention to eat insects and the other product categories, sorted by country, and considering two different groups (informed and not informed respondents).Our results suggest that the intention to eat both whole and processed insects is still low in European Union countries and the United States. On the other hand, the results suggested that Mexico and China are ahead in their willingness to eat such products compared to Western countries. Interestingly, the information did not affect the intention to eat either whole or processed insects. However, some differences exist between product categories with consumers willing to eat whole insects tending to be more likely to consume products with insects in the forms of bread, meat-like products, and pasta products.Our results can help scholars and practitioners to explore the acceptance of insects as food.

One third of the food produced for human consumption is currently lost or wasted. Insects have a high potential for converting organic waste- and by-products into food and feed for a growing human population due to symbiosis with microorganisms. These symbioses provide an untapped reservoir of functional microbiomes that can be used to improve industrial insect production but are poorly studied in most insect species. Here we review the most current understanding and challenges of valorizing organic waste- and by-products through insects and their microbiomes for food and feed, and emerging novel food technologies that can be used to investigate and manipulate host(insects)-microbiome interactions. We further construct a holistic framework, by integration of novel food technologies including holo-omics, genome editing, breeding, phage therapy, and administration of prebiotics and probiotics to investigate and manipulate host(insects)-microbiome interactions, and solutions for achieving stakeholder acceptance of novel food technologies for a sustainable food production.

The consumption of whole grains has several health benefits, however, most US consumers - including young adults - do not meet the recommended consumption intake. To understand the underlying factors affecting the intention and consumption of whole grain pasta, a survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was developed and administered to US college students. For four weeks, participants (n = 325) either did not receive any information (control) or received weekly messages on the health benefits of whole grain pasta (e.g., high fiber and niacin contents) in the forms of gain- (treatment 1) or loss-framed (treatment 2) information. Variables of the TPB model and consumers' perceptions were investigated both at Time 1, when the first message was received (week 0), and at Time 2, one month after the intervention (week 4). Results from the two moments were compared. We found that the TPB measures and perceived usefulness were not influenced by the treatment group; however, the gain-framed message engendered greater message engagement than the loss-framed one. Finally, results from the structural equation model showed that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were positively associated with the intention to consume whole grain pasta, and the intention was a strong determinant of participants' behavior. Based on our results, implications and suggestions for future studies are discussed.