The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of in-vitro meat (IVM) among New Zealand consumers and to understand their purchase and consumption behaviour using the Theory of Planned Behaviour framework developed in this study. An online survey questionnaire was created using the Qualtrics software to understand the perception of IVM, based on the conceptual framework. Participants (n = 206) were recruited in this survey, and the data collected were subjected to PLS-PM analysis. The conceptual framework was tested for validity, and Goodness of fit (GoF). The internal validity was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, KMO value, inter-item correlation values (β-coefficients) and p-values. The findings suggest that variables such as environment and sustainability, health and safety, as well as current purchase and consumption behaviour have a strong relationship and a robust effect on IVM purchase and consumption behaviour. Consumers’ cultural beliefs had minimal influence on IVM purchase likelihood. Results in this study also indicated that most New Zealand consumers had neutral opinions in terms of engaging with IVM.

This study investigated the effect of high pressure processing (HPP) on the fatty acids and amino acids content in New Zealand Diamond Shell (Spisula aequilatera), Storm Shell (Mactra murchisoni), and Tua Tua (Paphies donacina) clams. The clam samples were subjected to HPP with varying levels of pressure (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 MPa) and holding times (5 and 600 s) at 20 °C. Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) and Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) were deployed to fingerprint the discriminating amino and fatty acids post-HPP processing while considering their inherent biological variation. Aspartic acid (ASP), isoleucine (ILE), leucine (LEU), lysine (LYS), methionine (MET), serine (SER), threonine (THR), and valine (VAL) were identified as discriminating amino acids, while C18:0, C22:1n9, C24:0, and C25:5n3 were identified as discriminating fatty acids. These amino and fatty acids were then subjected to mixed model ANOVA. Mixed model ANOVA was employed to investigate the influence of HPP pressure and holding times on amino acids and fatty acids in New Zealand clams. A significant effect of pressure levels was reported for all three clam species for both amino and fatty acids composition. Additionally, holding time was a significant factor that mainly influenced amino acid content. butnot fatty acids, suggesting that hydrostatic pressure hardly causes hydrolysis of triglycerides. This study demonstrates the applicability of OPLS-DA in identifying the key discriminating chemical components prior to traditional ANOVA analysis. Results from this research indicate that lower pressure and shorter holding time (100 MPa and 5 s) resulted in the least changes in amino and fatty acids content of clams.

Tamarillo fruit contains many phytochemicals that have beneficial therapeutic and nutritional properties. Spray-drying is widely used to preserve fruit puree in powder form. However, to obtain high-quality fruit powder, the optimisation of spray-drying conditions is necessary, as a high drying temperature can damage sensitive bioactive compounds. This study investigated the effects of spray-drying on the microstructure, polyphenolics, total flavonoids, total carotenoids, antioxidant activity, and anticancer capacity of tamarillo powder. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimise the spray-drying process to produce tamarillo powder. The independent variables were inlet drying temperature (120–160 °C), flow rate (1–5 g/mL), and maltodextrin concentration (0–10%). These variables influenced the microstructural attributes, bioactive components, and cytotoxicity of the spray-dried tamarillo powder. The increase in polyphenols and antioxidant activities were favoured under high-temperature spray drying conditions and a low carrier concentration. The optimised spray-drying conditions for producing tamarillo powder with high antioxidant and anticancer activities, high yield, and stable bioactive compounds were found to be at 146.8 °C inlet temperature, and a flow rate of 1.76 g/mL.

In vitro meat (IVM) is a recent development in the production of sustainable food. The consumer perception of IVM has a strong impact on the commercial success of IVM. Hence this review examines existing studies related to consumer concerns, acceptance and uncertainty of IVM. This will help create better marketing strategies for IVM-producing companies in the future. In addition, IVM production is described in terms of the types of cells and culture conditions employed. The applications of self-organising, scaffolding, and 3D printing techniques to produce IVM are also discussed. As the conditions for IVM production are controlled and can be manipulated, it will be feasible to produce a chemically safe and disease-free meat with improved consumer acceptance on a sustainable basis.

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