Does the label ‘unconventional food plant’ influence food acceptance by potential consumers? A first approach

Abstract

In the Brazilian context, many plants have been marketed under the name of unconventional food plants (UFPs). However, it is not known whether this label causes some bias in product acceptance. Thus, two case studies were conducted to fill this gap. The research also sought to determine if the type of fair (agroecological vs. common) where the UFP is sold, the familiarity with the term, and the identification of a UFP when used as an ingredient act as moderating variables of this relationship. This paper presents data from two case studies. The first was conducted with jenipapo juice through sensory evaluations at a conventional fair and an agroecological fair in the metropolitan region of Macei o (Northeast Brazil). The product was offered to some attendees without giving them any information, while for other attendees, the presence of a UFP and the underlying concept were mentioned. In this context, the UFP label did not affect the sensory evaluation. In the second case study, taioba cakes were offered to students from a public university in the same city. In this context, the UFP-labelled product was less accepted than the product without the label only for students who had not heard of UFPs. The differences between the two case studies reinforce the need to expand research on this topic to identify in which contexts the UFP label influences sensory evaluations.

Effect of Information on Consumers’ Response to Different Food Categories Enriched With Brewer’s Spent Grain

“…Additionally, the term malted barley was more familiar than the alternative to consumers, who did not fully comprehend the meaning of BSG until after reading the BSG description. Similar results were found by Barbosa et al (2021) who reported a decrease in acceptability when lacking knowledge of the UFP term (standing for unconventional food plants) displayed on the food product labels.…”

Proximate composition and characterization of the vitamins and minerals of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) from the Middle Doce River region – Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…Knowledge concerning the consumer-related factors that can affect the consumption of NCEP is still incipient. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the use of the term NCEP linked to the plant can reduce the acceptance of the product ( Barbosa et al., 2021 ). Another factor that may contribute to the lower insertion of NCEP into the dietary habits of the general population is the belief that they may have fewer nutrients than conventional foods.…”

Cacti fruit in the human diet: Sensory perceptions and interest of Brazilian consumers

“…Regarding cactus fruit intake, 225 people answered that they had already consumed some fruit, (36.8%) while 386 did not (63.2%). Despite the recent visibility that pitaya has received worldwide (Verona‐Ruiz et al, 2020), Barbosa et al (2021) point out that foods people are unfamiliar with can interfere in its consumption, as occurs with cactus fruits in Brazil.…”

“…Despite the recent visibility that pitaya has received worldwide (Verona-Ruiz et al, 2020), Barbosa et al (2021) point out that foods people are unfamiliar with can interfere in its consumption, as occurs with cactus fruits in Brazil.…”