Whole Grain Muffin Acceptance by Young Adults

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Foodservice Management
• Consumer Behavior

Background:

• Adolescents and young adults in the U.S. have suboptimal whole grain intake.
• University dining services can influence student dietary habits.
• Lack of knowledge regarding recommended whole grain servings is prevalent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of whole grain content and labeling on student acceptance of muffins.
• To explore strategies for increasing whole grain consumption in university settings.

Main Methods:

• An online survey identified knowledge gaps in whole grain consumption.
• Hedonic ratings of mini blueberry muffins with varying whole wheat flour percentages (50%, 75%, 100%) were collected.
• Student liking was reassessed after revealing the whole grain content.

Main Results:

• Students initially liked all muffin formulations similarly.
• After labeling, 66% of students increased liking for 100% whole wheat muffins.
• Labeling had a lesser impact on muffins with lower whole wheat content (75% and 50%).

Conclusions:

• Informing students about whole grain content can enhance acceptance.
• Labeling strategies may be effective in increasing whole grain food consumption in university foodservice.
• Further research on actual purchasing behavior is warranted.