Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 3, 2025

12:09
Studying Food Reward and Motivation in Humans
Published on: March 19, 2014
23.8K
Functional Food-Consumer Motivations and Expectations
Kinga Topolska1, Adam Florkiewicz2, Agnieszka Filipiak-Florkiewicz1
1Department of Plant Product Technology and Nutrition Hygiene, Faculty of Food Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 30-149 Kraków, Poland.
Summary
Consumer attitudes toward functional foods (FF) are influenced by nutritional knowledge, with older adults and women showing greater interest. Evidence-based communication is key to market growth.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Consumer Behavior
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Functional foods (FF) are increasingly relevant in the food market.
- Understanding consumer attitudes is crucial for FF market development.
- Previous research shows varied consumer focus and methodologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize consumer attitudes toward functional foods.
- To identify key factors influencing functional food acceptance.
- To explore future perspectives for the functional food market.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 47 articles published over the last 20 years.
- Analysis of studies focusing on consumer awareness, attitudes, motivations, willingness, and acceptance.
- Synthesis of findings related to socio-demographic, cognitive, and attitudinal factors.
Main Results:
- Nutritional knowledge is the most significant factor in functional food acceptance.
- Older consumers exhibit higher interest in FF due to perceived health benefits.
- Women are more willing to balance taste and health aspects.
- Disease-preventative claims are highly attractive to consumers.
Conclusions:
- Nutritional knowledge and evidence-based communication are vital for increasing consumer interest in FF.
- Targeted communication strategies can enhance the functional food market.
- Future research should continue to explore consumer perceptions and market trends.
Related Concept Videos
Taste Buds and Receptors
3.3K
Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...
3.3K
Optimal Foraging
12.7K
How animals obtain and eat their food is called foraging behavior. Foraging can include searching for plants and hunting for prey and depends on the species and environment.
12.7K
Confirmation Biases
7.5K
The confirmation bias is the tendency to focus on information that confirms our existing beliefs and ignore information that is inconsistent with our expectations. For example, if you think that your professor is not very nice, you notice all of the instances of rude behavior exhibited by the professor while ignoring the countless pleasant interactions he is involved in on a daily basis. Have you ever fallen prey to the confirmation bias, either as the source or target of such bias?
7.5K
Regulation of Food Intake
1.3K
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
1.3K
Primary Motives: Hunger and Thirst
776
Hunger and thirst are fundamental physiological drives crucial for maintaining homeostasis and ensuring the survival of both humans and animals. These drives are regulated through complex interactions between the brain, hormones, and sensory receptors.
Hunger arises when the brain detects changes in the body's nutrient levels, including glucose, lipids, amino acids, and hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. The hypothalamus plays a central role in hunger regulation. The lateral hypothalamus...
Hunger arises when the brain detects changes in the body's nutrient levels, including glucose, lipids, amino acids, and hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. The hypothalamus plays a central role in hunger regulation. The lateral hypothalamus...
776
Self-Schemas
34.0K
In general, a schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts (Bartlett, 1932). There are many different types of schemata, and they all have one thing in common: schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate assumptions about the person or object being observed.
34.0K

