Communicating Function and Co-Creating Healthy Food: Designing a Functional Food Product Together with Consumers.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Consumer Behavior
• Product Development

Background:

• Functional foods present unique product development challenges due to complex consumer motivations.
• Traditional R&D approaches can be enhanced by integrating consumer insights early in the process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of engaging consumers in various stages of functional food product development.
• To detail the insights gained from a co-creation project involving consumers and food researchers.

Main Methods:

• Four studies were conducted, including consumer trend analysis, development of a raspberry seed extract, in-product usability testing, and a co-creation ideation session.
• The co-creation session involved 18 participants to stimulate idea generation for functional food products.

Main Results:

• The study provides detailed insights into the different phases of the consumer-driven co-creation process for functional foods.
• A raspberry seed extract with confirmed antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties was developed and tested for usability.

Conclusions:

• Successful co-creation in functional food development requires rich communication and mutual understanding between consumers and researchers.
• This approach offers valuable insights beyond the final product idea, fostering collaborative innovation.