Smoke-Flavor Processing Attitudes: Insights From Norwegian Consumers.

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Consumer Behavior
• Risk Communication

Background:

• Smoke-flavor processing (SFP) emerged as an alternative to conventional smoking to mitigate environmental and health risks, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
• Despite widespread adoption, SFP faces consumer skepticism and regulatory scrutiny due to potential genotoxic risks, leading to market withdrawals and uncertainty.
• Understanding consumer perceptions is vital for navigating the evolving landscape of food processing technologies and regulations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key factors influencing consumer attitudes towards smoke-flavor processing (SFP).
• To demonstrate a study design applicable to broader consumer perceptions of food-related topics.
• To inform communication strategies for government and industry regarding novel food technologies.

Main Methods:

• A digital survey of 1003 Norwegian consumers was conducted.
• Participants were segmented into negative, neutral, and positive groups based on their responses to claims about smoke processing.
• Statistical analysis explored correlations between attitudes, food involvement, and food technology neophobia.

Main Results:

• 44% of consumers expressed negative attitudes towards SFP, 36% were neutral, and 20% were positive.
• Consumers with positive/neutral attitudes were less food-involved and less neophobic towards food technology compared to negative respondents.
• SFP-negative consumers were concerned with processing and naturalness, with distinct subgroups identified based on demographics and psychographics.

Conclusions:

• Consumer attitudes towards SFP are segmented, influenced by factors like food involvement, neophobia, and concerns about naturalness.
• Identifying these segments is crucial for tailoring information and communication strategies to specific consumer groups.
• The study's methodology offers a transferable framework for assessing consumer perceptions of other food technologies and innovations.