Thistle-curdled cheeses: exploring consumer acceptance and willingness to pay in the Mediterranean

Vegetable rennet (VR) has a long history in Mediterranean cheese-making, and in response to the growing demand for vegetarian-friendly cheeses, enzymes extracted from the thistle Cynara humilis have become a promising substitute for calf rennet. This study investigated consumer acceptance and willingness to pay (WTP) for artisanal cheeses produced with thistle rennet in three Mediterranean countries: Italy, Spain and Tunisia. Sensory evaluations focused on feta cheese in all three countries, while queso de Murcia al vino was additionally tested in Italy and Spain. The research was conducted in three stages. First, focus groups explored consumers' knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards thistle rennet. Second, hedonic tests were carried out under three conditions: blind liking (tasting without information), expected liking (only information, no tasting) and actual liking (tasting with information). Finally, an experimental auction was conducted for feta cheese to assess consumers' WTP. In general, consumers showed positive perceptions of thistle-curdled cheeses, despite some cross-country differences. Both intrinsic factors (e.g., taste and fat content) and extrinsic cues (e.g., information, price and origin) influenced acceptance. Overall, results highlight the potential of VR for traditional cheeses, with specific emphasis on targeted marketing strategies and transparent labelling to support their adoption as high-value artisanal products.