Consumers' attitudes towards high pressure freezing of food
Abstract
Purpose
When new processing technologies are introduced to the food domain, consumer acceptance is one of the key issues for their future success. The purpose of this paper is to study whether consumers are ready to accept a new high pressure freezing method for food processing when different benefits are attached to the processing method.
Design/methodology/approach
Consumer attitudes towards high pressure freezing were surveyed in The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Finland (n = 936).
Findings
Generally, attitudes towards high pressure freezing were neutral, even though the term was unfamiliar for most consumers. When given some information about high pressure freezing technology, consumers considered applying this method as appropriate, especially if it had advantageous consequences to the product. Processing method itself was considered less important than price or environmental impact when the relative importance of choice criteria was studied with conjoint analysis.
Practical implications
Not having to raise the price and possible environmental benefits seem to be the most crucial factors for promoting the acceptance of high pressure freezing as a new processing method in food processing.
Originality/value
The paper shows that advantages of high pressure freezing technology, like decreasing the probability of microbial spoilage or improving the quality of products, had the clearest influence on consumers' appropriateness ratings.
Keywords
Citation
Lampila, P. and Lähteenmäki, L. (2007), "Consumers' attitudes towards high pressure freezing of food", British Food Journal, Vol. 109 No. 10, pp. 838-851. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700710821368
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited