Effect of information and extended use on the acceptance of reduced-fat products

Abstract

Volunteers who were not habitual consumers of reduced-fat products, were given full-fat (FF) or reduced-fat (RF) pork sausages and milk chocolate snack bars for consumption at home over a period of 12 weeks. Subjects were assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups: FF blind ( n=35) or RF blind ( n=34), both given the respective products with no nutritional information; RF informed ( n=37), given RF products labelled “reduced-fat”; and Control ( n=37) who received no products. Subjects given products rated them for selected measures of acceptability at home each week. All subjects took part in blind sensory evaluation sessions every month, and completed questionnaires on eating behaviour and attitudes. In the initial blind tests, both the RF and the FF version of the two products received high scores for acceptability. Overall results indicated no consistent shifts in the hedonic ratings of the RF products compared with the FF products over the 12 week trial. However, subjects indicated a significant rise in “boredom” in their in-home ratings. In addition, the “reduced-fat” information had a small, negative effect on acceptance ratings for the chocolate snack bars, but not for the sausages. These results indicate generally high and sustained consumer acceptance of these RF products in normal home use over extended periods. Further research is needed to identify the most appropriate methods for promoting purchase and use of highly acceptable RF or other nutritionally modified food products, and to investigate whether the same sustained consumer acceptance will apply to those RF products that are not as acceptable as the FF products they replace. Additional product development work may be undertaken on RF products in order to increase their initial acceptance and therefore acceptability in the long term. ©