Meat-ing expectations? The influence of plate materials on consumer perceptions of novel mycoprotein

Abstract

Alternative proteins have gained significant interest as useful adjuncts to facilitate the dietary transition towards more sustainable diets. However, negative consumer perceptions of these products hinder their widespread acceptance and adoption. With emerging research uncovering the role of multisensory factors in consumer perceptions and preferences, manipulating the materials of plates used to serve alternative proteins may help to address these concerns. This within-subject study investigated the influence of a natural material (banana leaf) and a synthetic material (stainless steel) on consumers’ perceptions and preference for mycoprotein. Specifically, perceived product naturalness, healthfulness and tastiness were assessed. Results demonstrated a significant favourable influence of a natural material on consumer perceptions of mycoprotein, compared to a synthetic material (all ps < 0.05). However, differences in preferences were not observed (p =.292). This suggests that other multisensory factors (e.g., product taste and mouthfeel) may play a more important role in consumer preferences for such products. Additionally, having a baseline preference for mycoprotein appeared to moderate the differences in ratings for perceived naturalness of mycoprotein (p <.001). Overall, these findings highlight the role of plate materials in consumer perceptions of mycoprotein and offer valuable insights to potentially develop more effective messaging strategies for these products.