Consumer Attributes Research Articles

Identification of volatile compounds in several meat and bone broth using Solid Phase Micro Extraction-Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GCMS) for initial detection of Halal and Non-Halal Food

The development of techniques for detecting halal and non-halal animal meat is of great importance as a useful tool for monitoring and assuring food quality for Muslim. Flavor or aroma is one of the sensory attributes for consumers to distinguish broth cattle. The differences aroma of broth cattle is contributed by the content of volatile compounds. This study was aimed to determine the composition of volatile compounds in meat and bone broth from five different animals, i.e., cow (beef), pig (pork), goat, lamb, and chicken for initial identification of halal and non halal food. A preliminary test for samples of meat and bone broth was done by identifying their physical properties including pH, viscosity, and density. The volatile compounds in meat and broth samples were extracted using a solid phase-micro extraction (SPME) at room temperature and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). The results revealed the physical properties of meat and bone broth, i.e., pH, viscosity, and density, cannot be used to distinguish the type of broth produced from beef, pork, goat, lamb, and chicken. Successful results for the identification were achieved through chromatogram profile of volatile compounds from meat and bone broth which show characteristics to each type of animal, and therefore it can be used to distinguish pork from beef, goat, lamb, and chicken as initial detection for halal and non halal food. The research also identified 7 predominant volatile compounds as a marker for meat pork and other 8 specific compounds marker for pork bone.

The Effects of Women's Beauty and Health Multi-Shop Consumption Perceptions and Selected Attributes on Use Satisfaction

Purpose: Recently, in Korea, beauty and health consumers are seeking convenience and professionalism, so multi-shop type stores are gradually increasing. Accordingly, this study was conducted with the purpose of confirming the relationship between consumption perception, optional attributes, and use satisfaction with women visiting beauty health multi-shops as participants.
 Method: The study participants consisted of 183 adult females aged 20 years or older in S-city and G-province using the non-probability sampling method and the judgment sampling method. As for the data analysis method, MANOVA and multiple regression analysis were conducted to analyze the relationship between consumption perception, choice attributes, and use satisfaction.
 Results: As a result of the study, all independent variables such as consumption necessity factors, consumption process factors, and consumption result factors were statistically significant in the influence relationship between consumption perception variables and selection attributes. And in the relationship between the selected attribute variable and the satisfaction factor, the facility factor, loyalty factor, and cost factor were found to be significant, while the information provision factor was statistically insignificant.
 Conclusion: The results of this study served as an opportunity to confirm various factors related to the consumer's perception of consumption and the satisfaction of use according to the selected attributes of visiting beauty health multi-shops. Therefore, it suggests the specific and detailed importance of the perception and selection attributes of consumers who visit beauty health multi-shops.

Descriptive Beef Flavor Attributes and Consumer Acceptance Relationships for Heavy Beef Eaters

Differences in beef flavor attributes were created using beef cuts (Choice M. gluteus medius (GM) steaks; Choice M. biceps femoris (BF) roasts; Select BF roasts; Choice M. longissimus lumborum (LM) steaks, and high pH LM steaks), cooking method, and internal cook temperature endpoint (END). Steaks were cooked to 58°C and 80°C END utilizing either a George Foreman clamshell grill (GF) or a flat top electric food-service grill (GRILL). Roasts were cooked at low temperatures using a Crock-Pot (CP) cooking to 58°C and 80°C END. Thirty-seven flavor descriptive attributes were evaluated by an expert, trained descriptive beef flavor panel. Heavy beef eaters were recruited in Houston, TX; Olathe, KS; Philadelphia, PA; and Portland, OR. Consumers evaluated overall, flavor, beef flavor, and grill flavor liking using 9-point hedonic scales and beef flavor, grill flavor and off-flavor intensity using 9-point intensity scales. Steaks and roasts differed in descriptive and consumer attributes (P < 0.05). Treatments with higher levels of fat-like, salt, beef identity, and brown/roasted flavor attributes had higher consumer liking ratings (Choice LM or GM GRILL steaks cooked to 58°C or 80°C and Choice GM GRILL steaks cooked to 80°C). Select and Choice BF CP roasts cooked to 58°C or 80°C, Choice GM GF steaks cooked to 80°C, and high pH LM GF steaks cooked to 80°C had the lowest consumer liking scores and higher levels of warmed-over flavor, cardboardy, and liver-like flavor attributes. Heavy beef consumers segmented into 4 classes. Class 4 consumers liked beef regardless of treatment, whereas Class 3 consumers were discerning. Heavy beef eaters discerned differences in beef flavor attributes, and beef flavor was a driver of consumer liking.

Prediction of beef tenderness and juiciness using consumer and descriptive sensory attributes

The impact of different cooking methods, degree of doneness, cuts, and marbling scores on beef juiciness and tenderness have been examined. However, relationships between tenderness and juiciness, the two major components of beef texture, for descriptive and consumer sensory data with Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and overall consumer liking have not been elucidated using US consumers recently. The objective was to use two data sets that measured consumer sensory and beef descriptive tenderness and juiciness attributes to understand relationships between consumer and trained descriptive tenderness and juiciness attributes, and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and overall consumer liking. Data were analyzed in two sets, top loin steaks (n = 119) or beef cuts (n = 276) that included top loin steaks, tenderloin steaks, top sirloin steaks, and bottom round roasts. Average WBSF values for top loin steaks and beef cuts were 26.0 and 28.5 N, respectively. Consumer attributes were not strong predictors of WBSF. WBSF was more highly related to descriptive tenderness ratings (R2 = 0.37 for beef cuts). Overall liking was correlated to consumer attributes, most strongly to flavor liking (R2 = 0.94 for beef cuts). Descriptive and consumer juiciness ratings did not appreciably improve predictability of regression equations for either WBSF or consumer overall liking. These results indicated that using a WBSF value of 28 N or less for beef cuts would provide assurance for moderately tender beef as defined by descriptive sensory evaluation, and WBSF values between 30 and 32 N were slightly tender (as defined by descriptive sensory evaluation). Beef with WBSF values of 40 or higher were defined as slightly tough or tougher.

INVESTIGATING RACIAL SALARY DISCRIMINATION AND THE ROLE OF BARGAINING POWER: EVIDENCE FROM THE NBA

This paper investigates racial salary discrimination by analyzing an NBA dataset from 1985 to 2022. My findings reveal that non-white players receive around 10% lower remuneration than their white counterparts, after accounting for the player, team and consumer attributes. I investigate this salary gap, indicative of discrimination against black players, by studying the salary contracts under which players possess different levels of bargaining power. I find that this earning shortfall is strongly persistent under contracts where employers have monopsony and oligopsony power, suggesting that slight relaxation of the competition in the contracting environment cannot alleviate the discrimination. Nevertheless, discrimination is eliminated when players are signed under contracts that are protected by the collective power of a union. In addition, I discover that a negative demand shock (proxied by COVID-19) and a negative supply shock (proxied by lockouts) amplify this racial discrimination.

Consumer perceptions of price increase by CSR: Focusing on construal level and consumer attribution

Product price increases caused by Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities can stifle sales. In this study, we investigate consumers’ perceptions of prices raised by CSR and ways to improve negative consumer viewpoints. This study presents consumers’ construal level and internal attribution as key variables. As a result of Study 1 applying 2 (price level) x 2 (construal level) between-subjects analysis, consumers with activated high-level construal perceived product price as a benefit derived from CSR, whereas those with activated low-level construal perceived product price as a cost. As a result of Study 2 examining the influence of intrinsic attribution, the negative effect of product price was mitigated when consumers’ intrinsic attribution was activated. Consumers with intrinsic attribution perceived product price as benefits of CSR regardless of their construal level. The results of this study are expected to provide important guidelines regarding the success of corporate CSR strategies. Finally, we propose the related academic and practical implications.

Peningkatan Kualitas Produk Proll Tape Di Kabupaten Jember Dengan Metode QFD dan KANO

The prol tape product produced by the home industry in Jember Regency is a souvenir product typical which is very popular. Over time, the abundant availability of cassava raw materials and the high interest in buying consumers have made the rapid development of processed cassava tape products not only prol tape but other product innovatons have emerged. In the midst of the emergence of many new products, there is a need for preventive action as a measure to close the possibility of the decline in the existence of prol tape as a typical product from Jember regency and being unable to compete with other types of produstc. Effort to maintain and increase the existence of prol tape products as a distinctive product, efforts to control product quality are carried out using the quality function deployment (QFD) and Kano analysis methods to improve the quality of prol tape products by home industries in Jember regency. The sampling technique in this study used purposive sampling, based on the research results, it was obtained 9 attributes of consumer need for prol tape products produced by home industries in Jember regency, where all of its attributes in order to achieve customer satisfaction. Attributes of consumer needs consist of taste, price, texture, aroma, product durability, packaging design, product hygiene, product size, product-related information.

Acceptability of banana stem as an alternative in producing dietary Korean Kimchi

This study aims to investigate the acceptability of using banana stem as an alternative ingredient in producing Korean dietary kimchi. The researchers utilized an experimental research design, and a purposive sampling technique was used to select 50 respondents for the study. The study found that the use of banana stem in kimchi production is acceptable, and it presents a new flavor to Asian cuisine. The Kruskal Wallis Test was used to compare the three samples of kimchi made from banana stem, and the results showed no significant difference between the three samples based on the evaluation of the respondents. The study suggests that banana stem can be a viable alternative ingredient in making Korean dietary kimchi without compromising its acceptability in terms of sensory qualities. The study can benefit various stakeholders, such as farmers, entrepreneurs, and consumers, by providing an opportunity to innovate and introduce new products using less popular plant materials, creating a niche in the food industry, and increasing the overall income of the community. The study concluded that the majority of potential consumers for the product belong to Generation Z, or the post-millennial group, and have an interest in Korean trends. Several recommendations were made to maintain the product's acceptability among future consumers. These include improving the production process, endorsing the product across different generations, and innovating other samples by catering to the sensory attributes of future consumers.

Comparison of different ways of handling consumer segments using L‐shape data

AbstractDifferent approaches for handling consumer segments in L‐shape data are compared in a study conducted in Norway. Consumers evaluated eight different yoghurt samples with profiles varying in three intrinsic attributes following a full factorial design. Three blocks of data were collected including sensory properties, liking ratings, and consumer attributes. Data were analyzed using two different approaches. In approach one, the one‐step simultaneous L‐Partial Least Square (L‐PLS) Regression with average consumer liking to represent the segments was used, while approach two was based on a two‐step procedure (TSP) based on Partial Least Square (PLS) Regression using dummy variables to represent the segments. The methods were compared in terms of interpretations, flexibility, and outcomes. Methodological implications, recommendations, and future research avenues are discussed.Practical ApplicationsThis manuscript has been devoted to two different ways of handling segmentation in L‐shape data of consumer liking, sensory properties, and consumer attributes. Overall, both L‐PLS and TSP approaches provide similar interpretation of results. The TSP approach, however, has the advantage of interpretating the horizontal and vertical direction in the L separately using standard regression methods. It is of interest of product development and marketing activities to identify which food product characteristics are important for consumer preferences and to better understand the characteristics of the consumers (e.g., socio‐demographics) that drive the consumer acceptance of the different products.

Competition-based generalized self-profit maximization in dual-attribute network

Profit Maximization in social advertising aims at selecting some users of social network as initial adopters and information sources to trigger the spread of promotion information such that the profit generated by all the adopters reaches maximum when the dissemination terminates. A lot of related works mainly study this problem under three assumptions: pure network, single product and one-dimension diffusion model. However, in real advertising activities conducted in social networks, advertisement of competitive products may spread almost at the same time. And there are many factors that can influence the probability with which a potential consumer makes an adoption. For the purpose of approximating real social advertising, we propose the Dual-Attribute Compete (DAC) model where attributes of both potential consumers and competitive products are taken into consideration and the information about competitive products can spread simultaneously. Therefore, it can capture not only the competition between different products but also the reaction of potential consumers to products. Under DAC model, we study the Competition-based Generalized Self-profit Maximization (CGSM) problem whose purpose is selecting at most k individuals to form an optimal seed set as the source of information diffusion to maximize the profit related to adopters. Given that the objective function of CGSM problem is generally nonsubmodular, we design R-CGSM algorithm to tackle it. Based on the analysis of martingale and the concept of Shapley value, this algorithm uses sandwich method to get a pretty good solution of CGSM problem. We evaluate the R-CGSM algorithm by conducting experiments on four different data sets representing a synthetic network and three social networks in real world, respectively. Results of experiments validate the effectiveness and accuracy of R-CGSM algorithm.

The Mediating Role of Attitude in the Relationship Between the Extrinsic and Intrinsic Attributes of Japanese Frozen Foods and Consumers’ Intention to Purchase Them: Evidence from Malaysia

Research Aims: To examine the intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting consumers’ attitudes toward Japanese-made frozen foods and, hence, consumers’ purchasing behaviour. Design/Methodology/Approach: Consumers who were aware of Japanese-made frozen foods were the sample chosen. Convenience sampling plus a cross-sectional, self-administered online survey questionnaire collected data from 307 participants. Research Findings: Findings showed that brand reputation, halal label, convenience, and food quality were positively related to attitude towards Japanese frozen food, whereas health consciousness was negatively associated with attitude. Attitudes toward Japanese frozen foods were found to mediate relationships between brand reputation and purchase intention, halal label and purchase intention, and food quality and purchase intention of the foods. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: Given the fierce competition and growth within the frozen food industry, this study advanced the knowledge of Malaysian consumer purchasing behaviour in the context of Japanese frozen foods. Managerial Implication in the South East Asian Context: The mediating role of attitude toward Japanese frozen foods in the relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic product factors and purchase intention among consumers in Malaysia provided valuable insights on foods exported from a predominantly non-Muslim country to a predominantly Muslim country in South East Asia. Research Limitation & Implications: The scope of this study was limited to Malaysians who were aware of Japanese frozen foods. Examining the extrinsic and intrinsic attributes of the foods was crucial because the awareness of and preference for Japanese frozen foods is still low in Malaysia, and there is limited knowledge about the products. Keywords: Extrinsic Factors, Intrinsic Factors, Attitude, Purchase Intention, Japanese Frozen Foods, Malaysia

Consumer quality management for beverage food products: analyzing consumer’ perceptions toward repurchase intention

PurposeThe research on consumerism has been dramatically rising in recent decades. However, in the food industry, little research has been empirically conducted in the beverage industry. This research empirically tests the consequences of consumer perceptions: perceived price (PPR), perceived quality (PQ), perceived packaging (PPG) and perceived taste (PT) on repurchase intention (RI) particularly; it unveils the consumer attributes, e.g. gender, age and ethnicity between consumer perceptions and RI of the consumers.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 403 consumers of the beverage industry (e.g. Nestle, Mitchell's Fruit Farms, Murree Brewery and OMORE) in Pakistan. The researchers used online survey questionnaires followed by a cross-sectional approach because data collection physically was not possible due to COVID-19.FindingsData were analyzed by Smart partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) 3.3.3, and the results supported the significant influence of consumer perceptions separately, e.g. PPR, PQ, PPG and PT on RI. Additionally, gender, age and ethnicity were found to have a moderating role between consumer perceptions and RI, so, the truth of having consumer attributes has been revealed.Practical implicationsThe managers of beverage industries should provide ethical and operational strategies to tackle consumer's problems based on cultural norms. Furthermore, they should make sensible measures for the quality branding of the beverage products. In this way, the consumers will have a better experience of quality, price, taste and packaging, in turn, to RI.Originality/valueThis research targeted the beverage industry that needs facts and figures based on consumer attributes, e.g. age, gender and ethnicity. This research also disclosed the behaviors of consumers according to their gender, age and area of residence.

Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in Milk during Heat Treatment Based on E-Nose, E-Tongue and HS-SPME-GC-MS

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) make up milk flavor and are essential attributes for consumers to evaluate milk quality. In order to investigate the influence of heat treatment on the VOCs of milk, electronic nose (E-nose), electronic tongue (E-tongue) and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technology were used to evaluate the changes in VOCs in milk during 65 °C heat treatment and 135 °C heat treatment. The E-nose revealed differences in the overall flavor of milk, and the overall flavor performance of milk after heat treatment at 65 °C for 30 min is similar to that of raw milk, which can maximize the preservation of the original taste of milk. However, both were significantly different to the 135 °C-treated milk. The E-tongue results showed that the different processing techniques significantly affected taste presentation. In terms of taste performance, the sweetness of raw milk was more prominent, the saltiness of milk treated at 65 °C was more prominent, and the bitterness of milk treated at 135 °C was more prominent. The results of HS-SPME-GC-MS showed that a total of 43 VOCs were identified in the three types of milk-5 aldehydes, 8 alcohols, 4 ketones, 3 esters, 13 acids, 8 hydrocarbons, 1 nitrogenous compound, and 1 phenol. The amount of acid compounds was dramatically reduced as the heat treatment temperature rose, while ketones, esters, and hydrocarbons were encouraged to accumulate instead. Furfural, 2-heptanone, 2-undecanone, 2-furanmethanol, pentanoic acid ethyl ester, 5-octanolide, and 4,7-dimethyl-undecane can be used as the characteristic VOCs of milk treated at 135 °C. Our study provides new evidence for differences in VOCs produced during milk processing and insights into quality control during milk production.

Choice experiment to assess consumer attributes for a pharmaceutical product

Purpose This study aims to identify the appropriate combination of attributes that must be present to deliver value in a new product for a pharmaceutical enterprise. Design/methodology/approach The application object was the Metronidazole analytical standard, using choice experiments to product attributes and price. Findings The practical results indicate that consumer value anticipation allows entry into the market with higher competitiveness. Originality/value Conceptually, it uses a value delivery approach, generally applied to large companies, in a case aimed at enterprises. In practice, for the enterprise studied, the value anticipation by the consumer allows entry into the market with higher competitiveness.

Scenario generation of residential electricity consumption through sampling of historical data

The low-voltage grid (LVG) needs to be reinforced to handle the increased load due to the transition towards renewable energy. Doing this optimally requires knowledge of typical currents and voltages throughout the grid, which are unknown. They can be calculated from the grid layout and electricity consumption time series of each consumer, but for many consumers this time series is unknown. To alleviate this problem, we have developed two techniques to generate accurate and realistic daylong electricity consumption time series (scenarios) for a given consumer. Both techniques generate scenarios by sampling from historical consumption measurements of a limited set of consumers, considering available information about consumers (e.g., total yearly consumption) and days (e.g., weather). The first technique uses expert knowledge to define this sampling procedure, whereas the second learns it automatically using machine learning. The quality of the generated scenarios is evaluated by estimating how well the distributions of predicted and observed time series match, conditional on the available information. The data-driven technique performs better than the expert-based technique and, contrary to the latter, can easily be applied to datasets with different attributes without requiring any domain knowledge. Both proposed techniques outperform random sampling (the prevalent approach in existing LVG studies) and standard load profiles (commonly used by distribution system operators (DSOs)). Most of the improvement is obtained by including consumer attributes, whereas daily attributes lead to little or no performance improvement. The proposed techniques can help DSOs estimate the state of the LVG more accurately, thereby reducing investment costs.

The Effect of Brand Rituals on Brand Attachment

With consumption upgrading, consumers are placing higher demands on the consumption process. A brand ritual is a ritualized interactive behaviour between consumers and a brand. The brand communication attributes of ritual and consumers’ enthusiasm for the ritual have prompted companies to use ritual elements to form emotional ties with consumers. Brand attachment is the cognitive and emotional bond that connects the brand to the consumer's ego. The brand ritual has a positive influence on brand attachment. The psychological contract reveals how brand rituals act on brand attachment. Consumers establish a transactional psychological contract with the brand based on the functional value of the product acquired and establish a relational psychological contract with the brand during the interaction of the brand ritual. Establishing a psychological contract further strengthens the emotional relationship between the consumer and the brand.

Odmietanie privátnej značky spotrebiteľmi

The subject of the contribution is the analysis of the private label from the point of view of the consumers and also the identification of the interactions that occur between these subjects in connection with the rejection of the private label by the consumers. By using the available domestic and foreign literature as well as own research, the contribution creates a comprehensive picture of the private brand in the context of consumers and also its influence on their purchase decision. The aim is to identify the attributes of consumers' decision to reject a private label and to provide suggestions for improving business strategies in the management of private labels in the food segment.

Enhancing the design of wine labels.

The knowledge accrued through research in the domain of crossmodal correspondences has had a significant influence on a diverse array of disciplines, including behavioral studies, neuroscience, computational modeling, and notably, marketing, with the objective of aligning sensory experiences to help shape patterns of consumer behavior. A study is reported that explores the extension of these principles to the communication of products having a notably complex sensory profile, specifically within the context of wine. The central aim of the project is to explore the feasibility of using crossmodal communication as a strategic tool to augment the congruence between the consumers' multisensory expectations and their sensory experiences. For consumers venturing into the realm of wine selection without the advantage of prior tasting experience, it is of paramount importance to possess a robust understanding of the mandated information. This encompasses critical elements such as the wine's origin, grape varietal(s) used, geographical indications, producer qualifications, and the potential implications of these factors on the final wine product. This level of comprehension stands as a necessary prerequisite, enabling these consumers to make informed choices that align with their preferences, even in the absence of previous sensory encounters. Nonetheless, semiotic investigations underscore the significance attributed to symbolic components such as signs, logos, colors, gestures, and linguistic cues. Research from the field performing multisensory studies, presents a counterpoint to prevailing communication paradigms, advocating for a heightened incorporation of metaphors, analogies, symbols, metonymies, and allegories. This alternative approach aims to enhance the efficacy of communication strategies, offering a more profound and evocative means of conveying intricate messages on a more holistic level. A questionnaire was sent to a specific group of engaged wine consumers (n = 329). Besides questions regarding demographics, purchase behavior, and consumption behavior, the questionnaire included examples of multisensory communication through a selection of symbols, as well as alternative wine information. The results showed significant correlations between demographics, consumption behavior, and attitudes toward the tested multisensory symbols and alternative information, thus helping to gain a better understanding of the sensory properties that should be communicated on wine labels. The findings reported here highlight the effectiveness of visual crossmodal communication as a promising pathway capable of skillfully capturing consumer attributes, conveying multisensory experiences, and portraying the comprehensive timeline of taste evolution. As a result, it assumes a pivotal role as a communicative tool for intricate consumables, like wine, functioning at the crossroads of visual and sensory dimensions.

Consumer preference of food pairing tea: Sensory approach

Food pairing is a method for identifying the suitability of certain foods and drinks with each other. The current study aimed to investigate how many different food items can be combined with tea as well as the characteristics of these food items. The research was conducted by stages, including an online survey of the most popular tea companion food products, a focus group discussion, and sensory tests using the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) method. The survey respondents liked the combination of sweet tea and biscuits. Approximately 30 consumer panelists tasted sweet tea and three kinds of coconut biscuit together and then determined the preferred attributes of the combination. CATA results showed that the preferred attributes of consumers in the ideal combination are buttery, creamy, coconut savory, sandy, and sweet. The product pair closest to the ideal is tea with “Biscuit B” (T-B), the combination of which can increase sweetness, raise buttery and creamy mouthfeel, and decrease sandy texture.

Enterprise–consumer intergroup attributional bias

We examined whether customers' attribution of positive and negative events was influenced by intergroup attributional bias toward enterprises and consumers. The participants ( s = 180 in Study 1 and 54 in Study 2) read fictional case studies of positive and negative events occurring in relation to enterprises and consumers and then provided details of their attributions. The results supported the existence of both derogatory attributions toward enterprises and favorable attributions toward consumers. Thus, an intergroup attributional bias was generally observed. Furthermore, stereotypes about enterprises influenced the formation of derogatory attributions toward enterprises. A more significantly negative enterprise stereotype was associated with an increased likelihood of showing a derogatory attribution toward enterprises. Whether the event was positive or negative, participants' perception was more inclined toward assigning egoistic motivational attributions to enterprises rather than to consumers. This study provides a new, integrative perspective to understand consumer attributions in relation to enterprise events.