Consumer attitudes to high pressure food processing

Author: Peter Butz ^1*, Eric C. Needs ⁴, Alain Baron ², Otto Bayer ¹, Bärbel Geisel ¹, Bharat Gupta ³, Ulrich Oltersdorf ¹ and Bernhard Tauscher ¹

Received 12 October 2002, accepted 20 December 2002.

Abstract

As part of an EU-funded research project a representative survey of consumer attitudes concerning high pressure processing (HPP) of foods was carried out. 3000 adults aged 14 years and over, in France, Germany and the UK were interviewed in face-toface computer assisted personal interviews (CAPI) and asked to indicate their opinion by evaluating 35 positive and 25 negative statements about the new technique, to compare the new technique with the conventional techniques, and they were asked if they would buy products preserved using High Pressure Pasteurization. The concept used for the data analysis was that of a market segmentation model using sociodemographical, geographical and psychographical attributes. The average acceptability rate is discussed with respect to the MAYA threshold value (Most Advanced Yet Acceptable), a pragmatic market research threshold value.

Journal: Food, Agriculture and Environment (JFAE)
Online ISSN: 1459-0263
Year: 2003, Vol. 1, Issue 1, pages 30-34.
Publisher: WFL