Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Am Krümpel 31, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany.
Marketing of Agricultural and Food Products, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Göttingen, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
Nutrients. 2023 May 12;15(10):2291. doi: 10.3390/nu15102291.
Iron deficiency is still widespread as a major health problem even in countries with adequate food supply. It mainly affects women but also vegans, vegetarians, and athletes and can lead to various clinical pictures. Biofortification of vitamin C-rich vegetables with iron may be one new approach to face this nutritional challenge. However, so far, little is known about the consumer acceptance of iron-biofortified vegetables, particularly in developed countries. To address this issue, a quantitative survey of 1000 consumers in Germany was conducted. The results showed that depending on the type of vegetable, between 54% and 79% of the respondents were interested in iron-biofortified vegetables. Regression analysis showed a relationship between product acceptance, gender, and area of residence. In addition, relationships were found between consumer preferences for enjoyment, sustainability, and naturalness. Compared to functional food and dietary supplements, 77% of respondents would prefer fresh iron-rich vegetables to improve their iron intake. For a market launch, those iron-rich vegetables appear especially promising, which can additionally be advertised with claims for being rich in vitamin C and cultivated in an environmentally friendly way. Consumers were willing to pay EUR 0.10 to EUR 0.20 more for the iron-biofortified vegetables.
缺铁仍然是一个普遍存在的主要健康问题，即使在食物供应充足的国家也是如此。它主要影响妇女，但也影响素食者、素食者和运动员，并可能导致各种临床症状。用铁对富含维生素 C 的蔬菜进行生物强化可能是应对这一营养挑战的一种新方法。然而，到目前为止，人们对消费者对铁生物强化蔬菜的接受程度知之甚少，特别是在发达国家。为了解决这个问题，对德国的 1000 名消费者进行了定量调查。结果表明，根据蔬菜的类型，有 54%至 79%的受访者对铁生物强化蔬菜感兴趣。回归分析显示，产品接受度与性别和居住地有关。此外，还发现了消费者对享受、可持续性和自然性的偏好之间的关系。与功能性食品和膳食补充剂相比，77%的受访者更愿意选择富含铁的新鲜蔬菜来增加铁的摄入量。对于市场推出，那些富含铁的蔬菜似乎特别有前途，它们可以用富含维生素 C 和环保方式种植的说法来宣传。消费者愿意为铁生物强化蔬菜多支付 0.10 至 0.20 欧元。
