Cho Yunjeong, Chambers Edgar, Lee Jeehyun
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Pusan National University, Busan 46243, Republic of Korea.
Center for Sensory Analysis and Consumer Behavior, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA.
Foods. 2025 May 13;14(10):1729. doi: 10.3390/foods14101729.
Snack foods are increasingly important because of irregular eating patterns in busy lives. Many consumers state that reading ingredients is important to them making rational choices when consuming snacks. This study investigates consumer's reported avoidance of a wide range of 20 current and potential snack food ingredients. A survey of approximately 630 consumers in each of 13 countries was conducted using a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) method. Cochran's Q test was performed to compare percentages of avoidance among countries, and correspondence analysis and cluster analysis were conducted to visualize the similarity of avoidance tendency among countries. Results showed a high tendency to avoid insect powder, SAPP, and BHA, perhaps because of connotations such as disgust or their "non-natural" connotations. The aversion rates for soybean, corn, wheat flour, and pea flour were low. Significant differences ( < 0.05) between countries were found for all 20 ingredients. The countries were grouped into seven clusters based on similar avoidance tendencies. This research offers insights into consumer perceptions of snack food ingredients, helping manufacturers understand ingredient avoidance across cultures. These findings support tailored product strategies to enhance food safety policies. Ultimately, the study contributes valuable data for global marketing strategies and promotes innovation in response to health-conscious consumer trends.
由于忙碌生活中不规律的饮食模式，休闲食品变得越来越重要。许多消费者表示，阅读配料表对于他们在食用休闲食品时做出理性选择很重要。本研究调查了消费者报告的对20种当前和潜在休闲食品配料的回避情况。使用复选法（CATA）对13个国家的约630名消费者进行了调查。进行了 Cochr an's Q检验以比较各国之间的回避百分比，并进行了对应分析和聚类分析以可视化各国之间回避趋势的相似性。结果表明，人们很倾向于回避昆虫粉、变性淀粉磷酸酯（SAPP）和丁基羟基茴香醚（BHA），这可能是因为它们带有厌恶等含义或“非天然”的含义。对大豆、玉米、小麦粉和豌豆粉的厌恶率较低。发现所有20种配料在各国之间均存在显著差异（<0.05）。根据相似的回避趋势，这些国家被分为七个类别。这项研究为了解消费者对休闲食品配料的看法提供了见解，有助于制造商了解不同文化背景下对配料的回避情况。这些发现支持了量身定制的产品策略，以加强食品安全政策。最终，该研究为全球营销策略提供了有价值的数据，并推动了针对注重健康的消费趋势的创新。
