Consumer acceptance is an important issue for the success of a new product in the marketplace. Technological developments are aimed at improving product quality. However, consumers are not typically focused on the processing techniques themselves but on the benefits and risks associated with them such as healthiness and safety.

Benefits of a new processing method can be related to the improved acceptability and convenience of a new product. In particular, processing technologies that achieve high sensory and high nutritional quality provide benefits to consumers that may outweigh increases in price. However, perceived risks are also important in consumer decisions and may become barriers against the acceptance of a new product.

Studies have shown that to make new technologies more appropriate to consumers, technological innovations need to be directed towards those outcomes desired by consumers, such as reduced environmental impacts or reduced price. Consumer acceptance of new processing methods is related to associated benefits, possible benefits or risks. It is also expected that individuals who are highly innovative would also be more willing to accept new processing methods and that a positive attitude towards technological development in general is expected to be positively related to the acceptance of new food processing methods.

A study by Lampila and Lahteenmaki¹ investigated the attitudes of consumers in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Finland towards high-pressure freezing of foods. Issues examined were familiarity and attitudes towards high-pressure freezing compared with other processing technologies, perceived and acceptable benefits and the influence of high-pressure freezing on acceptability and characteristics of vegetable products. The advantages of high-pressure freezing technology such as decreasing the probability of microbial spoilage or improving product quality were shown to have the clearest influence on consumer appropriateness ratings. However, attitudes towards the processing method were generally neutral.

¹ Lampila, P; Lahteenmaki, L (2007). Consumers’ attitudes towards high pressure freezing of food. British Food Journal 109 (10) 838–851.

Click on the logo below to view an abstract of this paper from FSTA Direct.