Consumer acceptance of cultured meat is expected to depend on a wide diversity of determinants ranging from technology-related perceptions to product-specific expectations, and including wider contextual factors like media coverage, public involvement, and trust in science, policy and society. This paper discusses the case of cultured meat against this multitude of possible determinants shaping future consumer acceptance or rejection. The paper also presents insights from a primary exploratory study performed in April 2013 with consumers from Flanders (Belgium) (n=180). The concept of cultured meat was only known (unaided) by 13% of the study participants. After receiving basic information about what cultured meat is, participants expressed favorable expectations about the concept. Only 9% rejected the idea of trying cultured meat, while two thirds hesitated and about quarter indicated to be willing to try it. The provision of additional information about the environmental benefits of cultured meat compared to traditional meat resulted in 43% of the participants indicating to be willing to try this novel food, while another 51% indicated to be ‘maybe’ willing to do so. Price and sensory expectations emerged as major obstacles. Consumers eating mostly vegetarian meals were less convinced that cultured meat might be healthy, suggesting that vegetarians may not be the ideal primary target group for this novel meat substitute. Although exploratory rather than conclusive, the findings generally underscore doubts among consumers about trying this product when it would become available, and therefore also the challenge for cultured meat to mimic traditional meat in terms of sensory quality at an affordable price in order to become acceptable for future consumers.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D07366
Notes:
Pages 215-228 in Peter Bennett, Kenneth Calman, Sarah Curtis and Denis Fischbacher-Smith (eds.). Risk communication and public health. Second edition. Osvord University Press, Oxford, England. 339 pages.
Retrieved June 16, 2006, 3 pages., Discusses information-related issues associated with criticism of Coca-Cola Company on the free online encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Radhakrishnan, Bharathi (author / ABC News Medical Unit)
Format:
News article
Publication Date:
2006-06-14
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 150 Document Number: C24247
Notes:
Retrieved June 16, 2006, Via ABC News. 2 pages., A lawsuit by the Center for Science in the Public Interest against KFC for fat levels in fried chicken raises questions about limitations on what Americans eat and about appropriateness of "press conference" law suits meant to attract media attention. Cites results of a nonscientific survey on ABCNEWS.com.
11 pages., Online via UI e-subscription., This article addressed concerns that "food marketing directed at children is ubiquitous and effective, and hence is a significant contributor to childhood obesity both in the U.S. and other countries. Authors provided a review of literature about this development and public issue. As well, they offered suggestions for parents, community leaders, policy makers, and the food industry.
USA: University of California Press, Berkeley, California.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C23682
Notes:
California Studies in Food and Culture. 457 pages., Nutritionist examines "what I see as a central contradiction between nutrition theory and practice."
USA: International Food Information Council Foundation, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 30 Document Number: D10555
Notes:
3 pages., via website, International Food Information Council Foundation., Topics like sustainability, plant-based diets and clean eating seem to permeate news about food, but it turns out they’re not just buzzwords or “flavors of the week.” IFIC Foundation’s 2019 Food and Health Survey shows genuine and growing interest in these and other trends.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D12140
Notes:
Online via AgriMarketing Weekly. 2 pages., Findings of a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults commissioned by Proagrica indicated that 39% of U.S. consumers considered going vegetarian or vegan since the COVID-19 pandemic began. These attitudes were apparent in relation to both grocery shopping and eating out. Health was cited as the main reason for considering changes in diet, followed closely by the cost of meat.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C19688
Notes:
Pages 31-40 in James Flynn, Paul Slovic and Howard Kunreuther (eds), Risk, media and stigma: understanding public challenges to modern science and technology. Earthscan Publications Ltd., London, England. 399 pages., Includes discussion about consumer perceptions, as related to food safety issues such as fat in the diet and mad cow disease.
2 pages, "In fact, it might be argued that this is one of those rare stories that ends with everyone looking good - the government for enacting the new law, the food manufacturers for responding to consumer pressure, and the media for bringing an under-exposed danger to light"
20 pages., Via online from the University of Illinois website., Authors' review provided an overview of the data sources, computational methods, and applications of text data in the food industry. Applications of text data analysis were illustrated with respect to food safety and food fraud surveillance, dietary pattern characterization, consumer-opinion mining, new-product development, food knowledge discovery, food supply-chain management, and online food systems.
