Consumer Preferences for Processed Meat Reformulation Strategies: A Prototype for Sensory Evaluation Combined with a Choice-Based Conjoint Experiment

Xinyi Hong, Chenguang Li, Liming Wang, Mansi Wang (), Simona Grasso and Frank J. Monahan
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Xinyi Hong: School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Chenguang Li: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, D04V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
Liming Wang: School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Mansi Wang: School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Simona Grasso: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, D04V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
Frank J. Monahan: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, D04V1W8 Dublin, Ireland

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: Consumption trends demand healthier meat products and require research into reformulation strategies. Ambiguities in consumer preferences for two processed meat reformulation strategies (i.e., ingredient “reduction” and nutrient “addition”) were investigated. Using physical prototypes of omega-3-enriched pork sausages and sensory evaluation to reduce hypothetical bias, followed by a choice-based conjoint experiment, results suggested that consumers valued both “addition” and “reduction” reformulation strategies, and consumers’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) premiums were the highest for omega-3 addition, followed by fat reduction, and were lowest for salt reduction. Moreover, WTP was influenced by sensory preferences and was positively correlated with sensory liking levels. Providing health-related information improved consumers’ sensory perceptions of omega-3-enriched sausages. Findings imply that reformulated healthier meat products are acceptable to consumers. Moreover, to enhance consumers’ valuation on new launches of healthier processed meat products, meat manufacturers should inform consumers of health-related reformulation information, provide consumers with opportunities to taste newly developed healthier processed meat products, and continuously optimize consumers’ sensory experience.

Keywords: reformulation strategy; healthier processed meat; sensory liking; consumer preferences; willingness-to-pay (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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