Browsing by Author "Monteiro, M. J. P."
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- Acceptance of exotic beverages with health benefits in Europe: a crosscountry comparison of hibiscus productsPublication . Monteiro, M. J. P.; Costa, A. I. A.; Fliedel, G.; Cisse, M.; Tomlins, K.; Pintado, M. E.
- Consumer sensory profiling and liking of bolognese-type sauces: how do insect and plant foods really fare against red meat?Publication . Costa, A. I. de Almeida; Monteiro, M. J. P.; Maya, C.; Rocha, C.; Faria, B. F.; Lima, R. C.; Cunha, L. M.; Roos, N.Meeting global targets for healthier and more sustainable diets calls for a substantial reduction of meat consumption in Western nations, especially red and processed meat. This requires a transition to the large-scale production, marketing, and adoption of alternative proteins. The current state of development of new plant- and insect-based foods holds good promise, but optimizing their sensory quality to the point where they can satisfactorily replace everyday meat-eating experiences remains a challenge, demanding a more consumer-oriented approach. This study investigated how Portuguese adults (N = 130, 18-40 years old, 50% female, regular meat eaters) perceived the sensory characteristics of seven Bolognese-style pasta sauces - made with 100% red meat (beef and pork), plant (soya beans or peas) or edible insect (house cricket or yellow mealworm larvae) protein - and how this affected their hedonic preferences for these products. Expectedly, the meat-based sauce was generally the most appreciated. Still, consumers liked all products slightly to moderately apart from mealworm mince. Sensory-mediated disgust affected the evaluations of some insect- and plant-based sauces, while others benefitted from formulations that enhanced savouriness and the prototypical attributes of a tomato pasta sauce. Moreover, the disconfirmation of positive sensory-affective judgements of 'meatiness' induced by mince-like texture cues penalized liking. High inter-individual variation in evaluations was observed. Distinct preferences for spiciness, for instance, moderated the effects of meat substitution on product liking, with over half of participants appreciating a mild or a spicy plant-based option more than the typical beef Bolognese. Sociodemographics, Beef Consumption, Healthy Eating Consciousness and Food Disgust Sensitivity were all important predictors of patterns of product liking, pointing out that the type of protein selected is just one of the many factors driving the acceptance of meat substitutes by consumers that can be leveraged by the food industry.
- Consumers’ knowledge on protected designation of origin of food products – a cross cultural studyPublication . Silva, A.P.; Villegas, B.; Lucia, N.; Fisichella, C.; Tupasela, T.; Monteiro, M. J. P.; Pintado, M. E.; Cardoso, Eduardo Luís
- Consumers’ knowledge on protected designation of origin of food products - a cross cultural studyPublication . Silva, A. P.; Villegas, B.; Lucia, N.; Fisichella, C.; Tupasela, T.; Monteiro, M. J. P.; Pintado, M. E.; Cardoso, Eduardo Luís
- Evaluation of innovative insect-based products by Portuguese consumers using a repeated exposure approach under a controlled settingPublication . Barbosa, B.; Rocha, C.; Ribeiro, J. C.; Lima, R. C.; Costa, A. I. A.; Monteiro, M. J. P.; Maya, C.; Roos, N.; Cunha, L. M.In an era of considerable environmental pressures, edible insects have demonstrated their ability to integrate innovative and sustainable food production methods. Nonetheless, there are clear obstacles to their acceptance, particularly in Western countries. With a view to a longitudinal analysis of the consumption moment, the study's main goal was to assess how the repeated exposure approach can impact consumer's liking and sensory perception of different insect-based products. At the same time, these products were compared with commercially available plant-based analogue products, as these types of products can be targeted to the same market. For each group of products, the impact of repeated exposure on participants exposed to the products in a household context was compared with a group of participants who had no intervention at home. This comparative assessment was carried out in a sensory laboratory environment. Five different insect and plant-based products were assessed on a 9-point hedonic scale with open comments to complement the analysis by two panels of 58 participants. Significant differences were found between products throughout the exposure, with most products decreasing the liking scores between exposures. However, no significant differences concerning exposure were identified between the intervention and non-intervention groups. Regarding the evaluation of the samples according to the different exposure groups, it was observed that there was no noticeable impact of exposure on the evaluation of the insect-based products evaluated by the intervention group and the plant-based products tasted by the non-intervention group. This study reinforces the impact of repeated exposure on the overall liking levels of the samples, with valuable findings on sensory perception that can be translated into insect-based product development.