Australian consumers' antecedents of attitudes towards foods produced by novel technologies

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify antecedents of attitudes towards foods produced by novel technologies, including high pressure processing (HPP) (orange juice); genetic modification for a “health benefit” (omega‐3 margarine); novel cereals with resistant starch for a “health benefit” where the traits were identified by genetic modification to understand selected gene function prior to utilising traditional breeding techniques to achieve desired novel traits (pasta); and infertility technologies (triploidy and irradiation) for farmed aquaculture (prawns).

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire based on adaptations of three validated food choice questionnaires was administered using an incomplete block design, with each respondent (n=142) assessing two products produced by three differing technologies (triads). Quantitative responses to food choice issues and the importance of those issues (belief evaluation constructs) were analysed using repeated measures analysis of variance, with three independent variables; gender, frequency of consumption (both only significant for margarine) and age (ns).

Findings

Significant differences between the various technologies were found for four of the five products (not orange juice) by technology. Belief evaluation constructs that differed for all technologies investigated were health, natural content, familiarity and political values. Furthermore, price, ecological welfare, and impression management underlie attitudes towards some technologies.

Originality/value

While based on a relatively small Australian convenience sample, these findings suggest that scientists and manufacturers would be well advised to test concept products produced by novel technologies to ensure that they are perceived positively; otherwise uptake and success in the marketplace will be impeded if information on the technology were, as is increasingly likely in an age of freely available information, to be revealed.

Citation

Evans, G. and Cox, D.N. (2006), "Australian consumers' antecedents of attitudes towards foods produced by novel technologies", British Food Journal, Vol. 108 No. 11, pp. 916-930. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700610709968