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Assessing consumers’ understanding of the term “Natural” on food labeling
Author(s) -
Rahman Sajida,
Zasadzinski Lindsay,
Zhu Lanjun,
Edirisinghe Indika,
BurtonFreeman Britt
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/1750-3841.15128
Subject(s) - demographics , natural (archaeology) , perception , term (time) , natural food , food choice , food science , environmental health , psychology , preservative , medicine , biology , demography , pathology , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , paleontology , physics , sociology
The objective of this study was to gain a better understanding of how consumers’ interpret the term “natural” by assessing food choice based on labels describing attributes of a product associated with the term “natural”; to assess food intake of chosen food, and; to determine factors that influence food choice and intake. A randomized, single‐visit pilot study was conducted where participants ( n = 105) were presented with seven identical bowls of granola each bearing a different descriptive label. Participants were asked to choose and eat the granola ( ad libitum ) that coincided with what was closest to their view of “natural.” Food choice, intake amount, demographics, self‐health perception, label use, dietary restraint, and mindfulness were measured. “Organic” (31%), “Made with real grains” (17%), and “No preservatives” (15%) were the top three chosen labels. These choices related to concerns about environment and processing, personal health, and additives and preservatives, respectively ( P = 0.049). Income level and age were significantly associated with choice ( P = 0.003). Defining the term “natural” for use on food labels will require follow‐up researchacrosseconomically diverse populations and age groups to understand expectations of food products bearing the term “natural.”