Premium
FACTORS AFFECTING CONSUMER SELECTION AND ACCEPTABILITY OF BEEF IN CENTRAL ALBERTA
Author(s) -
JEREMIAH L. E.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of consumer studies and home economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.775
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1470-6431
pISSN - 0309-3891
DOI - 10.1111/j.1470-6431.1981.tb00403.x
Subject(s) - respondent , purchasing , tenderness , marbled meat , agricultural science , per capita , butcher , consumption (sociology) , business , food science , toxicology , zoology , biology , medicine , environmental health , geography , population , marketing , social science , archaeology , sociology , political science , law
Beef, pork, poultry, and fish were relatively widely consumed, while lamb and veal were consumed on a regular basis by a relatively small proportion of the respondents in this investigation. Pork was more widely consumed by younger respondents (under 50 years), while a large proportion of older respondents regularly consumed lamb and veal. Number of per capita servings of most kinds of meat and of beef steaks and roasts appeared to increase with age of adult household members. Older respondents (over 50 years) consumed more per capita servings of the higher priced beef cuts, but similar amounts of the cheaper beef cuts. A larger proportion of younger respondents (under 35 years) either did not know or failed to ascertain the grade of beef regularly purchased, while a larger proportion of the older respondents (over 35 years) believed they were purchasing steer beef in preference to heifer beef. Colour, price and lean‐to‐fat ratio were the most widely used criteria for selection of steak and roast purchases, but colour and price were not as widely considered by respondents in the mid‐age groups (25–50 years). Marbling increased in importance as a selection criterion with age of respondent. Respondents in the mid‐age groups considered grade and butcher recommendations most often when selecting beef purchases. Respondents in all age groups considered tenderness and flavour most important to the acceptability of steaks and roasts, after purchase, but colour and lean‐to‐fat ratio were also relatively important to older respondents (over 50 years). Documentation of consumption patterns, selection criteria, and factors contributing to acceptability in various geographical areas is important, so that industry can modify production, processing, and handling practices to better satisfy consumer requirements and desires.