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Sensory and Consumer Science for a More Sustainable World
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Sensory and Consumer Science for a More Sustainable World

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 18747

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Julia Low

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
Interests: Sensory and consumer science methodologies; individual variation in sensory perception; sustainable eating barriers; digital innovations in sensory and consumer science; psychophysics; nutrition; dietary behaviours across lifespan
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Qian Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sensory Science Centre, Division of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Leicestershaire LE12 5RD, UK
Interests: consumer behaviours; motivations and barriers to protein alternatives; sweet liking; multimodel sensory perception
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lisa Newman

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Digital Innovations in Nutrition and Eating (DINE) Lab, School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne 3000, Australia
Interests: individual differences in sensory perception; nutrition; sustainable diets; dietary behaviours across the lifespan; digital innovation in sensory and consumer science

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to urgent global challenges, there is an urgent need to shift our behaviours to be more sustainable. The United Nations has set up 17 sustainable development goals that they hope to accomplish by the year 2030 that aim to achieve a more sustainable future. In the field of sensory and consumer science, ‘Sustainable Sensory Science’ was the theme for the Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium 2021, suggesting that sustainability also became a hot and key research topic in our field. This area of research is evolving quickly, especially within the past couple of years, where we have been forced to think outside the box to conduct research.

This Special Issue aims to bring together researchers across different disciplines to highlight how their research can contribute to more a sustainable world.

This Special Issue will focus on the following research areas:

  • Sustainability in sensory and consumer science methodologies:
    • Sensory and consumer science methodology development (obtaining ecologically valid and meaningful data);
    • Digital innovation technologies in sensory and consumer research – e.g., use of artificial intelligence to simplify data collection process, digital innovation technologies in sensory analytical data (e.g., e-tongue, e-noses, etc.).
  • Understanding the sensory and consumer perceptions of sustainable foods and diets, sustainable behavioural habits, and laboratory practices – e.g., sustainable food products such as alternative proteins, sustainable packaging, sustainable sensory, and consumer laboratory practices.

Overall, we wish to bring together different areas of research in the sensory and consumer science discipline that address the topic of sustainability to showcase the diversity and innovation in this evolving research area.

Dr. Julia Low
Dr. Qian Yang
Dr. Lisa Newman
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sensory and consumer science methodologies
  • sustainable practices in sensory and consumer science
  • digital innovation technologies in sensory and consumer research
  • digital innovation in sensory analytical data
  • sustainable foods
  • sustainable diets
  • sustainable packaging

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 8758 KiB  
Article
Consumer Attitudes and Acceptability toward Edible New Zealand Native Plants
by Damir D. Torrico, Xin Nie, Damselina Lukito, Santanu Deb-Choudhury, Scott C. Hutchings and Carolina E. Realini
Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 11592; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511592 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1826
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate consumers’ perceptions, emotions, and acceptability of selected edible New Zealand native plants. A survey-type methodology was employed, recruiting participants voluntarily through email invitations. A total of N = 100 participants, ranging in age from 18 to 70 and [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate consumers’ perceptions, emotions, and acceptability of selected edible New Zealand native plants. A survey-type methodology was employed, recruiting participants voluntarily through email invitations. A total of N = 100 participants, ranging in age from 18 to 70 and with diverse ethnic backgrounds, were asked to answer questions regarding six specific edible New Zealand species and edible native plants in general. Results showed that participants had varying levels of familiarity with the specific plants, with a majority feeling “calm”, “happy”, and “interested” when presented with them. Factors deemed most important when thinking about the six selected plants included edibility and safety. When considering native plants in general, participants rated factors such as general nutrition, safety, and sustainability as important. The study found that a significant proportion of participants expressed a positive intention to consume native plants in the future, but the levels of interest varied depending on the demographic distribution. The study provides insights into consumer attitudes toward edible native plants and highlights the potential for these food ingredients to be included in mainstream diets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensory and Consumer Science for a More Sustainable World)
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15 pages, 2267 KiB  
Article
Mechanical and Sensory Properties of Pulse Gels in the Development of New Plant Based Food
by Djemaa Moussaoui, Mónica González, Arantxa Rizo, Carolina Chaya and Amparo Tarrega
Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9407; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129407 - 12 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1496
Abstract
The shift towards healthier and sustainable food consumption requires a greater variety of plant-based products. This study aimed to determine how the mechanical and sensory properties of three different pulse gels (chickpea, lentil, or red lentil flour) vary with the ingredients (flour, oil, [...] Read more.
The shift towards healthier and sustainable food consumption requires a greater variety of plant-based products. This study aimed to determine how the mechanical and sensory properties of three different pulse gels (chickpea, lentil, or red lentil flour) vary with the ingredients (flour, oil, lemon, and salt content). All pulse flours were able to form self-standing gels. Mechanical properties varied with the pulse type and with the formulation differently depending on the pulse. For all pulses, the hardness and stiffness increased with the flour content and decreased with salt. They decreased with lemon in chickpea gels and increased with oil content in the red lentil gel. The Flash Profile technique provided distinctive sensory characteristics of each pulse gel. The red lentil gels were homogeneous, creamy, and compact. The chickpea gels were also compact, but harder. Lentil flour resulted in rough and sandy gels. For the three pulses, including oil and lemon reduced pulse flavors and increased sour taste. The results of this study give insights into the suitability of pulse gels to be the basis of new solid plant-based products whose sensory properties can be modulated by varying the concentration of natural ingredients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensory and Consumer Science for a More Sustainable World)
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20 pages, 624 KiB  
Article
Perceptions of Cultivated Meat in Millennial and Generation X Consumers Resident in Aotearoa New Zealand
by Caroline Giezenaar, A. Jonathan R. Godfrey, Olivia J. Ogilvie, Petra Coetzee, Maheeka Weerawarna N.R.P., Meika Foster and Joanne Hort
Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4009; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054009 - 22 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3125
Abstract
Evidence suggests that consumer perceptions and acceptance of cultivated meat (CM) differ between countries, cultures, and consumer groups. Limited research specific to Aotearoa New Zealand (A-NZ) is available. Survey responses from 592 A-NZ residents were analysed to determine CM awareness, willingness to engage [...] Read more.
Evidence suggests that consumer perceptions and acceptance of cultivated meat (CM) differ between countries, cultures, and consumer groups. Limited research specific to Aotearoa New Zealand (A-NZ) is available. Survey responses from 592 A-NZ residents were analysed to determine CM awareness, willingness to engage with CM, and perceived CM product attributes relative to conventional meat and plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs). The effects of gender, age, meat/PBMA consumption frequency, CM awareness, and food neophobia on CM perceptions were determined. The statements were rated on a seven-point Likert scale. Half (52%) of the respondents agreed they were aware of CM. The awareness was higher in men compared to women (p = 0.036), higher in Millennials compared to Generation X (p = 0.022), and higher in regular compared to infrequent PBMA consumers (p = 0.0003). The willingness to engage with CM and perceived CM product attributes were consistently more positive in consumers who were aware, compared with consumers not aware of CM (p < 0.05). Being male, Millennial, low neophobic and a low meat, or high PBMA consumer was also associated with higher potential engagement and perceptions of CM to varying extents. Segmentation divided the respondents into three groups. The ‘positive’ cluster (41%) consumed more PBMAs and less meat and was more aware of CM than the ‘neutral’ (50%) and ‘negative’ (9%) clusters. In conclusion, consumers in A-NZ are not a homogenous group with regards to their perceptions and potential engagement with CM. Increasing awareness and familiarity with CM will be an important strategy to increase engagement with CM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensory and Consumer Science for a More Sustainable World)
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11 pages, 1938 KiB  
Article
Brewer’s Spent Grain Used in Fiber-Enriched Burgers—Influence of Sustainability Information on Consumer Responses
by Ana Curutchet, Patricia Arcia, Fátima Prisco and Amparo Tarrega
Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 3873; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15053873 - 21 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2146
Abstract
Brewer’s spent grain (BSG) is the main brewery by-product, whose main use is animal feed but its incorporation into food can improve nutritional quality and sustainability. However, consumers base food preferences on packaging cues that assign meaning to food products. Furthermore, sustainability communication [...] Read more.
Brewer’s spent grain (BSG) is the main brewery by-product, whose main use is animal feed but its incorporation into food can improve nutritional quality and sustainability. However, consumers base food preferences on packaging cues that assign meaning to food products. Furthermore, sustainability communication in food is poorly studied. Therefore, the objective of this work was to study the effect of communicating BSG enrichment in beef burgers on consumer responses. Three burger brands were considered and three labels were designed that included information about the addition of fiber. A total of 276 Uruguayans completed an online survey to measure their purchase intention. The way participants were informed about fiber addition did not influence their responses and the brand was the only factor that affected the results. Cluster analysis was applied, identifying four clusters. The brand was always the only significant variable and two of the clusters were highly interested in purchasing the fiber-enriched burgers. The results suggest consumers are interested in the inclusion of BSG in their products and expect information on the origin of the ingredient but not deep communication about the concept of ‘by-products.’ Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensory and Consumer Science for a More Sustainable World)
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Review

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13 pages, 670 KiB  
Review
The Nutritional Quality of Plant-Based Foods
by Alissa A. Nolden and Ciarán G. Forde
Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3324; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043324 - 11 Feb 2023
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 8806
Abstract
There is growing interest in the adoption of a more sustainable diet, and this has led to the development of plant-derived alternative products that are used as a substitute for products of animal origin. This is a promising way to improve the sustainability [...] Read more.
There is growing interest in the adoption of a more sustainable diet, and this has led to the development of plant-derived alternative products that are used as a substitute for products of animal origin. This is a promising way to improve the sustainability of the agricultural food industry; however, there are increasing concerns regarding the nutritional profile of plant-based products, with emerging evidence that many are not nutritionally equivalent to conventional animal products. In this study, we provide a narrative review focusing on the nutritional quality of plant-based alternative products. First, we summarize the available literature examining consumers’ and healthcare professionals’ perceived healthfulness and nutritional concerns regarding plant-based foods. Then, we compare the nutritional composition (macro- and micronutrients) of plant-based alternatives to their conventional animal counterparts. Moreover, we outline the potential impact of these nutritional differences on overall diet quality and provide a summary of the differences in the digestibility and bioavailability of nutrients from plant and animal sources. We highlight the role of product development and innovations in food processing to support the nutritional composition of plant-based products and outline the priorities for more comprehensive research on the nutrient density of these products and the sustained effect of modern plant-derived diets on long-term health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensory and Consumer Science for a More Sustainable World)
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