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The purpose of the current study, was to apply and validate the factor structure of the Health and Taste Attitude Scales in an Italian adult sample of 1224 subjects, recruited on a national basis in order to characterise consumers' food-related attitudes with weak and strong connotations of health and taste. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used to evaluate the factor structure of the three sub-scales of Health (General health interest, Light product interest, Natural product interest) and three sub-scales of Taste (Craving for sweet foods, Using foods as a reward, Pleasure). Results showed that the internal structure was similar to the theoretical proposal, with two exceptions for the Taste scale. The Pleasure sub-scale presented strong problematic loadings and consequently was removed from the model. The Craving for sweet foods sub-scale was split into two new underlying constructs describing attitudes towards craving for sweet food based on their own experience and attitudes towards other-people's craving. The three Health sub-scales were used as a basis for the derivation of consumers clusters. Three groups of subjects with different interest in food-related health (Low, Medium, and High Interest) were identified. This segmentation confirmed an association between positive attitudes towards health and liking and familiarity with selected food groups. People more convenience-oriented and less interested in product information and food quality had higher probability to have a lower interest in food-related health. Subjects with higher positive attitudes towards using foods as a reward had a higher probability to belong to the cluster with lower interest in food-related health.

Purpose – This purpose of this paper is to introduce a research model inspired by the basic principles\ud of experiential research and apply it to the food and beverage industry. Thinkers and doers often do not\ud speak the same language: many scholars have pursued the goal of reducing the gap between\ud academicians and practitioners by introducing new research models or adapting existing ones. Two\ud case studies with wine and olive oil producers illustrate how the model works and highlight its\ud applicability. Background literature is provided to support the model.\ud Design/methodology/approach – In defining the model, we have followed several steps. First, we\ud searched the literature to identify research needs and insights that might be useful in formulating the\ud model. Second, we constructed a model following some procedural steps suggested in the literature.\ud Third, we tested a model to verify its applicability and functionality. The paper is structured as follows:\ud the first section explores the issue of academic–practitioner collaboration to identify the obstacles to\ud effective collaboration and to define possible benefits from reducing the gap. The second section\ud presents background literature on methodologies for enhancing cross-profession collaboration. Finally,\ud the model is described and two case studies are described to flesh out how the model works.\ud Findings – According to our experience and research results, this model is, paraphrasing Phillips\ud (1987), “warrantable” because it proposes continuous reflection to improve the alignment between\ud thinkers and doers: this method of conducting research is objective and bridges the gap between\ud researchers and practitioners. Because this model centres on experience, participant behaviours and\ud beliefs can be elicited about a host of nondurable goods. Having entrepreneurs put themselves in the\ud consumers’ position, and providing them the results of their experiment can be considered the real value\ud added of this approach. The model proposed in this paper opens a wider perspective in qualitative\ud research, and the two case studies demonstrate that it is particularly flexible for adaptation to various\ud businesses.\ud Research limitations/implications – More case studies could be useful to demonstrate the validity\ud of this model. Particularly, a longitudinal case study aiming at collecting data about the participants’\ud feedback in the long run could help in understanding the deep value of the proposed model.\ud Practical implications – While this paper illustrates two applications of the model with\ud entrepreneurs and managers of the wine and olive oil industry, this model offers potential for analysis\ud not only in the food and beverage sector but all fast-moving consumer goods sectors, as it can be adapted to techniques other than sensory analysis once researchers have confirmed that they fit with\ud the aim of the research and the peculiarities of the problem observed.\ud Social implications – Tools and methodologi...

The present study evaluated the safety, nutritional and sensory properties of fish pâtés made from smoked tench (Tinca tinca) pulp. Two formulations of tench pâté were produced, one of which included olive oil and the other contained mascarpone cheese. The prepared pâté jars were thermally treated according to the method applied in the canning industry. The inactivation of Clostridium botulinum during thermal treatment was determined through a challenge test study, demonstrating the complete depletion of targeted bacteria. Tench pâtés showed high nutritional properties, especially the formulation with olive oil, which was characterised by lower contents of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids and a high level of monounsaturated fatty acids. The two experimental formulations possessed a specific sensory profile, due to the ingredients incorporated into the products. Consumers’ evaluation established differences in the acceptance of the two products: the formulation with added olive oil was more appreciated by consumers, who displayed a higher purchase intent for this product. The study suggests that minced smoked tench is not only a promising ingredient for pâté production but that it also represents a value-added product able to contribute to freshwater food consumption.

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