Factors Determining Consumer Acceptance of Biofortified Food: Case of Zinc-Fortified Wheat in Pakistan's Punjab Province

Rizwan, Muhammad; Zhu, Yueji; Qing, Ping; Zhang, Debin; Ahmed, Umar Ijaz; Xu, Hui; Iqbal, Muhammad Amjed; Saboor, Abdul; Malik, Arshad Mahmood; Nazir, Adnan; Xuelian, Wu; He, Puming; Tariq, Azam

doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.647823

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…This finding suggests that adherence to the study intervention was likely to be high and aids our interpretation of the main RCT outcomes. The findings are also consistent with a previous study conducted in Pakistan in which participants tasted and rated chapati produced with biofortified wheat and conventional wheat very similarly in terms of sensory characteristics [23]. While differences in the scores were minor, Rizwan and colleagues found that the participants gave better scores to the chapati produced with biofortified wheat in terms of appearance and aroma while the conventional variety was scored slightly higher in terms of taste and texture.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Community Perceptions of Zinc Biofortified Flour during an Intervention Study in Pakistan

et al. 2022

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Zinc-biofortified flour may be a cost-effective approach to improve zinc status of populations in low-resource settings. The success of biofortification programmes is subject to acceptability and uptake by consumers. This study explored community leaders’ and community members’ (n = 72) experiences and attitudes towards the flour provided during a cluster randomised controlled trial of zinc biofortified wheat in rural Pakistan (BiZiFED2). Focus group discussions (n = 12) were conducted and thematic analysis applied using an inductive, semantic, contextualist approach. Five themes were identified: (1) Contribution to food security; (2) Better sensory and baking properties than local flour; (3) Perceived health benefits; (4) Willingness to pay for the flour; and (5) Importance of trusted promoters/suppliers. Although the participants were blind to whether they had received control or biofortified flour, referred to collectively as “study flour”, the results indicated that the study flour performed well in terms of its taste and bread making qualities, with no adverse reports from participants in either arm of the BIZIFED2 RCT. Participants suggested that they would buy the biofortified wheat if this was available at a fair price due to perceived health benefits, reporting positive sensory characteristics and cooking attributes when compared to the flour available in the local markets. Overall, there was a positive reception of the programme and flour among the participants, and members of the community hoped for its continuation and expansion.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Community Perceptions of Zinc Biofortified Flour during an Intervention Study in Pakistan

et al. 2022

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“…This indicates that the product idea appeals to a relatively broad consumer base in this respect. In contrast, many other studies have found that the willingness to try new functional foods decreases with age and increase with education level [54][55][56][57][58]. However, there are also contradictory reports in the literature [29,49].…”

Section: Target Groups Of Iodine-biofortified Fresh Produce Versus Di...mentioning

confidence: 95%

Consumer Acceptance and Market Potential of Iodine-Biofortified Fruit and Vegetables in Germany

et al. 2021

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Biofortification of food crops with iodine is a novel approach to preventing iodine deficiency in humans. The present study analyses the consumer target groups and the market potential of iodine-biofortified fruit and vegetables in Germany. For this purpose, an online survey of 1016 German fruit and vegetable consumers was conducted to investigate the acceptance of different product categories as well as relevant criteria for the market launch. The results show that iodine-biofortified fruit and vegetables are particularly attractive to consumers who purchase at farmers’ markets, organic food shops, and farm stores. Out of this group, 39% of consumers rate such iodine-rich foods as very appealing. They attach importance to food that naturally contains iodine and prefer produce from integrated domestic cultivation. With their focus on sustainability and naturalness, this group of consumers clearly differs from typical users of dietary supplements, who are primarily concerned with health benefits. However, overall about 85% of respondents would prefer biofortified fruits and vegetables to supplements to improve their iodine supply. The greatest market potential for iodine-biofortified fruit and vegetables is to be expected in supermarkets, as this is the preferred food shopping location for most consumers. A total of 28% of those who buy here rate the biofortified foods presented as very appealing. Nevertheless, a successful market launch requires that the benefits of the new products are communicated according to the potential consumer group needs.

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“… 85 , 86 More recently, Rizwan et al. 87 found that there is significant scope for promoting zinc wheat in the country.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies in rural Uganda revealed that when nutrition information on the benefits of vitamin A sweet potato was provided, consumers valued the vitamin A-rich orange varieties more than white ones. 85,86 More recently, Rizwan et al 87 found that there is significant scope for promoting zinc wheat in the country.…”

Section: Consumer Understanding and Best Methods To Promote To Consumersmentioning

confidence: 99%

The global regulatory framework for the commercialization of nutrient enriched biofortified foods

Mitra‐Ganguli¹,

Pfeiffer²,

Walton³

2022

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

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Nutrient enriched crops (NECs) were developed through biofortification as a tool to reach the world's most vulnerable. The delivery model developed by HarvestPlus for the scaling of NECs relies on commercial demand from food businesses and consumers, coupled with the ability to promote and market foods that comply with legislation. This review of standards, regulations, and laws across the value chain in 20 countries demonstrates that existing provisions for food labeling are sufficient to carry out sales and marketing of foods made from conventionally bred NECs. The term biofortification is not necessary to create demand and, potentially, is counterproductive. Promoting the natural source of vitamins and minerals and relevant nutrition claims is the most effective and simple way to signpost healthier products to consumers. Until 2021, it was not possible to distinguish NECs at the grain level from the market standard. The development of a globally relevant Publicly Available Specification allows traders to demand grains that offer a substantial increase in zinc, iron, or vitamin A. Addressing this gap at the grain level ensures that standards and regulations are available end‐to‐end in the food supply chain providing the enabling environment for the rapid scale of NECs.

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Factors Determining Consumer Acceptance of Biofortified Food: Case of Zinc-Fortified Wheat in Pakistan's Punjab Province

Cited by 10 publications

References 49 publications

Community Perceptions of Zinc Biofortified Flour during an Intervention Study in Pakistan

Community Perceptions of Zinc Biofortified Flour during an Intervention Study in Pakistan

Consumer Acceptance and Market Potential of Iodine-Biofortified Fruit and Vegetables in Germany

The global regulatory framework for the commercialization of nutrient enriched biofortified foods

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