Public perception of algal consumption as an alternative food in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Abstract

Algae are living organisms with high nutritional benefits. As such, algae are considered a solution to malnutrition and starvation. Individuals in the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) region have limited food resources and face problems linked to malnutrition. Therefore, the introduction of a new food to their diet, such as algae, would be beneficial. However, these populations have conservative food habits and might not accept such anew food. Therefore, here we assessed consumer acceptance of natural and processed algae (seaweeds and Spirulina) in the Kingdom of Bahrain using a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) approach. TAM is normally used to study the acceptance of technology, including commercial, industrial and nutritional industries. Here, we investigate the Bahraini community's likelihood of accepting algal food as an alternative food source. In addition, factors impacting the acceptance of algal food as an alternative food were examined. Valid questionnaires (300) were collected to empirically test the research model using the partial least square (PLS) path modelling approach. We found that the following proposed hypotheses were supported, except for the relationship between perceived healthiness of food and behavioural intention. This study revealed that sensory aspects, perceive healthiness of food, and knowledge experience/familiarity have a significant positive direct relationship to perceived risk and uncertainty while having an indirect relationship with behavioural intention to consume the algal product. Subjective norm, perceived risk and uncertainty, food neo-phobia, and consumer decision to eat algal food products were found to directly influence consumers' algal food behavioural intention, which, in turn, affects the consumers' decisions about whether to consume algal food products. Our data suggest that the people in the Kingdom of Bahrain are willing to consume algae and, thus, that the Bahraini market is ready to receive algal food products.

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