Consumer intention towards the phosphate-reduced processed meat products using the extended theory of planned behaviour. (November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thangavelu, Karthikeyan Palanisamy; Hyland, John J.; Henchion, Maeve; Kerry, Joseph P.; Álvarez, Carlos
• Is Part Of: Meat science. Volume 193(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-11
• Subjects: Phosphate additives -- Clean-label -- Perceived health risks -- consumers' attitude -- consumers' knowledge of food additives; Meat -- Periodicals; Meat industry and trade -- Periodicals; Viande -- Périodiques; Viande -- Industrie -- Périodiques; Meat; Meat industry and trade; Periodicals; 641.36
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108947
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0309-1740

Abstract

Abstract: Phosphates are essential for maintaining various quality attributes of processed meat products such as water-binding properties, texture and sensory properties and their removal would drastically change the products' technical and sensory qualities. Currently, meat industries are faced with the challenge of removing phosphates to address the consumers' demand to remove the negatively perceived synthetic additives from processed meat products. This study measured these consumers' purchase intention of phosphate-reduced processed meat products with different quality, using the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB). An online survey was conducted among the consumers ( n = 548) of the Republic of Ireland (ROI) to predict their knowledge and attitude towards phosphate additives. Analysis of the survey responses showed that about two-third of the participants consumed processed meat products 5–6 times per week. The results of multiple linear regression showed that the theory constructs attitude, subjective norms, perceived health risks significantly ( P < 0.05) influenced the consumer behavioural intention whereas the perceived behavioural control (PBC) produced insignificant impacts. The results also revealed that the extended TPB model predicted the consumers' intention with better explanatory power (adjusted R 2 = 0.46) than the original TPB model. In conclusion, various recommendations and implications were developed based on the results to improve the consumers' purchase intention of these products. Highlights: Consumers demand to remove food additives from processed meat products. Consumer acceptance of phosphate-reduced processed meat products is essential. An online survey was conducted among 548 Irish consumers using extended TPB model. The extended TPB model successfully measured the consumer's purchase intention. Various recommendations based on significant extended TPB model results were developed.