Factors influencing the decisions to buy and consume functional food

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (6) ◽  
pp. 1622-1636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Artur Kraus

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the most important characteristics of functional foods and the motives behind its consumption. Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected in the direct interview. The sample (n=200) consisted of 137 women and 63 men at the age of 18-60 years. The research tool was a questionnaire divided into four sections. The first one included quality attributes. The second one included healthful properties, functional components and carriers. The third one concerned the motives for purchasing functional food and included the consequences and values. In the fourth section the participants were asked about gender, age and education. Findings – Among the quality attributes the research reveals six principal components package of information on healthful properties and nutritional value of the product, attributes of taste, health and safety, practical packaging, freshness, purity and naturalness. In terms of health benefits, two components were distinguished prevention of health problems, strengthening of the body and improvement of its functions. Among functional components, the following were distinguished vitamins and minerals, dietary fibre and Omega-3 fatty acids. As the best carriers the following were recognized: cereal products, dairy products, meat products; mixtures of fruits and vegetables. As the most important consequences motivating people to consume functional food the following were recognized: the health effects of proper nutrition resulting from consciousness raising actions promoting health; and the joy of eating and improvement of the appearance. When it comes to the most important motivating factors, good health, long harmonious life and self-esteem were included. The means to achieve these goals are to be responsible for health. Originality/value – The key factors determining the functional product and motivating for consumption of functional food may establish a basis for actions related to development and consumption of the food. The understanding of the factors that consumers take into account when choosing functional food will help in shaping the optimal strategies for product development. Learning about the basic motivating factors in consumption may be helpful in the development of healthy nutrition education and promotion programmes. The research may provide valuable support for actions related to food products promotion and marketing.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Sajid Arshad ◽  
Waseem Khalid ◽  
Rabia Shabir Ahmad ◽  
Muhammad Kamran Khan ◽  
Muhammad Haseeb Ahmad ◽  
...  

Functional food is a whole ingredient or a part of food that used as food for specific therapeutic purposes. It is divided into two wide categories: Conventional and modified functional foods. Conventional functional Foods are composed of natural or whole-food ingredients that provide functional substances while modified functional is food or food products in which add additional ingredients for specific health purposes. Plant-based food such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, cereals, nuts and beans contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phenolic compounds that play a functional role in the human body against chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular and GIT-related disease. Some other foods or food products like juices, dairy products, fortified eggs and seafood are composed of functional components. Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) that are played a functional role in heart health and brain development.


2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 866-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prashant Sahni ◽  
Poonam Aggarwal ◽  
Savita Sharma ◽  
Baljit Singh

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to acquaint the readers with the insights regarding the interventions of microalgal technology for production of metabolites and functional ingredients from microalgae for food and nutraceutical application and exploration of microalgae biomass for food application.Design/methodology/approachVarious information databases such as journals, library catalogues and professional websites were used to collect information pertaining to application of microalgae in food and nutraceutical sector. Systematic review was made with recent studies covering the vital aspects of art of microalgae cultivation for metabolite production, functional ingredients from microalgae, market scenario and utilisation of microalgae biomass for the valorisation of the food products. Key points have been discussed after every section to highlight the practical implications to make this review more insightful for the readers.FindingsMicroalgal technology provides sustainable solution for its application in food and nutraceutical sector. The heart of metabolite production lies in the optimisation of cultivation conditions of microalgae. Wide array of functional components are obtained from microalgae. Microalgae offer an alternative source for omega-3 fatty acids. Microalgae is widely exploited for production of pigments, namely, ß-carotene, astaxanthin, lutein, phycocyanin and chlorophyll, that have important implication as natural colourants and nutraceuticals in food. Larger diversity of sterols found in microalgae confers bioactivity. Microalgae is finding its place in market shelves as nutraceuticals where its functional ingredients are in the form of powder, tablets, extract and beverages and in innovative products such as microalgae protein and fat, culinary algae oil and butter. Sprulina and Chlorella are popular choice for the supplementation of food products with microalgae biomass.Originality/valueThis is a comprehensive review that highlights the application of microalgal technology for the development of healthy food products and presents holistic intervention in food and nutraceutical sector.


2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 542-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Om Prakash Malav ◽  
B. D. Sharma ◽  
R. R. Kumar ◽  
Suman Talukder ◽  
S. R. Ahmed ◽  
...  

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the efficacy of cabbage powder as a source of natural antioxidants and dietary fibre for the development of functional mutton patties. Antioxidants are the first line of defence against the oxidative damage to body’s macromolecules resulting in pathogenesis of various diseases including cancers and cardiovascular diseases. The supply of antioxidants from vegetative sources along with different meat products may serve as an excellent alternative for the synthetic antioxidants which may have harmful effects. Design/methodology/approach – Cabbage powder was prepared and evaluated for antioxidant potential and total dietary fibre content. Cabbage powder was incorporated at three different levels in mutton patties formulation; optimum level was selected on the basis of sensory analysis. The developed product was evaluated for detailed profile and storage stability under aerobic and vacuum packaging. Findings – Cabbage powder may serve as a good source of natural antioxidant and dietary fibre for the development of functional mutton patties. On the basis of sensory scores, optimum incorporation level of cabbage powder was adjudged as 6 per cent. The functional mutton patties had very good storage life under refrigeration. Research limitations/implications – Future research may stress on identifying the specific compounds with antioxidant effect and their metabolism inside the body. Practical implications – This paper may popularize the cabbage powder as a source of natural antioxidant and dietary fibre in different food products. Originality/value – Development of functional mutton patties incorporated with cabbage powder having oxidative stability, good nutritive, sensory, textural, and colour properties.


2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 424-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Berta Schnettler ◽  
Néstor Sepúlveda ◽  
Silvana Bravo ◽  
Klaus G. Grunert ◽  
Clementina Hueche

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the consumer acceptance of a functional meat processed product made with different meat sources, and to distinguish the existence of different market segments. Design/methodology/approach Non-probability sampling was used to recruit a sample of 411 consumers in Southern Chile, over the age of 18 and responsible for the purchase of meat products for their household. Findings Using a fractional factorial design for conjoint analysis, it was found in the total sample that the meat source of the meat processed product was more important than packaging, region of origin, price and the functional ingredient claim, with preference for lamb and pork meat processed products with omega-3. Two main segments were identified using a cluster analysis; these segments differed according to family size, presence and age of children, ethnic origin, general health interest, quality of diet and level of satisfaction with food-related life. The largest segment (56.0 percent) shows a high preference toward lamb meat processed product with dietary fiber and omega-3. The second (33.6 percent) preferred turkey meat processed product with antioxidants. Practical implications A differentiated marketing strategy with different meat sources and functional ingredients may give access to a large market share. People more willing to accept different functional ingredients in processed meat products may enjoy a better quality of life. The level of satisfaction with food-related life and quality of diet can be useful in explaining preferences for functional meat processed products. Originality/value This is the first study to evaluate consumer acceptance of a functional meat processed product made with three different meats and three different functional ingredient claims, which analyzed the relationship between acceptance, the consumer’s quality of diet and their level of satisfaction with food-related life.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ikramul Hasan ◽  
M. Nazmul Islam ◽  
Sariat Rafa Khan

PurposeThis study illustrates the effects of the motivating factors (e.g. learning facilities, employees' compensation and working environment) on organizational attractiveness.Design/methodology/approachThis is a quantitative study. This study investigates the hypotheses based on the 160 employee responses from the different garments operating in Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMGs) industry.FindingsUsing the structural equation modeling in Bangladesh's RMG industry, this paper argues that the working environment has a significant effect on organizational attractiveness in Bangladesh's RMG industry. This research study underlines that the working environment and employee compensations serve better than the employees learning facilities to grow employees RMG attraction.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings will help practitioners of the garment manufacturers to showcase the motivating factors for the employees in growing attraction for the industry. However, the research is limited to the garment industry in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Moreover, similar research can be extended further in other countries with bigger samples to draw a general conclusion for the RMGs' operating in Asia.Practical implicationsThis paper brings a plea for the practitioners through this research's outcomes and provides useful indications of how organizations can motivate their employees to ensure organizational attractiveness for their garment industry.Originality/valueThe paper also contributes to the body of the literature relating to attractiveness in Bangladesh's RMG sector. Employees' participation in this research also confirms the unique context of the sector.


Food Industry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 45-51
Author(s):  
Olga Feofilaktova

The article concerns the systematic approach to modeling food emulsions with high bioavailability of lipophilic functional components used as a basis for the functional food production. The researchers considered polyunsaturated fatty acids as functional food ingredients (FFI). They developed heuristic model that specified the initial and resulting parameters for designing a functional fat base formulation; described options for enriching emulsions with functional food ingredients, which involve the functional fat base use and the introduction of high-value omega – 3 fatty eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosohexaenoic (DHA) acids into the fat phase. A man presented models of functional food emulsions and revealed double emulsions advantages to regulate the functional food ingredients bioavailability based on the properties comparing results of the simulated emulsions (thermodynamic stability and physicochemical properties).


Author(s):  
O. Faroon ◽  
F. Al-Bagdadi ◽  
T. G. Snider ◽  
C. Titkemeyer

The lymphatic system is very important in the immunological activities of the body. Clinicians confirm the diagnosis of infectious diseases by palpating the involved cutaneous lymph node for changes in size, heat, and consistency. Clinical pathologists diagnose systemic diseases through biopsies of superficial lymph nodes. In many parts of the world the goat is considered as an important source of milk and meat products.The lymphatic system has been studied extensively. These studies lack precise information on the natural morphology of the lymph nodes and their vascular and cellular constituent. This is due to using improper technique for such studies. A few studies used the SEM, conducted by cutting the lymph node with a blade. The morphological data collected by this method are artificial and do not reflect the normal three dimensional surface of the examined area of the lymph node. SEM has been used to study the lymph vessels and lymph nodes of different animals. No information on the cutaneous lymph nodes of the goat has ever been collected using the scanning electron microscope.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-40
Author(s):  
A. Levitsky ◽  
A. Lapinska ◽  
I. Selivanskaya

The article analyzes the role of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially omega-3 series in humans and animals. The biosynthesis of essential PUFA in humans and animals is very limited, so they must be consumed with food (feed). Тhe ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA is very important. Biomembranes of animal cells contain about 30% PUFA with a ratio of ω-6/ ω-3 1-2. As this ratio increases, the physicochemical properties of biomembranes and the functional activity of their receptors change. The regulatory function of essential PUFA is that in the body under the action of oxygenase enzymes (cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase) are formed extremely active hormone-like substances (eicosanoids and docosanoids), which affect a number of physiological processes: inflammation, immunity, metabolism. Moreover, ω-6 PUFA form eicosanoids, which have pro-inflammatory, immunosuppressive properties, and ω-3 PUFAs form eicosanoids and docosanoids, which have anti-inflammatory and immunostimulatory properties. Deficiency of essential PUFA, and especially ω-3 PUFA, leads to impaired development of the body and its state of health, which are manifestations of avitaminosis F. Prevention and treatment of avitaminosis F is carried out with drugs that contain PUFA. To create new, more effective vitamin F preparations, it is necessary to reproduce the model of vitamin F deficiency. An experimental model of vitamin F deficiency in white rats kept on a fat –free diet with the addition of coconut oil, which is almost completely free of unsaturated fatty acids, and saturated fatty acids make up almost 99 % of all fatty acids was developed. The total content of ω-6 PUFA (sum of linoleic and arachidonic acids), the content of ω-3 PUFA (α-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids) in neutral lipids (triglycerides and cholesterol esters) defined. Тhe content of ω-6 PUFA under the influence of coconut oil decreased by 3.3 times, and the content of ω-3 PUFA - by 7.5 times. Тhe influence of coconut oil, the content of ω-6 PUFA decreased by 2.1 times, and the content of ω-3 PUFA - by 2.8 times. The most strongly reduces the content of ω-3 PUFA, namely eicosapentaenoic, coconut oil, starting from 5 %. Consumption of FFD with a content of 15 % coconut oil reduces the content of eicosapentaenoic acid to zero, ie we have an absolute deficiency of one of the most important essential PUFAs, which determined the presence of vitamin F deficiency.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-111
Author(s):  
Stanislava Gardasevic

Purpose This paper presents the results of a qualitative study that involved students of an interdisciplinary PhD program. The study objective was to gather requirements to create a knowledge graph information system. The purpose of this study was to determine information-seeking practices and information needs of this community, to inform the functionalities of a proposed system, intended to help students with relevant resource discovery and decision-making. Design/methodology/approach The study design included semi-structured interviews with eight members of the community, followed by a website usability study with the same student participants. Findings Two main information-seeking styles are recognized and reported through user personas of international and domestic (USA) students. The findings show that the useful information resides within the community and not so much on the program website. Students rely on peer communication, although they report lack of opportunities to connect. Students’ information needs and information seeking are dependent on their progress through the program, as well as their motivation and the projected timeline. Practical implications Considering the current information needs and practices, a knowledge graph hosting both information on social networks and the knowledge produced by the activities of the community members would be useful. By recording data on their activities (for example, collaboration with professors and coursework), students would reveal further useful system functionalities and facilitate transfer of tacit knowledge. Originality/value Aside from the practical value of this research that is directly influencing the design of a system, it contributes to the body of knowledge on interdisciplinary PhD programs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2409
Author(s):  
Wojciech Kolanowski

Salmonids are valuable fish in the human diet due to their high content of bioactive omega-3 very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (VLC PUFA). The aim of this study was to assess the omega-3 VLC PUFA content in selected salmonid fish present on the food market regarding whether they were farm-raised or wild. It was assumed that farm-raised fish, by eating well-balanced feed enriched with omega-3 PUFA, might contain omega-3 VLC PUFA in levels similar to that of wild fish. Fat content, fatty acid composition and omega-3 VLC PUFA content in fish fillets were measured. Farm-raised salmon from Norway, wild Baltic salmon, farm-raised rainbow trout and brown trout were bought from a food market whereas wild trout (rainbow and brown) were caught alive. The fat content in fish ranged from 3.3 to 8.0 g/100 g of fillet. It was confirmed that although wild salmonid fish contain 10–25% more omega-3 VLC PUFA in lipid fraction, the farm-raised ones, due to the 60–100% higher fat content, are an equally rich source of these desirable fatty acids in the human diet. One serving (130 g) of salmonid fish fillets might provide a significant dose of omega-3 VLC PUFA, from 1.2 to 2.5 g. Thus, due to very high content of bioactive fatty acids eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosapentaenoic (DPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) in their meat, salmonid fish currently present on the food market, both sea and freshwater as well as wild and farm-raised, should be considered as natural functional food.


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