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The aims of the current study were (a) to deepen the understanding of food quality from animal origin with particular emphasis on dairy products, including yoghurt; (b) to determine the level of acceptance of methods and ingredients used to enhance the quality of food from animal origin; (c) to identify how the perception of animal products quality affects the acceptance of changes in production methods and (d) to identify the projective image of consumers purchasing high-quality yoghurt. The data were collected using a CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) survey on a sample of 983 consumers. The k-means clustering method (k-means clustering algorithm is an unsupervised algorithm that is used to segment the interest area from the background) was used to identify five clusters of consumers. Moreover, the logistic regression models were used in order to examine the impact of opinions related to the quality of product on acceptance of food production methods. The results showed that food quality is generally perceived by consumers using the following attributes: its freshness, naturalness, production method, as well as appearance, taste and smell, but when it comes to the quality of food from animal origin, convenience, connected with the availability, nutritional value and health benefits is of primary importance. The most accepted production method of high-quality food is animal production that takes into consideration the welfare of farm animals. Results also show that the increase in the level of education among the surveyed people contributed to the acceptance of ensuring welfare of farm animals as a method of increasing food quality while consumers' openness to new products favored the acceptance of adding health-promoting ingredients to livestock feed. As regards the assessment of the level of acceptance of enhancing food with beneficial ingredients, people for whom health aspects were important declared their willingness to accept such a method of increasing food quality. The research findings can be used to develop educational campaigns as well as marketing communication of enterprises operating on the food market. Furthermore, the results could be used to strengthen the competitive position of food enterprises searching for innovative solutions.

Objectives: The association between the perceived importance of taste and health benefits and bread-eating habits is still not well recognized referring to products with the improved health value, in particular when it comes to the character of the health modification applied in the food product. In many populations, the crucial issue is to decrease the intake of salt and to increase the intake of fibre in the diet; therefore, modifications in foods concern these components. Thus, the aim of the study was two-fold: (1) to determine the association between the actual consumption of bread and the willingness to eat the bread with the decreased level of salt and the bread with the increased level of fibre; and (2) to determine whether and in what way the perception of the importance of taste and health benefits of bread are linked with the willingness to eat bread with the improved health benefits., Study Design: The survey was conducted using computer-assisted personal interviews., Methods: The survey was conducted in October 2014 among 1014 Polish consumers. To evaluate the consumption of bread, questions concerning (1) the frequency of eating white bread, white bread with added grains, bran and so on and wholemeal bread, and (2) the amount of consumed bread were asked. The logistic regression analysis was performed separately for bread with fibre addition and bread with reduced salt content. Only statistically significant variables were used in the models, using an automatic stepwise method., Results: The results of the study showed that consumers who were more willing to eat bread with added fibre were those who paid more attention to health aspects, those who consumed more wholemeal bread and those who ate breads with grains more frequently. Participants declaring moderate and high importance towards health benefits were more willing to eat bread with increased fibre content than those declaring minor importance of health benefits when choosing bread. Among consumers who were more willing to eat bread with reduced salt content, they were mainly those who ate more wholemeal bread. Participants for whom the taste was important and moderately important were less willing to eat bread with reduced salt content compared with those who considered this attribute as unimportant. When it comes to people who were less willing to eat bread with added fibre, they ate white bread more frequently and consumed bigger amounts of it. Those who were less interested in bread with reduced salt content declared consuming more white bread. Among them, there were also men and people for whom the taste of bread was crucial., Conclusions: It is necessary to increase the consumers' awareness of the health benefits of a product change and to gain their acceptance for the changed taste. The strength of this study is the measure of the amount of bread consumed by consumers as a variable that can be associated with the willingness to eat bread with improved health benefits. Results of our study may be valuable for undertaking activities referring to the public health, including educational activities aimed at the consumers. Thus, a public health campaign is needed to encourage Polish consumers to use less salt and more dietary fibre, which seems to increase the importance of health reasons instead of taste in the selection of bread. The outcomes can also be used by the companies operating on the food market with a particular emphasis on the bread offer to develop communication strategies, including the proper and clear information about the level of salt and fibre content. Moreover, food companies and consumer organisations should exert pressure on the government for greater support for product reformulation, for example, in the form of regulation, enforcing companies to reformulate their products. In fact, a proper policy emphasis on mandatory reformulation to reduce salt in processed foods is likely to be an effective and inequality-reducing route to improve the population health., (Copyright © 2018 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In general, dairy products are well regarded for their nutritional value. Consumer perception of dairy products is influenced by many interrelated factors but healthiness remains one of the key attributes and values for consumers. Furthermore, contemporary consumers increasingly seek out dairy products with additional health benefits and, therefore, it is essential to explore which attributes are important drivers of food choices and how producers can better respond to shifting consumer values and needs in each dairy product category. Therefore, the aims of the study were: (a) to identify consumer segments based on the importance they attached to selected attributes of dairy products, (b) to explore differences between the identified segments in their perceptions of health-related attributes of dairy products, (c) to determine if health-related aspects influenced consumers decisions to buy high-quality dairy products, and (d) to identify if consumers were open to novelties in dairy products. The data were collected within a CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) survey on a representative sample of 983 adult Polish consumers. The non-hierarchical K-means clustering method was used to identify four clusters of consumers, namely: Enthusiastic, Involved, Ultra-involved and Neutral. Enthusiastic consumers attach more importance to the influence of dairy products on immunity and are more willing to agree with the opinion that dairy products are a source of mineral nutrients as well as vitamins. Ultra-involved and Involved consumers pay less attention to some health aspects of dairy products compared to other clusters; however, the Ultra-involved are more quality-oriented than are the Involved. Neutral consumers are more open to accept changes on the dairy product market and are relatively more inclined to choose new dairy products. However, these consumers have scored lower on those aspects related to the healthiness of dairy products and, in order to target them effectively, it is essential to develop well-tailored communication strategies highlighting the health benefits of dairy products. These results relate to the Polish market and are important for the development of new dairy products and for targeting public nutrition as well as for directing marketing communication. The results may provide important insights for those who develop educational strategies and campaigns.

The number of visually impaired and blind people is rising worldwide due to ageing of the global population, but research regarding the impact of visual impairment on the ability of a person to choose food and to prepare meals is scarce. The aim of this study was threefold: to investigate factors determining the choices of food products in people with various levels of impaired vision; to identify obstacles they face while purchasing food, preparing meals and eating out; and to determine what would help them in the areas of food shopping and meal preparation. The data was collected from 250 blind and visually impaired subjects, recruited with the support of the National Association of the Blind. The study revealed that majority of the visually impaired make food purchases at a supermarket or local grocery and they tend to favour shopping for food via the Internet. Direct sale channels like farmers markets were rarely used by the visually impaired. The most frequently mentioned factors that facilitated their food shopping decisions were the assistance of salespersons, product labelling in Braille, scanners that enable the reading of labels and a permanent place for products on the shop shelves. Meal preparation, particularly peeling, slicing and frying, posed many challenges to the visually impaired. More than half of the respondents ate meals outside the home, mainly with family or friends. The helpfulness of the staff and a menu in Braille were crucial for them to have a positive dining out experience. The results of the study provide valuable insights into the food choices and eating experiences of visually impaired people, and also suggest some practical implications to improve their independence and quality of life., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)