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Invasive fruit-eating animals (hereafter frugivores) can form novel mutualisms with fruiting plants and alter seed dispersal. Plant-frugivore interactions are often linked to frugivore preference for certain fruit traits, but for invasive frugivores, it is uncertain if novelty—whether or not a fruit is familiar—impacts foraging decisions. We experimentally tested fruit preferences of the four most abundant and frugivorous bird species on O'ahu, a Hawaiian Island, all of which are globally invasive songbirds. With captive wild birds, we tested for preference in relation to fruit size, color, nutrients, and bird sex. We also tested how novelty of fruits affected trait-based preferences, with fruits from plant species either established in the wild or novel. Using arrays that offered multiple fruit species, we conducted 252 trials with 111 plant species, 59.5% of which were considered novel. From all fruits tested, three bird species preferred smaller fruits, and color preferences varied among bird species. Novelty of fruits influenced preference in three ways. First, birds preferred fruits from plants that were established in the wild over novel fruits. Second, repeated exposure to novel fruits increased the probability of interactions. Third, preferred novel fruits were smaller and redder than preferred fruits from established plants. Finally, bird sex and fruit nutrient content did not affect preference. Together, these results suggest that preference for fruit traits varies among invasive bird species and can be flexible when fruits are novel to birds, increasing the likelihood of novel mutualisms and making it increasingly difficult to predict invasion impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photographic monitoring currently provides the most accurate means for identifying nest predators and eventually their role in bird population declines worldwide. However, previous studies have found that commercially available trail cameras represent an artificial structure that tend to negatively bias predation rates, likely through predator neophobia. Based on an experiment in Arctic tundra, involving 50 artificial nests and 30 cameras in each of 2 breeding seasons, we demonstrated that trail cameras attracted corvids (in particular ravens [Corvus corax]), which caused an extreme and positively biased predation rate that was consistent over a range of experimental and environmental conditions. We call for new technologies that allow for photographic monitoring of bird nests with minimal visual footprints, in the form of smaller cameras and more efficient internal batteries to minimize novel and conspicuous external features detectable by predators. However, even such improved devices need to be assessed with respect to potential effects on nest predation in each case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young children socially learn “what to eat” and “what not to eat” by observing others’ preferences for, and aversions to, specific food items. However, it is not clear which learning children prioritize more – learning “what to eat” or “what not to eat.” To answer this question, we compared young Japanese children’s memory of novel foods that were preferred and disliked by others. In Experiment 1, 4–5-year-olds (N = 24) preferentially remembered novel foods disliked by others more than those preferred by others. In Experiment 2, children in the same age group (N = 29) better remembered specific evaluations of foods disliked by others than those preferred by others. Thus, these findings reveal that young Japanese children show heightened memories of foods disliked by others over those liked by others. In addition, food neophobia was higher in children with a poorer memory for specific evaluations of foods preferred by others. Our results suggest that learning “what not to eat” is a priority task for young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anaphylaxis is a life‐threatening allergic reaction, associated with mental health burden in patients and caregivers. Intramuscular adrenaline via autoinjector (AAI) is the recommended treatment for the management of anaphylaxis in non‐hospital settings; however, AAIs are underused. This study aimed to assess parental self‐efficacy in managing child's anaphylaxis and administering AAI to understand how to effectively support families. Methods: Seventy‐five parents of children with severe food allergy completed a questionnaire to measure parental self‐efficacy in managing child food‐induced anaphylaxis (PSEMA). We conducted an exploratory factor analysis with 12 items, using principal axis factoring as the extraction method. We used Cronbach's alpha to assess the internal consistency of the factors. We used the Anderson–Rubin approach to estimate the factors' scores and provide a kernel density estimate of their distributions. An assessment through linear regression between the total factors' score and total score was performed. Results: A five‐factor model was identified. The factors that emerged were conceptually related to "F1. Manage Injection," "F2. Manage AAI Device," "F3. Manage Anaphylaxis," "F4. Manage Emergency," and "F5. Manage Emotions." The questionnaire demonstrated high internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.87–0.94) The variation in the total score explained 90% of the variation in the factor score. Conclusions: The PSEMA questionnaire promises to be an easy and effective tool for measuring parents' self‐efficacy in managing anaphylaxis and AAI, allowing clinicians to identify gaps in education and provide effective training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biological Invasions is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Prey face a major challenge in balancing predator avoidance with other essential activities. In environments with high risk, prey may exhibit neophobia (fear of novelty) due to the increased likelihood of novel stimuli being dangerous. The zebrafish, Danio rerio, is an established model organism for many scientific studies. Although spatial and object neophobia in zebrafish have received previous attention, little is known about the role of background risk in inducing neophobia in zebrafish. Here, we present two experiments using zebrafish to explore whether background predation risk can induce anxiety-like behaviour in a novel environment and neophobic responses when exposed to a novel odour. Over five days, we repeatedly exposed zebrafish to either high background risk in the form of chemical alarm cues (i.e., injured conspecific cues that indicate a predator attack) or a low-risk water control stimulus. In Experiment 1, when tested in a novel tank, zebrafish exposed to high predation risk displayed anxiety-like responses (reduced activity and increased bottom time spent) compared to their low-risk counterparts. Moreover, high-risk individuals showed reduced intra-session habituation to the novel tank compared to low-risk individuals. In Experiment 2, high-risk individuals exhibited fear responses toward a novel odour, unlike low-risk individuals. These results reveal that short-term repeated exposures to high risk can induce anxiety-like behaviour and predator odour neophobia in zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood nutrition is a cornerstone of long-term health, yet many children exhibit reluctance to consume healthy foods such as vegetables. This aversion can be influenced by various factors, including food neophobia and the sensory and visual appeal of the foods that are being presented. Hence, understanding how visual cues affect children's willingness to eat can provide insights into effective strategies to enhance their dietary habits. This research explores the influence of visual cues on the dietary behaviors of children aged 9 to 12, their willingness to consume and request healthy foods such as vegetables, within the context of challenges such as food neophobia. This study examines how intrinsic cues (e.g., vegetable characteristics) and extrinsic cues (e.g., the plate's color and shape) affect children's liking and emotional responses, impacting their willingness to eat and request purchases from parents. Conducted using a sample of 420 children, this cross-sectional study reveals that attributes such as a plate's color and shape significantly affect food-related behaviors and emotions. A validated and reliable self-administered questionnaire was employed. Independent t-tests and ANOVA were used to test the differences between gender and food neophobia, while Spearman correlations were used for correlation analysis. Visual cues served as the independent variables, liking and emotional responses as the mediating variables, and willingness behaviors as the dependent variable. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to explore the relationships among intrinsic cues, extrinsic cues, and the mediating effect of liking and emotional responses. Findings show that boys prefer blue and triangular plates, while girls prefer pink plates, generating more positive emotions. Children with food neophobia initially experience aversion, but this can be reduced by enhancing sensory appeal and emotional engagement. The findings underscore the importance of leveraging visual cues and fostering positive emotional experiences to encourage healthier eating habits and increase children's acceptance and purchase of nutritious foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexitarian diets have gained attention for their potential positive impact on human health and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. However, a critical question remains: Can the segment of flexitarians significantly contribute to necessary changes in our current unsustainable food systems? Our study addresses this gap by examining meat consumption habits among young adults (n = 1023) in a country with traditionally high meat intake. Furthermore, we focus on a subset of flexitarians (n = 286). Our findings reveal two distinct groups of flexitarians: ethical (n1 = 140) and utilitarian (n2 = 148). Utilitarian flexitarians exhibit a stronger preference for meat (t(284)= −15.180, p < 0.001), greater food neophobia (t(284) = −4.785, p < 0.001), and lower environmental awareness (t(284) = 7.486, p < 0.001) compared to Ethical flexitarians. The Ethical group, predominantly female (χ2(1) = 13.366, p < 0.001), demonstrates higher life satisfaction (t(284) = 5.485, p < 0.001), better health perceptions (t(284) = 5.127, p < 0.001), and stronger beliefs in reducing meat consumption (t(284) = −8.968, p < 0.001). Additionally, Ethical flexitarians hold more positive views on plant-based meat, perceiving it as healthier (t(284) = 4.326, p < 0.001) and more ethical (t(284) = 4.942, p < 0.001), and show a greater willingness to adopt it (t(284) = 7.623, p < 0.001). While both groups possess similar knowledge and willingness regarding cultured meat and insects, Ethical flexitarians view cultured meat more favourably (t(250.976) = 2.964, p = 0.003). Our study provides insights into the evolving trends of flexitarianism within Central and Eastern European countries, where research on meat consumption and flexitarianism is scarce. These insights hold value for promoting behaviour change toward reduced meat consumption for both health and environmental reasons. Additionally, they offer guidance to the food industry, including producers, sellers, and providers of meals in educational and employment facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, over 16 million children were exposed to HIV during pregnancy but remain HIV-free at birth and throughout childhood by 2022. Children born HIV-free (CBHF) have higher morbidity and mortality and poorer neurodevelopment in early life compared to children who are HIV-unexposed (CHU), but long-term outcomes remain uncertain. We characterised school-age growth, cognitive and physical function in CBHF and CHU previously enrolled in the Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) trial in rural Zimbabwe. Methods and findings: The SHINE trial enrolled pregnant women between 2012 and 2015 across 2 rural Zimbabwean districts. Co-primary outcomes were height-for-age Z-score and haemoglobin at age 18 months (clinicaltrials.govNCT01824940). Children were re-enrolled if they were aged 7 years, resident in Shurugwi district, and had known pregnancy HIV-exposure status. From 5,280 pregnant women originally enrolled, 376 CBHF and 2016 CHU reached the trial endpoint at 18 months in Shurugwi; of these, 264 CBHF and 990 CHU were evaluated at age 7 years using the School-Age Health, Activity, Resilience, Anthropometry and Neurocognitive (SAHARAN) toolbox. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II), with additional tools measuring executive function, literacy, numeracy, fine motor skills, and socioemotional function. Physical function was assessed using standing broad jump and handgrip for strength, and the shuttle-run test for cardiovascular fitness. Growth was assessed by anthropometry. Body composition was assessed by bioimpedance analysis and skinfold thicknesses. A caregiver questionnaire measured demographics, socioeconomic status, nurturing, child discipline, food, and water insecurity. We prespecified the primary comparisons and used generalised estimating equations with an exchangeable working correlation structure to account for clustering. Adjusted models used covariates from the trial (study arm, study nurse, exact child age, sex, calendar month measured, and ambient temperature). They also included covariates derived from directed acyclic graphs, with separate models adjusted for contemporary variables (socioeconomic status, household food insecurity, religion, social support, gender norms, caregiver depression, age, caregiver education, adversity score, and number of children's books) and early-life variables (length-for-age-Z-score) at 18 months, birthweight, maternal baseline depression, household diet, maternal schooling and haemoglobin, socioeconomic status, facility birth, and gender norms. We applied a Bonferroni correction for the 27 comparisons (0.05/27) with threshold of p < 0.00185 as significant. We found strong evidence that cognitive function was lower in CBHF compared to CHU across multiple domains. The KABC-II mental processing index was 45.2 (standard deviation (SD) 10.5) in CBHF and 48.3 (11.3) in CHU (mean difference 3.3 points [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.0, 4.5]; p < 0.001). The school achievement test score was 39.0 (SD 26.0) in CBHF and 45.7 (27.8) in CHU (mean difference 7.3 points [95% CI 3.6, 10.9]; p < 0.001); differences remained significant in adjusted analyses. Executive function was reduced but not significantly in adjusted analyses. We found no consistent evidence of differences in growth or physical function outcomes. The main limitation of our study was the restriction to one of two previous study districts, with possible survivor and selection bias. Conclusions: In this study, we found that CBHF had reductions in cognitive function compared to CHU at 7 years of age across multiple domains. Further research is needed to define the biological and psychosocial mechanisms underlying these differences to inform future interventions that help CBHF thrive across the life-course. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov The SHINE follow-up study was registered with the Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR202201828512110). The original SHINE trial was registered at NCT https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT01824940. Joe D. Piper and team characterized school-age growth, cognitive and physical function in children born HIV-free and HIV-unexposed children previously enrolled in the SHINE trial in rural Zimbabwe. Author summary: Why was this study done?: Over 16 million children globally were born HIV-free (CBHF) to mothers living with HIV by 2022. CBHF have higher mortality, morbidity, and poorer growth and neurodevelopment in early life compared to children who are HIV-unexposed (CHU). There is a lack of studies exploring the long-term cognitive, physical and growth outcomes among CBHF compared to children who are HIV-unexposed (CHU). What did the researchers do and find?: The researchers evaluated 264 CBHF and 990 CHU at age 7 years, who had previously been enrolled in the Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) cluster-randomised trial in rural Zimbabwe, for a range of cognitive, growth, and physical function outcomes. CBHF had reduced cognitive function compared to CHU by up to 0.3 standard deviations (SDs), across a range of cognitive tests, following a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, and adjustment for multiple covariates. What do these findings mean?: CBHF show a reduction in neurodevelopment across multiple cognitive domains, which persists to school age. This reduction in cognition in CBHF remains significant even after adjusting for early-life or contemporary social and environmental covariates, suggesting further research is needed to understand the biological and psycho-social drivers of this difference. The main study limitations were that CBHF had higher mortality, and may be more likely to relocate, so that measurements may have been influenced by selection bias. Also it was not possible to investigate the impact of different antiretroviral regimens in pregnancy on outcomes among CBHF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although much work has focused on non-social personality traits such as activity, exploration, and neophobia, there is a growing appreciation that social personality traits play an important role in group dynamics, disease transmission, and fitness and that social personality traits may be linked to non-social personality traits. These relationships are important because behavioral syndromes, defined here as correlated behavioral phenotypes, can constrain evolutionary responses. However, the strength and direction of relationships between social and non-social personality traits remain unclear. In this project, we examine social and non-social personality traits, and the relationships between them, in the paper wasp Polistes fuscatus. With a novel assay, we identify 5 personality traits, 2 non-social (exploration and activity), and 3 social (aggression, affiliation, and antennation) personality traits. We also find that social and non-social personality traits are phenotypically linked. We find a positive correlation between aggression and activity and a negative correlation between affiliation and activity. We also find a positive correlation between exploration and activity. Our work is an important step in understanding how phenotypic linkage between social and non-social behaviors may influence behavioral evolution. As a burgeoning model system for the study of genetic and neurobiological mechanisms of social behavior, Polistes fuscatus has the potential to add to this work by exploring the causes and consequences of individual behavioral variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the use of lucuma fruit powder in an ice cream formulation for the US market. Six ice cream prototypes were developed using five different lucuma fruit powder variants. A central location test was conducted with frequent ice cream consumers (n = 106) to assess acceptance, attribute intensity rating, ideal intensity levels, and purchase intent against a control sample with caramel flavor. The mean overall liking score for all lucuma ice creams was moderate. The overall, aroma, and flavor liking scores were significantly higher (p < 0.05) for lucuma ice cream samples, whereas the control sample was liked significantly more for texture. The Terrasoul variant of lucuma ice cream was the most liked among all samples, and the control was liked the least. Only the Terrasoul ice cream sample was successful in delivering significantly strong caramel, fruit, and sweet flavor levels; the other lucuma ice cream samples were more comparable to the control. The inclusion of lucuma powder increased powdery mouthfeel perception, negatively impacting texture liking. Consumers perceived all ice cream samples to be weak in flavor and fell short of delivering ideal levels. The US consumers had low–moderate food neophobia scores for lucuma fruit, with 57% showing interest in buying lucuma ice creams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Child food neophobia, i.e., rejection or avoidance of novel foods at a young age, is a prevalent nutrition problem that affects the quality of children's diet and impedes the development of healthy food preferences. Sensory sensitivity can relate to the degree of food neophobia, but previous studies rarely focused on the olfactory component of this problem in children. Objective: We aimed to thoroughly examine the relationship between various aspects of olfactory sensitivity and food neophobia in children. Methods: 246 children aged between three and nine years took part in a food neophobia assessment as well as in a comprehensive, psychophysical olfactory testing. Results: We found that certain smell perception aspects such as lower odor liking, poorer odor identification ability as well as lower sensitivity to an unknown non-food odor all significantly predicted higher food neophobia in children. Among individual characteristics of either a child or a caregiver, only the child's age significantly and positively predicted food neophobia. The exploratory model looking into the role of family environment factors predicting self-reported food neophobia in children revealed that food neophobia was associated with lower control given to a child in this child's feeding process, as well as with a more frequent use of food as a reward in feeding. Conclusions: We suggest that suppressed olfactory perception and performance can play a unique role in child nutritional difficulties. The study inspires further considerations of olfaction-engaging interventions to counteract food-neophobia in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food-neophobia is referred to as the reluctance to try unknown foods. This paper aims to demonstrate the relationships between street food experience, food destination image, food-neophobia, corona-phobia, and post-travel behaviors (e.g., intention to revisit and word-of-mouth) of international tourists visiting Istanbul, Türkiye. Based on the 210 valid questionnaires, Smart-PLS was applied to empirically test a structural equation model using PLS-Henseler's multi-group analysis. The results demonstrated relationships between the effects of street food experience and food neophobia on tourists' post-travel behaviors in terms of mediating effect of destination image and the moderating effect of corona-phobia. The result also showcased the moderated mediation role of corona-phobia in mediating role of food destination image between street food experience, revisit intention, and word-of-mouth. Despite existing generic tourists' street food studies and the popularity of COVID-19-related studies in the destination-marketing context, there have been limited attempts to explore the consequences (e.g., tourists' post-travel behavior) of the tourists' street food experience with the possible psychological relationships (i.e., food destination image and food-neophobia) during the pandemic. Therefore, this is one of the first attempts to troubleshoot to fill this omitted gap. Several practical implications with suggestions for further studies were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife faces many challenges living alongside humans, but certain species can overcome these obstacles and succeed even in urban areas. Boldness and neophobia are 2 potential aspects of animal personality that could affect urban adaptation and, if correlated, may form a behavioral syndrome. If urban individuals are bolder and less neophobic than rural individuals, they may be able to exploit anthropogenic landscapes more fully. We tested this idea by conducting flight initiation distance and novel object experiments with 10 urban and 10 rural Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis). Urban birds had shorter flight initiation distances and foraged near novel objects more readily than rural birds, and both behaviors were highly repeatable within individuals, suggestive of personality. We found a positive correlation wherein bolder individuals were also less neophobic, but only in the rural population. Thus, the urban environment may impose selective pressures that result in population-level differences in these 2 behaviors, while also decoupling them such that urban individuals can fine tune their behaviors in response to novel conditions. In contrast, the existence of a behavioral syndrome in rural birds may be an adaptive response to a more consistent environment. In total, these results help explain how Northern Cardinals can modify their behaviors, either plastically or via genetic evolution, to thrive in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the impact of tourists' neophobia and liminoid behavior tendencies on their food consumption behaviors in hotels offering all-inclusive services. Tourist's food consumption was operationalized in two domains amount (how much they consumed compared to their daily food intake) and content (whether they consumed local or familiar food compared to their routine food consumption patterns). The sample comprised 280 tourists staying in two all-inclusive holiday resorts in Antalya, Turkey. The reliability and validity of the measurement model was demonstrated by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) before the four hypotheses in the research model were tested using structural equation modeling. In support of the hypotheses, the findings showed that neophobia significantly reduced the amount and novelty of tourists' food consumption whereas liminoid tendencies significantly increased them. In conclusion both neophobia and liminoid tendencies are significant predictors of tourists' food consumption behaviors in all-inclusive hotels operating in Antalya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mercados y Negocios is the property of Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Economico Administrativas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Across sensory systems, several stimulus collative characteristics, including intensity, novelty, complexity and perceived dangerousness, are known to elicit high levels of physiological and psychological arousal. It has become apparent that food rejections by both children and adults are frequently linked to such arousal-inducing characteristics. This paper examines how arousal and arousability are important elements in responding to stimuli generally, but specifically to foods, ultimately influencing food preferences and choices. It is clear that responses to sensory properties are subject not just to variations in perceptual sensitivity due to genetics or experience—as in the case of widely rejected qualities such as bitterness or pungency—but also to the arousal potential of those stimuli. Moreover, this is linked to various enduring aspects of personality, suggesting that the impact of arousal on food choices is merely one aspect of a more general sensory sensitivity. The impact of diet on various health outcomes underlines the importance of understanding the relationship of arousal to food choices. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some individuals respond to new objects, foods, or environments with wariness (neophobia), whereas others are willing to approach and explore. Because novel stimuli can represent both dangers and resources, group-living species may show adaptive plasticity in neophobia in response to social cues. To better understand how conspecific calls can influence neophobia in a highly gregarious species, we exposed individual house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to either conspecific alarm calls (n = 12), conspecific contact calls (n = 12), or no playback (n = 12) and measured latency to feed in the presence of novel objects. We also measured novelty responses with no sound the week before and after the sound treatment week for all individuals. Relative to no playback and contact calls, we predicted that conspecific alarm calls would increase neophobia behavior during the acoustic trial and that these effects would persist the week after exposure. Instead, we found that individuals in the contact call and no playback groups became less neophobic as weeks progressed, while the alarm call group showed no attenuation of neophobia. There was a significant interaction between week and treatment, where neophobia responses over the three weeks were significantly different for individuals exposed to alarm calls compared to the contact and no playback groups combined. These results suggest that house sparrows learn social information about potentially threatening stimuli from conspecific alarm calls; here, that novel objects may be dangerous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study conducted on medical students in Turkey to examine the relationship between food neophobia (the fear of trying new flavors) and disgust sensitivity. The study found that females had higher levels of disgust sensitivity and food neophobia compared to males. There was also a positive correlation between disgust sensitivity and food neophobia. The study suggests that understanding the factors underlying food neophobia is important due to its potential impact on nutrition. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between food neophobia and health issues like malnutrition and obesity. Additionally, the article discusses the impact of geography, culinary culture, eating habits, and country conditions on food neophobia. It highlights that globalization has allowed people to access new tastes, but food neophobia can lead to a preference for less sustainable and ecological foods. The article also suggests that food neophobia may be a symptom of mental disorders, although research on this relationship is limited. The study has some limitations, such as a small sample size and lack of structured psychiatric interviews. The article concludes that more research is needed to understand the cultural, genetic, and neurobiological aspects of food neophobia and to develop interventions to address it. [Extracted from the article]

This study examines how individuals' prior beliefs (i.e. food neophilia and food neophobia) serve as precursors to the influence of the presumed media influence model in shaping their perceptions of cultivated meat. An online survey of 1031 Singapore residents revealed that food neophobia and food neophilia are positively related to individuals' media attention to risk and benefit messages about cultivated meat, respectively. Furthermore, individuals' media attention to these risk and benefit messages about cultivated meat was positively related to their presumed influence of such messages on others, which subsequently affected their own attitudes and perceived social norms regarding the consumption of cultivated meat. Lastly, individuals' own attitudes and perceived social norms were found to be positively associated with their intentions to consume cultivated meat. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled a surge of misinformation, including about new variants like BA.2.86, raising concerns about its spread and the effectiveness of containment efforts. This "infodemic" has exacerbated the impact of the pandemic, leading to economic strain and psychological effects such as "coronophobia," with both traditional and social media playing significant roles in its propagation. Aim: to explore the level of fear of the new strains of COVID-19 among a sample of the Egyptian population and to identify the relationship between the level of fear and the technique of managing the information source. Methods: The current exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample from the general population using a pre-tested electronic questionnaire, which included the following sections: i) Sociodemographic characteristics, ii) fear of COVID-19 questions, and iii) Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose (CRAAP) test to evaluate the source of information Results: About one third of the 390 participants were afraid of the new strains of COVID-19; thinking about that issue or watching news about it made them uncomfortable. The majority felt anxious or palpitated when they thought about getting one of the new strains of COVID-19. The mean score of fear of new strains of COVID-19was 15.9 ± 5.2. More than one third of them (32.1%) agreed that they always check the accuracy of the information by finding out if the information is supported by evidence or not. The fear of new strains of COVID-19 was significantly higher among females, married participants, and those suffering from chronic diseases. Conclusion: A significant proportion of the participants are not particularly afraid of new strains of viruses. About one third of them agreed that they always check the accuracy of the information by finding out if the information is supported by evidence or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neophobia, an aversive response to novelty, is a behavior with critical ecological and evolutionary relevance for wild populations because it directly influences animals' ability to adapt to new environments and exploit novel resources. Neophobia has been described in a wide variety of different animal species from arachnids to zebra finches. Because of this widespread prevalence and ecological importance, the number of neophobia studies has continued to increase over time. However, many neophobia studies (as well as many animal behavior studies more generally) suffer from one or more of what we have deemed the "seven deadly sins" of neophobia experimental design. These "sins" include: (1) animals that are not habituated to the testing environment, (2) problems with novel stimulus selection, (3) non-standardized motivation, (4) pseudoreplication, (5) lack of sufficient controls, (6) fixed treatment order, and (7) using arbitrary thresholds for data analysis. We discuss each of these potential issues in turn and make recommendations for how to avoid them in future behavior research. More consistency in how neophobia studies are designed would facilitate comparisons across different populations and species and allow researchers to better understand whether neophobia can help explain animals' responses to human-altered landscapes and the ability to survive in the Anthropocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Greater immune protection in the gut is associated with greater foraging risks. • High epigenetic potential (EP) in TLR4 is linked with high TLR4 expression in the gut. • High EP and TLR4 expression in the gut are related to foraging risk behaviour. • Link between behaviour and immunity may be related to house sparrow invasion success. When organisms move into new areas, they are likely to encounter novel food resources. Even if they are nutritious, these foods can also be risky, as they might be contaminated by parasites. The behavioural immune system of animals could help them avoid the negative effects of contaminated resources, but our understanding of behavioural immunity is limited, particularly whether and how behavioural immunity interacts with physiological immunity. Here, we asked about the potential for interplay between these two traits, specifically how the propensity of an individual house sparrow (Passer domesticus) to take foraging risks was related to its ability to regulate a key facet of its immune response to bacterial pathogens. Previously, we found that sparrows at expanding geographic range edges were more exploratory and less risk-averse to novel foods; in those same populations, birds tended to over-express Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a pattern-recognition receptor that distinguishes cell-wall components of Gram-negative bacteria, making it the major sensor of potentially lethal gut microbial infections including salmonellosis. When we investigated how birds would respond to a typical diet (i.e., mixed seeds) spiked with domesticated chicken faeces, birds that expressed more TLR4 or had higher epigenetic potential for TLR4 (more CpG dinucleotides in the putative gene promoter) ate more food, spiked or not. Females expressing abundant TLR4 were also willing to take more foraging risks and ate more spiked food. In males, TLR4 expression was not associated with risk-taking. Altogether, our results indicate that behaviour and immunity covary among individual house sparrows, particularly in females where those birds that maintain more immune surveillance also are more disposed to take foraging risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The brown rats were divided into neophobic, indifferent, and neophiliac rats. • Their neuromodulatory systems were compared immunohistochemically. • The 5-HT system in the dorsal raphe was correlated with neophobia and neophilia. • The dopaminergic system in the VTA was correlated with neophilia. The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is known to show three types of behavioral responses to novel objects. Whereas some rats are indifferent to novel objects, neophobic and neophilic rats show avoidance and approach behavior, respectively. Here, we compared the dopaminergic, serotonergic, and noradrenergic systems immunohistochemically among these rats. Trapped wild rats and laboratory rats were first individually exposed to the novel objects in their home cage. Wild rats were divided into neophobic and indifferent rats depending on their behavioral responses. Similarly, laboratory rats were divided into neophilic and indifferent rats. Consistent with the behavioral differences, in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, Fos expression in corticotropin-releasing hormone-containing neurons was higher in the neophobic rats than in the indifferent rats. In the anterior basal amygdala, the neophobic rats showed higher Fos expression than the indifferent rats. In the posterior basal amygdala, the neophobic and neophilic rats showed lower and higher Fos expressions than the indifferent rats, respectively. When we compared the neuromodulatory systems, in the dorsal raphe, the number of serotonergic neurons and Fos expression in serotonergic neurons increased linearly from neophobic to indifferent to neophilic rats. In the ventral tegmental area, Fos expression in dopaminergic neurons was higher in the neophilic rats than in the indifferent rats. These results demonstrate that approach/avoidance behavior to novel objects is correlated with the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems in the brown rat. We propose that the serotonergic system suppresses avoidance behavior while the dopaminergic system enhances approach behavior to novel objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neophilic tendencies in scavenging species living near humans may have adverse consequences for these animals. New Zealand's kea (Nestor notabilis), an endangered parrot, potentially faces exacerbated mortality risk associated with proximity to humans. Hazards include lead building materials, introduced mammalian predators, and poison baits used to control these predators. How kea respond to these hazards can affect life expectancy. We modelled the effects of (1) proximity to humans, (2) age, (3) presence of conspecifics, and (4) blood lead levels, on the time taken to approach and contact a novel object. We also compared dietary trophic level between populations adjacent to and remote from humans using stable isotopes, and compared the age structure of these populations. Adjacent kea contacted the object faster than remote kea, as did younger individuals and those with elevated blood lead concentration, but conspecific presence did not affect approach latency. We conclude that adjacent kea exhibit enhanced neophilia, which may translate to reduced life expectancy due to interacting with anthropogenic hazards. Kea adjacent to humans were younger and foraged at a lower trophic level than remote kea, with a possible consequence of reduced productivity. Our results should be considered when setting management policy for kea habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global environmental changes require the development of new food formulations with sustainable ingredients. In this context, legumes could be used to enrich foods with beneficial consequences both on human health and sustainability of the agri‐food system. The aim was to evaluate the liking of a whole corn‐based formulation including chickpea or red lentil flour with or without providing health and environmental information about legumes. The effect of the conveyed information in subjects with different food neophobia (FN) level as well as the association between FN and different sustainability dimensions were also investigated. A 100% whole‐corn sample and two samples added with 20% of chickpea or red lentil flour were tested by 127 consumers in blind, expected, and real conditions. Subjects completed questionnaires about FN, sustainable behavior, perceived environmental impact of food products, beliefs, and attitudes toward sustainable food. Legume‐based products were equally liked as the control sample indicating that these food ingredients are promising for the enrichment of polenta samples. The information increased consumers' hedonic expectations. However, incomplete assimilation was found for samples with legumes. When the effect of information was assessed as a function of FN level, a complete assimilation for subjects with low (chickpea sample) and medium (red lentil sample) FN score was found, while no significant effect was seen for subjects with high FN score. A significant negative association was found between FN and sustainability commitment. Practical Application: The results of the present study demonstrate that the development of sustainable food formulations using legumes is promising and that conveying health and environmental sustainability information contribute to increase consumer acceptance. However, consumers with high levels of FN were insensitive to information and were also those with low interest in sustainability issues. As a practical application, personalized communication strategies should be developed to reach different consumers targets when specific innovations are launched on the market alongside with industry efforts in developing marketing initiatives raising consumers awareness about health and environmental aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) shows a high level of colour polymorphism. Particular forms differ in their colour combination, pattern and abundance.Two species of wild‐caught passerines native to Central Europe were offered various forms of ladybirds, differing in their colour pattern and abundance in nature. We predicted that those forms that are more abundant in the wild are better protected, as they are more familiar to predators.Forms novemdecimsignata and spectabilis, which represent 97% of individuals in the wild population, significantly differ in their visual appearance (mostly orange vs. mostly black). The form axyridis is very rare in the wild, and suturalis and aninkae do not occur in the wild and were derived from laboratory breedingsAs predators, we used great tits (Parus major), which are very aversive towards ladybirds, and tree sparrows (Passer montanus), which are quite willing to attack and even eat ladybirds.We compared bird responses to particular ladybird colour forms and included a brown‐painted control to test the effect of conspicuous colours.We showed that both species of birds attacked all conspicuous forms of the ladybird equally and usually very rarely. The brown‐painted novemdecimsignata form was attacked more frequently compared with the conspicuous forms, showing that the visual appearance prevents birds from attacking any conspicuous colour combination. Sparrows tended to eat the attacked ladybirds of forms novemdecimsignata, spectabilis and brown painted. The rare axyridis form and laboratory forms were very well protected from the attack, very likely due to neophobia.We may conclude that despite the outstanding polymorphism of H. axyridis, its protection against avian predators is very effective as long as the red‐and‐black pattern is preserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to analyze the acceptance of muffins containing a 15% addition of powder from four edible insect species (Alphitobius diaperinus, Tenebrio molitor, Acheta domesticus, Ruspolia differens) in both savory and sweet versions, focusing on the psychological factors influencing their consumption. The study involved 106 adult consumers. Initially, the level of food neophobia (FNS) among participants was determined. Over 80% displayed low to medium levels of neophobia. Similar results were obtained when assessing attitudes towards insects, with most participants showing positive and ambivalent attitudes. Based on these findings, the acceptance of insect-based muffins was evaluated. The level of acceptance of insects varied and depended mainly on taste, smell, and texture. Participants with lower levels of neophobia and positive attitudes towards consuming insects generally rated the insect muffins higher compared to those with higher levels of neophobia and negative attitudes. The sweet versions of insect powder muffins were rated higher, which also indicates preferences and dietary habits. Products with grasshopper powder (GS, GCL) were rated the lowest for both taste versions. Conversely, products based on buffalo worms (BS, BCL) were seen as having the greatest potential for acceptance. Understanding consumer attitudes, neophobia, and levels of acceptance provides valuable insights for designing new insect-based foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Animal-borne devices can affect animal survival, reproduction, and behaviour through both the addition of weight and bulk and the direct effects of initial and subsequent capture. Researchers commonly employ a general rule of thumb that weight of the device must be less than 5% of bodyweight for terrestrial animals; however, this threshold has little empirical basis. Aims: We evaluated the effects of environmental variables, repeated capture, and weight of animal-borne devices on bodyweight in free-ranging feral cats. Methods: We recaptured feral cats at varying frequencies, wearing GPS and/or VHF collars that ranged from 0.29% to 4.88% of bodyweight, and recorded change in cat weight over time. Key results: Collar weight as a percentage of bodyweight was not a significant predictor of feral cat weight change. Rather, change in bodyweight was best described by a negative relationship with an increasing temperature and number of captures, and a positive relationship with time since collar attachment. Conclusions: Capture had a significant influence on feral cat weight but collar weights up to 5% of bodyweight did not significantly contribute to weight loss. However, the absence of control cats without collars hindered definitive conclusions on the effect of collar weight on cat weight change. Implications: Researchers should space capture and handling events more than 30 days apart to reduce effects of weight loss from capture and handling. Researchers should also consider increasing collar weight and reducing frequency of capture (where collars are less than 5% of bodyweight), particularly if cat bodyweight is a parameter of interest. Feral cats are one of the most harmful invasive species in Australia, and are often caught and collared as part of scientific study to investigate their impacts and inform management. We evaluated the impacts of this process on feral cats. Even though collar weight had no impact, repeated recaptures reduced cat weight. Researchers should consider prioritising fewer capture and handling events over collar-weight reductions, or offset the effect of repeated capture by allowing recovery time greater than 30 days before subsequent recapture attempts. Photograph by Darcy Whittaker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review article aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the main determinants of consumers' acceptance of novel foods (new foods and ingredients) in the EU with emphasis on product's intrinsic properties (sensory characteristics) and individual factors (socio-demographics, perceptive, psychological) by adopting a systematic approach following the PRISMA methodology. Case studies on terrestrial (i.e., insects, cultured meat and other animal origin products, plant-based food including mushrooms, plant-based analogues, pulses, and cereals) and aquatic systems (i.e., algae and jellyfish) are included focusing on age-related and cross-national differences in consumer acceptance of novel foods and ingredients. General trends have emerged that are common to all the novel foods analysed, regardless of their aquatic or terrestrial origin. Aspects such as food neophobia, unfamiliarity, and poor knowledge of the product are important barriers to the consumption of novel foods, while healthiness and environmental sustainability perception are drivers of acceptance. Sensory properties are challenging for more familiar ingredients such as plant-based food (e.g., novel food made by pulses, mushrooms, cereals and pseudocereals). Results are discussed in terms of feasibility of introducing these products in the EU food systems highlighting strategies that can encourage the use of new ingredients or novel foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-based meat has been the primary strategy to reducing meat consumption. While this category has demonstrated success, with the market value estimated to reach USD 20 billion by 2023, the subsequent reduction in meat consumption has not been proportionate. An alternative approach is hybrid products, which are thought to produce products that more closely resemble meat products. However, whether consumers will be willing to purchase hybrid products remains uncertain. Therefore, the present study uses a conjoint analysis approach to assess the product features driving the selection of a hybrid hotdog. This approach uncovers factors driving consumers' purchase intentions for hybrid meat products when offered as a choice against 100% plant-based and 100% beef products. In an online survey, participants (n = 454; 45.6% female) were asked to select the product they would be most willing to purchase, varying in four characteristics: protein source, price, fat content, and price. Following this task, participants answered questions related to meat attachment, food neophobia, health, ecological, social, and moral motives regarding food consumption. The results revealed that protein source was the most important factor driving product selection, followed by price, fat, and packaging claims (35%, 24%, 21%, and 20% relative importance, respectively). In this study, hybrid hotdogs were the least preferred to beef and plant-based (−16, −2.5, and 18 part-worth utility, respectively). These product-specific attributes (protein, fat, and price) had distinct relationships with the choices of hybrid, plant-based, and hybrid hotdogs, with these factors together explaining slightly more variability in the selection of hybrid (9%) compared to plant-based (7%) and beef hotdogs (4%). For hybrid hotdogs, protein had the greatest influence (B = −1.2) followed by fat (B = −0.8) and price (B = −0.5). Interestingly, person-related parameters (health, meat attachment, ethics, and food neophobia) had no relationship with the selection of hybrid hotdogs, contrary to plant-based (7%) and beef hotdogs (5%). This influence of the different parameters on the selection of hybrid meat is thought to be due to the lack of consumer knowledge and familiarity with hybrid products. The current understanding of plant-based products may not correspond to hybrid products. Engaging with consumers during the development of these products is critical to ensure consumer acceptance and thus support the transition to a more sustainable diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Hatchery-reared Rainbow trout are released into freshwater systems, often to support recreational fishing, but the best age to release fish to maximise their chances of survival is unknown. Using laboratory tests of fish behaviour at six ages, we report age-related changes in emergence, exploration, food neophobia, habitat choice and predator avoidance. We suggest that an understanding of age-related changes in behaviour should be applied to support management decisions around the best age to release Rainbow trout. Millions of hatchery-reared Rainbow trout are currently released in Australian waters to support recreational fisheries objectives, yet many of these fish die soon after release. In addition, little is known whether these fish harbour parasites that can potentially threaten freshwater ecosystems and human health. Here, we tested the behaviour of hatchery-reared trout using six tank-based tests at six different ages to evaluate their chances of survival and then dissected fish to investigate parasite prevalence. At 7 weeks of age fish readily emerged from a hide and showed the greatest number of startle responses to predators. Behaviour around 25–29 weeks of age was relatively "shy", staying in shelter and avoiding open water. At around 37–41 weeks of age though, behaviour changed, with fish emerging from a hide more readily and exploring the environment. Interestingly, at 58 weeks of age fish were slower to initiate exploration, possibly indicating a return to "shyer" behaviour. All fish underwent thorough parasite examination, revealing no infections. We conclude that knowledge of the behaviour of hatchery-reared fish at different ages is useful for decisions around the timing of release that balance the needs of recreational fishers whilst managing the impact on freshwater ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess associations between persistent and changing food insecurity and behavioral and mental health outcomes in college students. Design: Online surveys conducted November 2018 and March 2019 (freshman year), and March 2020 (sophomore year) were used to assess food insecurity, which was then used to create 4 food security transitions: persistent food insecurity, emergent food insecurity, emergent food security, and persistent food security. Setting: Large Midwestern university. Sample: 593 students completing all 3 surveys. Measures: Dietary intake and behavioral and mental health outcomes (eating disorders, anxiety, depression, sleep quality) were assessed using validated instruments. Analysis: Associations between food security transitions and dietary intake, behavioral, and mental health outcomes were examined using generalized linear models. Results: Compared to persistent food security, emergent and persistent food insecurity was associated with lower (7% and 13% respectively) intake of fruits and vegetables combined; persistent food insecurity was associated with 17% lower intake of fruits, 6% lower intake of fiber and 10% higher intake of added sugar from beverages. Compared to persistent food secure students, eating disorder symptom risk was higher for emergent food insecure (OR = 7.61, 95% CI: 3.32, 17.48), and persistent food insecure (OR = 6.60, 95% CI: 2.60, 16.72) students; emergent (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.14, 3.71) and persistent (OR = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.34, 4.87) food insecure students had higher odds of poor sleep quality, and persistent food insecure, emergent food insecure, and emergent food secure students had higher odds of anxiety and depression (OR range 2.35-2.85). Conclusion: Food security transitions were associated with aspects of low diet quality and poorer behavioral and mental health outcomes among college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we analyzed the variation in cognitive flexibility in the Chimango Caracara (Milvago chimango), across areas with different levels of urbanization. To assess this, we utilized the reversal learning assay which measures the ability to adapt behavior in response to changes in environmental contingencies. We also investigated the impact of neophobia on this variation. All chimangos studied succeeded in acquiring a color-reward association and reverting this learned association when the contingencies changed. Urban chimangos were faster than their rural and suburban counterparts during the initial discrimination and reversal phases. The reversal phase proved to be the most challenging task. The analysis of the errors made during this phase revealed that acquiring a new association (i.e. regressive errors) was challenging for the individuals studied, in comparison to inhibiting a previously learned one (i.e. perseverative errors). Neophobia was found to be lower in urban individuals compared to suburban and rural raptors. Moreover, neophobia showed a correlation with regressive errors during the reversal phase among rural and suburban chimangos, while no such correlation was observed among city-dwelling chimangos. We suggest that neophobia acted as a regulating factor of cognitive flexibility, mainly for individuals expressing relatively high levels of this personality trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: University students are a vulnerable population prone to mental health challenges. This study aimed to investigate depression and its associated factors among university students in terms of demographics, eating habits, and exercises. Methods: A total of 2891 university students from three universities participated in this study between January 2024 and February 2024. An online survey questionnaire was distributed using a snow-ball strategy. The survey collected demographic, lifestyle, and psychological data, including depression and anxiety scores using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 screening tools. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to sport frequency and sport type using Chi-square test for qualitative data and t-test for quantitative data. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for depression. Results: A total of 44.2% and 39.5% of the participants reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively. Significant differences were observed in various characteristics across different sport frequency groups, with participants with higher sport frequency tending to have less depression (P< 0.001) and anxiety (P< 0.001) symptoms. As the frequency of weekly exercise increased, anxiety and depression scores gradually decreased. The mean PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores were highest in the group with no sports and lowest in the group with a sport frequency of 3– 4 times per week (P< 0.001). Additionally, once exercise frequency reached 5 times per week or more, anxiety and depression scores no longer decreased. Subgroup analysis based on sport type revealed that participants engaging in specific sports, such as basketball, tennis, dance, and running, had lower depression (P< 0.001) and anxiety (P< 0.001) scores compared to the overall average. Based on multiple linear regression analysis, married status (P=0.036), enjoying barbecue food (P< 0.001), prolonged sedentary time (P=0.001), experiencing stress events (P< 0.001), and electronic device usage time (P< 0.001) were positively associated with depression scores, while loving eating vegetables (P=0.007), a relatively longer sport time (P=0.005), a higher exercise frequency (P=0.064), and no chronic disease (P< 0.001) were negatively associated with depression scores. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, limited exposure to electronic screens, and a balanced diet, in preventing and mitigating depression among university students. This study also suggests that exercising 3– 4 times a week is associated with the lowest levels of anxiety and depression. Activities such as basketball, tennis, dance, and running are effective in alleviating these mental health issues through regular exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food neophobia involves avoiding new foods due to reluctance, aversion, or disgust. The Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) is the most reliable and common adult food neophobia test. It helps compare food neophobia across cultures by being translated into numerous languages. This study adapted, translated, and validated the FNS for Romania. This translated version was piloted in November 2023 on 59 students in the medical field from two distinct Romanian cities. Between December 2023 and February 2024, 375 adults were surveyed, representing Romania's population within a 90% confidence interval. The average age of responders was 38.07 years, with a standard deviation of 10.75 and a 4:1 female-to-male sex ratio. The Cronbach's alpha test was used to validate the questionnaire. Our study found that the mean FNS value was 31.86; most Romanian respondents (69.20%) were neutral towards trying new foods, with a significant portion being neophobes (18.21%) outnumbering neophiles (12.59%). When compared to international study results, Romanian adults, on average, exhibited a higher percentage of neophobes compared to those in Korea (13%), Hungary (16.8%), Italy (17%), and Brazil (17.5%), but a lower percentage than those in Lebanon (21.5%). The findings indicate that the translated scale can be utilized to assess neophobia among Romanian speakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the present review is to analyze dynamic interactions between nutrigenomics, environmental cues, and parental influence, which can all lead to children's neophobic reactions and its persistence in time. Methods: We reviewed studies available on electronic databases, conducted on children aged from birth to 18 years. We also considered official websites of Italian Institutions, providing advice on healthy eating during infancy. Results: Modern day societies are faced with an eating paradox, which has severe and ever-growing implications for health. In face of a wider availability of healthy foods, individuals instead often choose processed foods high in fat, salt and sugar content. Economic reasons surely influence consumers' access to foods. However, there is mounting evidence that food choices depend on the interplay between social learning and genetic predispositions (e.g., individual eating traits and food schemata). Neophobia, the behavioral avoidance of new foods, represents an interesting trait, which can significantly influence children's food refusal. Early sensory experiences and negative cognitive schemata, in the context of primary caregiver–child interactions, importantly contribute to the priming of children's food rejection. Conclusions: As neophobia strongly affects consumption of healthy foods, it will be relevant to rule definitively out its role in the genesis of maladaptive food choices and weight status in longitudinal studies tracking to adulthood and, in meanwhile, implement early in life effective social learning strategies, to reduce long-term effects of neophobia on dietary patterns and weight status. Level of evidence: Level II, controlled trials without randomization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Food technology neophobia refers to the unwillingness/avoidance and neophobia to foods produced using new food technologies. Identifying this neophobia in a society is significant as it affects the demand for these products in the food industry. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Food Technology Neophobia Scale in a Turkish sample. We conducted this study in two stages. In the first stage, which we conducted with 182 participants, we determined that the scale had high reliability and was suitable for validity testing. In the second stage, which we conducted with 610 participants, we performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The results of these analyses did not confirm the thirteen‐item and four‐factor structure, unlike the original scale; however, they pointed to a twelve‐item and three‐factor structure: 'New Food Technologies Are Unnecessary', 'Perception of Risks', and 'Healthy Choice and Information/Media'. This structure has an acceptable fit and is a valid and useful scale for use in Türkiye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food neophobia is the fear of new foods, and it is associated with negative health outcomes. Recent work suggests that it is negatively correlated with the ability to discriminate visually similar dishes, but only in color. This led to a novel prediction: that colorblindness would be negatively associated with food neophobia. Here, we replicated that colorblind men (n = 103) are less food neophobic than non-colorblind men (n = 273), even when participants are unaware that being colorblind or not was relevant to their selection. We extend these results to food disgust, and find that both food neophobia and food disgust increase with age in colorblind men, whereas they are stable in noncolorblind men. These results underscore the role of color perception on affective attitudes towards food, in the absence of demand characteristics or manipulation of color in images. Our results advance our understanding of non-perceptual and affective consequences of colorblindness. They also have possible implications for improving treatment approaches in cases of severe food neophobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyse the frequency of orange-fleshed sweet potato and pumpkin consumption, the social representations of sous-vide cooked vegetarian ready-to-eat meals (vegetable millefeuille, vegetable mixture and sweet potato provencal), and the correlation between the three meals mentioned, food neophobia and willingness to buy and try. The study involved 1 034 individuals aged 18 and above from Argentina. A correspondence analysis was performed to visualize the attributes of three stimuli evaluated through word association. The results reflect a high frequency of words related to hedonic terms. A negative correlation between the participants' levels of food neophobia and their willingness to buy and try each product was found. Participants with lower levels of neophobia showed a greater intention to consume and purchase the vegetable millefeuille and the vegetable mix. Participants with higher neophobia scores demonstrated less willingness to buy sweet potatoes provencal. Using pumpkin and sweet potato as ingredients of prepared dishes presents an opportunity to increase the demand and added value of widely available vegetables that are part of the world gastronomy industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored how the cultural intelligence (CQ) and the racial/ethnic experiences of 172 undergraduate students from a Northwestern United States university influenced their levels of food neophobia. Two instruments, the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CSQ) and the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS), were used to collect observations from the sample population (Ang & Dyne, 2008; Pliner & Hobden, 1992). Demographic questions and those related to the racial/ethnic background of participants were also incorporated into the survey. The stepwise regression analysis revealed significant relationships between cultural intelligence, having more than one or multiple ethnic/racial backgrounds or experiences, and food neophobia scores. Findings suggested greater cultural intelligence and more exposure to ethnic/racial backgrounds or experiences are related to lower levels of food neophobia. These results underscore the importance of cultural competence and inclusivity in higher education to promote culinary diversity and minimize food neophobia. Colleges and universities must take note of these important dining findings, which are vital to enrollment and retention strategies and the well-being of their students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals have to face different challenges related to the rapid expansion of urbanization in their environments, so being behaviorally flexible will allow them to thrive in these scenarios. Here we aimed to examine the response of a south American threatened species, the Olrog's Gull (Larus atlanticus), to novel stimuli in urban and non-urban habitats, analyzing the social context of the feeding group. Fieldwork was conducted at the Mar Chiquita Reserve and Mar del Plata city in Argentina. We compared the response of individuals in presence and absence of a novel objects in urban and non-urban habitats. The habitat type affected the proportion of individuals that approached and consumed from the feeding area, being higher in urban areas. The probability of immature individuals entering first to the area was also higher in urban areas, while the probability of adult individuals approaching first only increased with the increasing adult presence at the feeding station. Consumption latency and neophobia level did not differ between habitat types. However, general consumption latency was higher in novel situation respect to familiar situation, suggesting an aversion of birds to novelty. This response decreased over the experimental days, probably involving a learning process, and with the increase of individuals around the feeding station. The study of this threatened species that has recently colonized urban ecosystems provides us a comprehensive understanding of this species' ability to exhibit behavioral flexibility in their natural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Neophobia is an ecologically relevant personality trait that manifests as aversion to new or unfamiliar stimuli. Fear and subsequent avoidance of novel stimuli represents a challenge for pest management programs, as control tools that induce a neophobic response will reduce their effectiveness. Additionally, neophobia can be a plastic trait induced by exposure to high‐risk environments, and so can be exacerbated by repeated harassment, which often occurs in pest management programs that are conducted at high intensity. We investigated the propensity of feral cats (Felis catus) to exhibit neophobic behavior towards a novel control device. We also tested whether neophobia was altered by capture and radio‐collaring or changed over time. We found that there is significant potential for initial avoidance of control devices by some feral cats, and that capture and handling significantly increased the likelihood of avoidance. Neophobia generally declined over time suggesting that long‐term deployment may reduce the impact of neophobia. Avoidance of novel control tools could severely limit their effectiveness, especially if deployed to remove the last remaining cats from confined areas. Remaining cats may have avoided repeated attempts at conventional control techniques and so may be more neophobic. In such circumstances, control tool deployments should be lengthened considerably, to take advantage of waning neophobia over time, and, concealed effectively to hide them from neophobic cats. The increased neophobia recorded in cats that were handled and radio‐collared for monitoring suggests that results from experiments that test new control devices may not be indicative of the behavior of naïve cats. Changes to methodology such as minimizing capture and handling may be required to reduce neophobia and provide valid research results when testing novel control tools.