Abstracts 89

Influencing factors in meateating and Vegetrvianirrrm

N. J. Richardson and R. Shepherd AFRC Institute of Food Research, Ear&y Gate, Whiteknights Road, Reading, Berkshire, UK RG6 2EF

A sample of UK residents and members of The Vegetarian Society were questioned by postal sur- vey on their consumption of, and attitudes to- wards, meat. Over 15% of the general population sample classified themselves as ‘demi’ vegetarians and 28% reported to be currently reducing meat consumption. Members of The Vegetarian Society were found to have stronger attitude evaluations on ethical, risk and health issues. Food package labels were found to provide an influential source of meat-related information for both samples, being well used and moderately trusted. Future events found to affect people’s estimated meat- eating were the availability of polyunsaturated meat and meat produced with strict safety guaran- tees, the former change being dependent on a constant price.

Sensory evaluation of fish sauces Norlita G. Sanceda,” Marieta Sanceda,b Velma Encanto,c Tadao Kuratad and Nobuhiko Arakawa” aDqbartment of Nutrition and Food Science, Ochanomizu University, 2-l -1 Otsuka, Bunkyeku, Tokyo, Japan bHome Economics Dqb artment, Oton National High School, Oton, Iloilo, Phili#@aes cDqbartment of Agriculture, Region w Iloilo, Philippines dInstitute of Environmental Science far Human Life, 2-l-l Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Fish sauce is not only used as a condiment but as a protein source in the diet in South East Asia. It has a characteristic smell and is very salty but demand has been increasing so there is a need to improve its quality. The smell and taste of modified sauces were sensorially evaluated using preference and difference test in a five-point hedonic rating scale. Subjects employed were those familiar with the product and those who have known the product for the first time, aged 5-55 years. The modified products were slightly different in smell and taste from the traditionally produced sauce, but seemed acceptable.

Redlction of frequency of food consumption from use attitude and demographic variables R. Shepherd,” H. G. Schutzb and P. Sparks” “AFRC Institute of Food Research, Ear@ Gate, WI&knights Road, Reading, Berkshire, UK, RG6 2EF ‘Food Science and Technology, University of Califmia, Davis, California, 95616, USA

Forty-eight quota sampled UK consumers rated 50 food items on 50 use-appropriateness scales. A principal component analysis of the ratings yielded 10 factors. Ten use-appropriateness rat- ings representing these factors, along with average appropriateness of a food over all uses, average involvement, six choice considerations and six demographic variables were entered into a step wise multiple regression predicting frequency of consumption of each food. In these 50 equations the statistically significant variables included 44% use-appropriateness (12% ‘really like’) ; 25% demographic; 24% choice considerations; 5% average involvement; 2% average appropriateness. Non-affect use-appropriateness thus appears to play a role in predicting food choice.

THEBASISOFFOODSELECTIONAND ACCEPTANCE

Factors affecting the acceptance, selection and perceived ethnicity of ethnic foods Rick Bell, Herbert L. Meiselman and Sarah L. Taub Consumer Research, US Army Natick RD & E Center; Behavioral Sciences Division, Kansas Street, Natick, Massachusetts 01760, USA

Recipe,situational and product information vari- ables were manipulated to assess their effects on perceived ethnicity, acceptability and selection of ethnic foods. Results suggest that: (i) sauce is the key recipe variable for influencing perceived eth- nicity for many cultural foods; (ii) adding ethnic room decor to nonethnic-specific restaurants is a key situational variable for influencing the per- ceived ethnicity and selection of ethnic foods; and (iii) indicating a food’s country of origin on food packages and menus is a key information variable for encouraging trial of novel ethnic foods and for increasing respondents’ certainty of their expected hedonic value for the product.