Salt plays a major role in food manufacturing and affects the technological and sensory properties of foods. At the same time, high dietary salt intake increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and represents a considerable public health concern. In many populations, bread is a major contributor to salt intake and is therefore targeted by health policies recommending salt reduction reformulations. However, producers are often reluctant to reduce salt content due to fears of potential negative effects on consumer acceptability and drops in sales. The present work aims to assess the effect of salt content on consumers’ hedonic liking and perception of saltiness intensity, as well as the interaction of these two. The study was conducted using two market-leading bread types (white and multigrain) and bread samples with the national average (reference), reduced (−15%) and increased (+10%) salt levels. A sensory evaluation study (n = 200) was done including a questionnaire on attitudes and behaviour regarding bread and salt, enabling the exploration of individual differences in reactions to modified levels of salt content. The latter only affected hedonic liking for the multigrain sample with 15% salt reduction but not for others, which discloses the importance of the bread matrix; and it did not affect the perception of saltiness intensity. Penalty analysis revealed that perceived non-optimal saltiness results in significantly penalised hedonic liking scores. Segmentation based on perceived saltiness disclosed the explanatory importance of underlying consumer behaviour dimensions which should be considered in designing bread reformulations.

Introduction: Reducing the salt, sugar and fat content of food is recognised worldwide as one of the strategies available for reducing the incidence of obesity and non-communicable diseases. The food industry has a major influence on achieving these goals by preserving intrinsic (chemical and sensory properties) and modifying extrinsic (food packaging and other external information) food attributes that can influence purchasing decisions. This article is a literature review of studies that analyse the influence of intrinsic and/or extrinsic attributes on consumer product preference and purchasing decisions. Methods: A keyword search for relevant studies was conducted using Web of Science, an interdisciplinary electronic resource. Articles from other sources were also included and systematically reviewed. Results: The search string identified 266 results. Thirty-eight articles were included in the final analysis and coded according to intrinsic and extrinsic food attributes, reformulated nutrient, food category, condition, research methods, consumer response, study location and sample size. There are several authors investigating the effect of intrinsic rather than extrinsic product attributes. Most research deals with processed foods in the category of milk and dairy products, followed by sweetened fruit juices, meat products, sweets and bread. Salt content is the attribute most often reduced, followed by sugar and fat. Conclusions: Consumers find it hard to swap potential health benefits for hedonic attributes. When evaluating products in expected conditions, they usually rate the reformulated product more highly than the conventional one, while in informed conditions they usually choose the regular product. When products are labelled with a traffic light or nutritional warnings, consumers opt for a reformulated product, even in informed conditions. This review highlights the heterogeneity between food groups, and the fact that many factors influence consumers’ product preferences and purchasing decisions. The product should be analysed as a whole and tested in blind, expected and informed conditions, as each individual factor represents a phase of the consumer purchasing decision. The extent of nutrient reduction should be determined by calculating the difference threshold, and the industry should reformulate products gradually based on how consumers detect the reduction.

Background: Childhood and adolescence represent a critical period for shaping long-term dietary habits, including whole grain consumption, which remains low despite well-documented health benefits. Objective: This cross-sectional study (November–December 2024) examined Slovenian adolescents’ attitudes toward whole-grain foods in the context of organized school meals. Methods: Participants aged 10–12 years and 14–19 years (N = 501; mean age 15.6 ± 2.6) completed an online questionnaire assessing knowledge, self-reported consumption frequency, preferences, motivational factors, and food neophobia using the translated Italian Child Food Neophobia Scale (ICFNS). Based on ICFNS scores, participants were classified as low (≤17), medium (18–24), or high (≥25) in food neophobia. Results: Older adolescents demonstrated better knowledge of whole-grain health benefits; however, greater knowledge was not associated with higher self-reported consumption. Food neophobia was strongly associated with lower consumption frequency and reduced willingness to try whole-grain foods, including whole-grain bread, oatmeal, buckwheat porridge and brown rice. Across all groups, taste was the most consistent motivator for trying whole-grain foods. Older adolescents prioritized health and appearance as key reasons for eating more whole grain foods. Conclusions: Findings suggest that improving taste, increasing exposure, and leveraging institutional settings such as schools, where availability, preparation, and social cues can be managed, may be effective in promoting whole-grain food consumption.