The aim of this study is to investigate consumer attitudes toward the quality and availability of gluten-free products. For this purpose, quantitative research was conducted using a questionnaire completed by 107 respondents who consumed gluten-free products. The results of the research showed that most consumers prepared their own meals, paid attention to ingredients, and strictly adhered to a gluten-free diet. About 10% of the respondents declared that they occasionally did not follow a gluten-free diet. Respondents were generally not satisfied with the price and availability of gluten-free products on the market. An additional aggravating circumstance for them when eating out was that restaurants generally do not have a sufficient selection of gluten-free dishes in their daily offer. Although most of them stated that they buy basic, well-known gluten-free products, they want to try new products with different, new flavors. This demand offers food manufacturers the opportunity to capitalize on the rapidly growing gluten-free market by developing creative and sustainable products that not only meet dietary requirements but also exceed consumer expectations. By focusing on innovation and variety, companies can participate in a profitable market while contributing to the growth of a more sustainable economy. The results of this study pointed to consumer preferences that could be used to influence the improvement and development of new gluten-free products, which are on the rise and will have a better nutritional quality and thus had a positive impact on health.

Background: A healthy diet and optimal lifestyle choices are amongst the most important actions for the prevention of cardiometabolic diseases. Despite this, it appears difficult to convince consumers to select more nutritious foods. Furthermore, the development and production of healthier foods do not always lead to economic profits for the agro-food sector. Most dietary recommendations for the general population represent a “one-size-fits-all approach” which does not necessarily ensure that everyone has adequate exposure to health-promoting constituents of foods. Indeed, we now know that individuals show a high variability in responses when exposed to specific nutrients, foods, or diets.Purpose: This review aims to highlight our current understanding of inter-individual variability in response to dietary bioactives, based on the integration of findings of the COST Action POSITIVe. We also evaluate opportunities for translation of scientific knowledge on inter-individual variability in response to dietary bioactives, once it becomes available, into practical applications for stakeholders, such as the agro-food industry. The potential impact from such applications will form an important impetus for the food industry to develop and market new high quality and healthy foods for specific groups of consumers in the future. This may contribute to a decrease in the burden of diet-related chronic diseases.

Vegetable by-products are a source of many useful bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, fatty acids and proteins that have a great potential in the development of new food products and the promotion of the circular economy and sustainability.Considering processed pepper by-products as an example, the aim of this paper is to provide an overview of EU food legislation that should be taken into account before placing such products on the market, as well as of the voluntary labeling of functional, nutritional and sustainability benefits important for consumers.

Die Nährwertkennzeichnung auf der Vorderseite der Verpackung (Front-of-Pack, FOP) ist ein wichtiges Instrument zur Förderung einer gesünderen Ernährung. Durch die Bereitstellung klarer und leicht verständlicher Nährwertangaben zu Lebensmitteln unterstützen solche Kennzeichnungen die Verbraucher dabei, gesündere Lebensmittel auszuwählen, und regen gleichzeitig die Hersteller dazu an, den Nährwert ihrer Produkte zu verbessern. Die derzeitige EU-Gesetzgebung schreibt eine Nährwerttabelle auf der Rückseite von Lebensmittelverpackungen vor, die für den Durchschnittsverbraucher of schwer zu sehen und zu verstehen ist, während die Angabe von Nährwertinformationen auf der Vorderseite der Verpackung auf freiwilliger Basis zulässig ist und im Ermessen der Mitgliedstaaten und Hersteller liegt. Im Jahr 2020 kündigte die Europäische Kommission an, bis 2022 eine harmonisierte obligatorische Nährwertkennzeichnung für Lebensmittelprodukte für alle Mitgliedstaaten vorzuschlagen, die zur Verbesserung der Ernährungsgewohnheiten und der Gesundheit der Verbraucher beitragen würde. Da unter den Mitgliedstaaten kein Konsens darüber besteht, welches System auf EU-Ebene am besten geeignet oder obligatorisch wäre, hat die Europäische Kommission noch keine Entscheidung über eine harmonisierte vereinfachte Nährwertkennzeichnung getroffen. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, einen Überblick über den Rechtsrahmen und den aktuellen Stand der Nährwertkennzeichnung auf der Vorderseite der Verpackung in den Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Union zu geben und darzustellen, wie dieses Thema in mehreren anderen Ländern weltweit behandelt wurde.

Potrošači pomnije biraju proizvode koje kupuju i sve više pažnje posvećuju autohtonim poljoprivrednim i prehrambenim proizvodima zaštićenim oznakama na nacionalnoj i europskoj razini. Svojim zakonodavnim okvirom EU nastoji zaštiti vrijednost tih proizvoda odgovarajućim oznakama izvornosti (ZOI), zemljopisnoga podrijetla (ZOZP) i zajamčeno tradicionalnog specijaliteta (ZTS). Svi proizvodi zaštićeni oznakama ZOI, ZOZP i ZTS na razini EU nalaze se u bazi podataka eAmbrosia – the EU geographical indications register. Republika Hrvatska je do sada zaštitila 31 proizvod od čega 14 proizvoda oznakom ZOI i 17 proizvoda oznakom ZOZP. Ostale zakonski regulirane sheme certificiranja u EU i/ili dobrovoljni sustavi certificiranja na nacionalnoj razini kao i oni kojima upravljaju privatni subjekti također imaju svrhu pomoći potrošačima u odabiru proizvoda koji kupuju. U cilju veće prepoznatljivosti i promidžbe domaćih poljoprivrednih i prehrambenih proizvoda Republika Hrvatska je uspostavila nacionalni sustav kvalitete poljoprivrednih i prehrambenih proizvoda putem jedinstvene prepoznatljive oznake - "Dokazana kvaliteta". Kako bi privukli još veću pažnju potrošača za takve proizvode potrebna su dodatna ulaganja u promoviranje i edukaciju potrošača na nacionalnom i međunarodnom tržištu.