The present study aimed to investigate whether trust in circulating information and perceived stress are predictors of consumers’ fear of limited access to food as well as predictors of food purchase behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) technique was used to collect data from 1033 Polish adults in March 2020. Logistic regression was used to estimate the likelihood of fear of limited access to food and the likelihood of purchase of larger amounts of food than usual. The likelihood of experiencing fear of limited access to food increased by 16% with higher perceived stress, by 50% with higher trust in “Mass media and friends”, and by 219% with perceived changes in food availability in the previous month. Trust in “Polish government institutions” decreased the chance of experiencing such fears by 22%. The likelihood of purchasing larger quantities of food than usual increased by 9% with higher perceived stress, by 46% with higher trust in “Mass media and friends”, by 81% with perceived changes in food availability in the last month, and by 130% with fears of limited access to food as the pandemic spreads. Government institutions may have difficulty in disseminating pandemic-related recommendations through media, not only due to relatively low trust people have in media organizations but also due to the increasing likelihood of the occurrence of both fears regarding food availability and panic-stricken food-buying behaviors with increase in trust in this source of information. Therefore, it is necessary to develop interventions that will reduce perceived stress and improve the trust in information from reputable sources.

The aim was to assess the relationships between willingness to eat cereal products fortified with fibre, attitudes towards food technologies and some food choice motives. The questionnaire survey was carried out in 2013 within 1000 Polish consumers. Selection criteria of the sample took into...

The aim of the current study was two-fold: (1) to identify consumer segments based on bread selection motives and (2) to examine differences between the identified segments in terms of perception of bread and bread with added fiber, and information on the food label. The data were collected using a CAPI (computer-assisted personal interview) survey on a sample of 1013 consumers. The k-means clustering method was used to identify four clusters of consumers, namely, Enthusiastic, Involved, Ultra-Involved, and Neutral. The Enthusiastic was the group that expressed the most positive opinions about the bread and about the addition of fiber to white bread. Moreover, they appreciated the most the information placed on the bread label. On the other hand, the Ultra-Involved and the Involved presented moderate opinions on these issues. In contrast, the consumers from the Neutral segment agreed the least with the opinion that white bread fortified with fiber is healthier and more expensive compared to white bread without added fiber. Consumers belonging to the Enthusiastic segment declared, to a greater extent than others, that cereal products with added fiber facilitate a healthy lifestyle and can reduce the adverse effects of an inadequate diet. The obtained results indicated that relatively positive opinions on the addition of fiber to white bread, including its benefits for health, are an opportunity to further develop the market of cereal products with added fiber. However, the information about bread on the label and its readability should meet the expectations of consumers who differ significantly in terms of their motives for choice. Both now and in the future, this aspect will be a challenge for food entrepreneurs and organizations that are engaged in the education and development of information aimed at consumers.

The aims of the study were to identify the perceptions about the technologies that are used to increase the nutritional value of cereal products, and to evaluate relations between consumers’ perceptions of them, expected changes to bread, and the perceived values. Quantitative data was collected through computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI) within a sample of 1000 Polish adults. Clustering method was used to identify homogeneous groups based on opinions on the technologies used in the production of cereals and cereal products. Neutral attitudes towards technologies were presented in the sample with relatively greater acceptance of traditional crossbreeding of varieties and enrichment processes. Nevertheless, three homogeneous clusters were identified: technological sceptics (33.6%), technological traditionalists (15.0%) and technological enthusiasts (51.4%). Technological traditionalists appreciated the naturalness of food, tradition, natural environment, quality of life and health more than the other clusters. Perceiving themselves as a person valuing tradition and quality of life was associated with belonging to the technological sceptics. Both sceptics and traditionalists declared greater fears resulting from the application of new technologies in food production, including threats to the environment, health, naturalness of food and quality of life. Technological enthusiasts were anticipating more changes in bread. The differences among the clusters, including perceived values, require communication that is adapted to the profile of the consumers. The results can be useful for bread manufacturers to predict the demand and deliver against it and for marketers who are responsible for the process of effective product labelling and communication in order to meet the consumer needs.

The average daily intake of fiber is still too low in relation to nutritional recommendations, as was found in several studies. Therefore, it is necessary to recommend ways to increase fiber intake in the diet. Increasing the consumption of bread rich in fiber as a substitute of white bread is one of the ways to increase fiber intake. The aim of this study was to find out whether nutrition knowledge and perception of dietary fiber affected the frequency of eating wholemeal bread and white bread fortified with fiber. The data were collected in 2014 through a cross-sectional quantitative survey that was performed under the Bioproduct project among a group of 1013 Polish adults. The associations between variables were investigated using multiple regression analysis. The respondents’ general knowledge on nutrition influenced their knowledge on fiber intake (correlation coefficient r = 0.30). Respondents with a greater knowledge perceived higher benefits of consuming cereal products that were fortified with fiber (r = 0.78), and attached greater importance to the information on the label (r = 0.39) as well. The nutrition knowledge determined the familiarity with fiber-enriched bread and the consumption of this product (r = 0.40) to a greater degree than the frequency of wholemeal bread consumption (r = −0.10). The respondents’ perception of dietary fiber was observed to play a partial mediation role between the knowledge on nutrition and the consumption of both kinds of breads, suggesting that it can be an important predictor of bread consumption. To increase the consumption of bread that is rich in fiber, emphasis should be laid on specific information on fiber, referring to food products as well as on individual’s perception of those products. The said information should be reinforced along with overall communication regarding nutrition to influence the bread-related decisions.

The aim was to recognize the effect of oat β-glucan fiber addition on expected and perceived liking of fresh pasta. Durum wheat semolina was enriched with oat β-glucan fiber in proportions: 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16% in relation to wheat flour. The evaluation of pasta samples was carried out by a group of 150 consumers and 10 panelists. Consumers evaluated pasta samples to assess the expected and perceived liking and the trained panelists established sensory profile.The consumers’ evaluation of cooked pasta with different oat β-glucan fiber additions showed that the sample with 16% oat β-glucan fiber addition was most liked (6.4 in a 1–9 scale). Consistency between expected and perceived liking increased with the increase in oat β-glucan fiber addition and was the highest for the sample enriched with 16% β-glucan. The sensory profile established by the trained panelists compared with the results of the consumers’ assessment showed that an increase in intensity of bran odor and flavor (up to value 4.08 for odor note and 5.31 for flavor) could have been related to higher perceived liking by the consumers. The increased amount of oat β-glucan fiber powder (16%), which provides fiber-rich products, is a promising ingredient for fresh pasta formulation.