Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Typescript. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on April 16, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 168-176). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 168-176). Also available on the Internet.

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative research paper was to explore how consumers with an environmental identity evaluate new, environmentally friendly substitutes for meat, with edible insects given as an example. Problem: An increasing number of Swedish consumers show an overall negative attitude towards consuming meat, mainly due to environmental concerns, and express this by identifying themselves as vegetarians or flexitarian. Edible insects possess the potential to become an environmentally friendly, nutritious and innovative meat substitute in Sweden. Although the demand for new environmentally friendly meat substitutes is high, the intentions of consuming edible insects are low in Western societies. This causes researchers to ask why this conflict is.                                                                                                                               Methodology: In order to fulfill the purpose and to answer the research question, a qualitative research approach was adopted. Eight semi-structured interviews were used in the empirical data collection process. The chosen target group was vegetarians and flexitarians of Generation Y, and the sample was chosen through judgmental sampling.                                                                                                                                 Findings: This empirical study examines an extensive confusion and conflicted standpoints among consumers when evaluating edible insects. However, the authors examine a high willingness and positive attitude towards consuming edible insects. Five key factors that influence the evaluation of edible as a meat substitute have been identified: the animalistic qualities of insects, if insects are perceived as meat or vegetarian, if edible insects are ‘green’, proof and facts, and what product category edible insects belong to.

Background: Environmental sustainability and climate change are of increasing concern. The agriculture and food sector generate a large negative impact on the environment, and whilst the awareness is increasing, limited change in behaviour is visible. This resulted in the exploration of opportunities in relation to this topic, where meat consumption, meat substitutes and reactions to messaging are the main focus.  Purpose: From an environmentally sustainable perspective, to understand how European Millennial and Gen Z consumers react to message appeals on the packaging of meat substitutes, by using the PMT.  Method: A qualitative approach was followed to understand the reactions from European Millennial and Gen Z consumers when showing different message appeals on the packaging of meat substitutes. To explore their feelings, attitudes and perception towards these message appeals, and how this could influence their reaction, semi-structured interviews were conducted.  Conclusion: The results show that message appeals are effective when applying PMT to explore the reaction to reduce meat consumption. The emotional appeal was found to be the most effective. The informational appeal is moderately effective as the effectiveness depends on presentation and communication, and reduce appeal is found ineffective.

Förståelse och intresset för mat och måltid ökar explosionsartat vilket medför större krav pålivsmedelsprodukter och upplevelser av en måltid där en produkt står i centrum.Produktutvecklare och gastronomer arbetar ständigt för att producera smakfulla livsmedelsom både är klimatsmarta och uppfyller konsumenternas krav på smak. Inomlivsmedelsindustrin görs det kontinuerligt sensoriska bedömningar för att diskuterasensoriska egenskaper i livsmedelsprodukter. Men hur kommunicerar vi vår sensoriskaupplevelse av livsmedelsprodukter så precist som möjligt? Ett verktyg för att kommunicerasin upplevelse kan vara standardiserade sensoriska bedömning, vilket innebär att man skapartydliga riktlinjer för ett specifikt produktområde, vilket således kan användas för attidentifiera sensoriska egenskaper i en livsmedelsprodukt. Magisteruppsatsen syftar till en litteraturstudie som bygger på en kvalitativ innehållsanalysbaserad på 14 artiklar. Målet med innehållsanalysen var att komma fram till relevantasensoriska egenskapsord inom ramen för veganska och vegetariska livsmedelsprodukter. Ienlighet med de framtagna egenskapsorden kunde ett sensoriskt ramverk upprättas vilketsåledes också resulterar i tydliga smakprofiler och egenskaper för produktområdet. Avsiktenmed att ta fram ett semantiskt ramverk av denna sort var att förenkla smakprovningar inomOrkla Foods Sverige och på så vis utveckla ett enhetligt språk för produktområdet. Avslutningsvis går det att argumentera för att ett semantiskt ramverk med tydligaegenskapsord kan komma att underlätta processen inom produktutveckling, jämförelser avprodukter och dylikt. Trots att det inte går att utesluta människans subjektiva åsikt ochfysiska obalanser sinsemellan, är ett semantiskt ramverk ett relevant verktyg i avseende attförenkla kommunikationen och beskrivningen av veganska eller vegetariskalivsmedelsprodukt.

With the support of four vegetarian and vegan companies established on the Swedish market, Astrid och Aporna, Ekko Gourmet, Tzay and Quorn, the objective of this study is to understand why companies produce vegan and vegetarian products imitated with real meat products as well as how these companies market these products. The data was collected through interviews with suitable representatives from respective company. The empirical data collected from the interviews have further been analysed together with theories from past researches. The research approaches of this study has been a mixture of inductive and deductive when handling our data. The results from this thesis enlightens that there are contrasting strategies behind the products’ visual appearance, chosen target group and marketing among the different vegetarian and vegan companies on the Swedish market. We have discovered patterns between the companies’ target audiences and how these companies have designed their products depending of target audience Due to time limitations and companies’ unwillingness to participate in interviews, a broader perspective on the topic could not be given. Also, this study only looks at vegan and vegetarian companies operating in Sweden. A suggestion for future research is to investigate the consumer’s perspective and perceptions of vegan and vegetarian products by conducting a quantitative research to distinguish if the companies’ strategies are consistent with the perceptions of consumers on the Swedish market.

The purpose of this thesis was to study similarities and differences between a meat product and its plant-based substitutes in terms of how they enable people to reach the recommended daily intakes (RDI). The meat product included in the study were meatballs and its substitutes were three different plant-based alternatives. One was mainly based on soy, one on pea protein and one consisted of several different vegetables. The parameters studied were iron, zinc and calcium content as well as protein quality. By analyzing the four different products with flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS), the mineral content was calculated and protein quality was determined using amino acid analyzis carried out by the laboratory analysis company ALS. The method used to determine protein quality was DIAAS (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score). Example meals and example days were created to visualize any differences and similarities when the products were put in a wider perspective. The results showed that there were differences between the products when they were compared individually, but that the differences were negligible when the products were included in an example meal or example day. This indicates that the products fulfill comparable dietary requirements and that the plant-based products were good substitutes for the meat product. The soy-based product was the best plant-based alternative when it comes to iron content, calcium content and protein quality. However, the soy product and the remaining substitutes reached recommended intakes for the same parameters when included in example days, which shows that the differences between the products are only present when analyzed individually.