This study explores internal and external factors that influence consumers’ novel food technology acceptance (NFTA). Findings suggest that the primary driver of the purchase intention of NFTA is hedonic motivation. Also, the level of trust in the food regulatory organizations can play a vital role in driving consumers’ NFTA.

Marine industry generates tons of waste, which is usually discarded or used for production of fish feed and low-value silage. However, marine residual raw materials (e.g., skins, heads, liver, and roe after fish gutting and processing) contain lipids rich in omega-3 fatty acid, which has several beneficial physiological effects such as maintenance of normal cardiac function, normal brain function, and normal vision. Food fortification with omega-3 fatty acid derived from marine residual raw materials can therefore provide health benefits and contribute to a circular food system. The current research explores consumer acceptance of the food fortified with microencapsulated fish oil derived from marine residual raw materials. Consumers may be hesitant to try these products due to food neophobia associated with tendency to eat foods with familiar ingredients. The idea of ingredients from normally discarded food parts may seem disturbing. However, there is a growing concern about low utilization of bioresources. Thus, conflicting goals may be in place and there is a need for research on motivations and barriers for consumption of this type of food. To address this, focus group interviews were conducted with 42 Norwegian consumers (7 groups, 4-7 participants each). The sample represented different age groups (20-55 years), genders, educational backgrounds, and income levels. Each participant received a compensation of ca. USD 30. The focus groups discussed food habits, attitude towards the fortified food and utilizing residual raw materials, and reasons for intake/no intake of such food. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the constant comparative method. The results indicate that the informants have limited experience with fortified food. However, they demonstrate positive attitude towards the foods fortified with microencapsulated fish oil and appreciate the utilization of residual raw materials. Health benefits are one of the important motivations. Still, the informants are concerned about the fishy taste, as the flavor is also quite crucial. Another barrier is an expected high price for such food. Adding fish oil may also be a problem for vegetarians and consumers with allergies. Thus, transparent information about the food ingredients is essential. The results also highlight the importance of food’s sensory characteristics. The current study advances understanding of the consumer acceptance of the food with residual raw materials (so far under investigated in the literature), and thus provides a basis for finding an efficient strategy for communicating its benefits to consumers. It also provides societal health benefits and positive environmental effects due to the increased intake of omega-3 and better utilization of unused bioresources.

This study aimed to investigate potential acceptability of Korean jang products among Halal food consumer’s to predict its market possibility in a Halal food market. Focus Group Interview (FGI) was implemented to 11 Halal food consumers residing in Korea for more than 4 month. During the test, 3 types of fermented paste, doenjang, ssamjang and gochujang were evaluated by applying these to Korean foods. In depth interview was conducted on the liking of the jang applied samples, general experiences of Korean food and fermented food in their home countries. The results showed that consumers were positive to Korean jang applied samples in general. The mean liking ratings of doenjang, ssamjang and gochujang were 7.1, 7 and 7.6 on 9-point hedonic scale, respectively. Consumers focused on the sweet and spicy flavor quality of the samples. Consumers commonly responded that the doenjang tasted too salty and needed to increase sweet and spicy flavor, and ssamjang needed to increase spicy flavor as well. Sweetening was necessary for gochujang. The reasons of liking Korean jang were because the flavors were unique yet familiar. The balanced flavor of salty, sweet and spicy flavor were additional reasons of liking. However, the fermented smell of jang products were reasons of disliking the products.

Despite growing interest in Korean foods, South-east Asian consumers’ perception and acceptance of Korean foods have not been well elucidated. This study was conducted to understand South-east Asian Muslim consumers’ perception and acceptance of Korean foods and the association with their food neophobia level. Ninety-three Muslim consumers (mean ages 25.2, men 35.5%, women 64.5%) from Malaysia (72%), Indonesia (16.1%), and Singapore (11.9%) rated their degree of food neophobia as well as recognition and acceptance of representative Korean menu items. Background data such as duration of stay and Korean food consumption habits were collected. Overall, participants perceived Korean foods positively (4.04 on a 5-point hedonic scale). Most well-recognized Korean foods were gimbap and bulgogi, whereas less-known spicy foods such as ojingoe deopbap were most liked among items that were actually consumed. A neophobic group rated Korean foods less favorably than neutral and neophilic groups (p<0.05). Future studies are required to identify whether or not South-east Asian Muslim consumers’ food neophobia is formed under the influence of religious regulations or reflect individual consumers’ personal traits.

Despite consumers' growing support to preserve the environment, organic products business in emerging country such as Indonesia is still suffered from consumer’s low acceptance toward organic food. It is conceivable that some influencing factors are existed; as such consumers’ attitude cannot be translated into action. Through mixed methodology research, this study proposes an approach to integrate individual factors, which encompasses psychographic and demographic factors, into Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to predict consumer acceptance toward organic food. Then, using Partial Least Square analysis, this study generates an extending TAM that could explain the role of those individual factors toward consumers’ acceptance on organic food.

This research study aimed to examine the seriousness related to sodium over intakes that is becoming a global issue, evaluate how the recognition of sodium-reduced products and its acceptance can influence the intention of purchasing sodium-reduced products, and generate basic data for establishment of marketing strategy of campaigns such as reducing sodium intake and commercialization of sodium-reduced products. According to the results of the research, the acceptance of sodium-reduced products significantly influenced the purchasing intention of sodium-reduced products, while the attitude towards sodium and recognition of sodium did not significantly influence the purchasing intention of sodium-reduced products. Extension of these research findings to ordinary people and the analysis of main causes that affect the recognition of sodium-reduced products and purchasing intention provide a solid basis for efficient sodium-reduction publicity and development of directions for campaigns.

This research investigated changes in Joseon food culture mainly focusing on acceptance of Western food in the enlightenment period. Joseon intended to learn the advanced technology of the West. Through an exchange with various Western countries, the royal family and upper class of Joseon rapidly accepted foreign food and food culture. As hotels were built in Incheon and Seoul, foreign food became more widely provided, which spread to the public, accordingly, and Western style restaurants were built and spread to the Busan area besides Seoul. As Western food rapidly spread, concerns arose. Particularly, after an attempt to assassinate Gojong by inserting poison into his coffee in 1898, appeals were made concerning Western food “that should not be consumed, because it is not proper for Korean people's intestines and stomach”.

In this study, we compared the differences and similarities between the Korean food culture and the Vietnamese food culture by surveying food resources and researching the process of Korean food being accepted into Vietnam. We suggest countermeasures for advancing Korean food into Vietnam. We conducted in-depth interviews regarding Korean food with Vietnamese food specialists who ate Korean food. As a result, Vietnamese foodies eagerly recognized that the most representative thing about Korean food was the special properties of its various and affluent side dishes. They were also aware of kimchi, made of various vegetables and condiments, as an excellent side dish compared to the Vietnamese who's staple is boiled rice. Furthermore, the flavor of Korean food was preferred by the Vietnamese who were familiar with foods such as Neue-ok-mom or fermented seafood. It was thought that the new food could be eaten with many vegetables. The specialists replied that the most typical functional property of Korean food was health. The acceptance process of Korean food into Vietnam was based on the acculturation theory. That made the Vietnamese easily experienced strange culture in the case of propagation by whom have already experienced, through the selective filter steps by various images of Korea, and made them accept the Korean food through temporary choose and acceptance step such as recommendations by friends. Globalization strategies for Korean food proposed by the Vietnamese foodies were public relations marketing in voluntary contact environments, distinguishing traditional Korean foods through research and development, and globalization by diversifying the Korean restaurant concept.

A survey was conducted to examine the effect of food irradiation education on college students' knowledge and acceptance of food irradiation. The instrument for the knowledge and acceptance of food irradiation was administered before and after food irradiation education, to 150 students majoring in food and nutrition or food technology in the Chungnam National University. Before the education approximately 93% of the respondents did not know that radioactivity dose not remain in food after irradiation; whereas, after education half of them thought that radioactivity dose not remain in irradiated food. Knowledge about food irradiation has improved through education. The education significantly increased all the mean scores of need for food irradiation and willingness to use irradiated foods for the six food groups (p<0.01). The education significantly decreased the mean scores of concern about the irradiated food for all the six food groups (p<0.01). Although the responses to irradiated foods are, in general, negative or neutral even after education, the mean scores of acceptance of the irradiated foods have improved through education in all the six food groups (p<0.01). In conclusion, this study showed that food irradiation education may positively affect the college students' knowledge and acceptance of food irradiation, and that the development of both the appropriate detection methods to identify irradiated foods and the education programs to enlighten the college students are needed.

A survey was conducted to examine the knowledge and acceptance of food irradiation in order to provide baseline data required in the development of food irradiation education programs for college students. 150 students majoring in food and nutrition or food technology in the Chungnam National University were chosen for a survey. The results are as follows. First, college students' knowledge about food irradiation is scanty. Knowledge assessment showed that 56% of the participants had previously heard of food irradiation. 68% of the respondents thought that radioactivity remains in food after irradiation and 25.3% of them were not sure whether radioactivity remains in food after irradiation or not. Only half of the respondents thought that nutrient loss due to irradiation is equal to or lower than that due to cooking or freezing. Second, approximately 56% of the respondents showed that food irradiation is somewhat or strongly needed for meat or fish; whereas, over 60% of them showed that food irradiation is not needed for grain, vegetable and fruit. Almost 40% of the respondents were seriously concerned about irradiation of vegetables and fruits; whereas, they showed less concern about spice irradiation. More than half of the respondents were not willing to use irradiated food in all the six food groups. Third, the correlation analysis showed that the need of food irradiation is negatively correlated with concerning about the irradiated fish and fruits, but positively correlated with willingness to use irradiated food in all the five food groups, except in spices. Concern about the irradiated food is negatively correlated with willingness to use irradiated food from all the six food groups. Fourth, almost all the respondents (over 90%) agreed that the irradiated food labeling is required as well as the development of proper methods to identify irradiated foods.

Food irradiation is an emerging technology which offers many advantages such as reduction of microorganisms, extension of shelf-life of foods, reduction in the use of post-harvest chemicals, and destruction of insects and parasites. The commercial utilization of food irradiation, however, has been restricted because of the uncertainty of consumers' responses to it. Because success of food irradiation in the marketplace will depend upon their acceptability by consumers, this study focused on the consumers' perception and acceptance toward food irradiation in order to get basic data for commercial utilization of food irradiation and give information to consumers to help rational consumption behavior. The survey with 411 respondents living in Youngnam area was conducted during the spring of 1997 by the questionnaires. The results and implications from this study are as follows. First, consumers' knowledge about food irradiation is scanty. Two-thirds of respondents in the survey had not heard of irradiated foods and many people confused irradiation with radioactivity. In the willingness to accept food irradiation, one-third of respondents showed a wait-and-see attitude. This result indicated consumers had insufficient information about the irradiation process and nationwide education of food irradiation technology should be undertaken. Second, although the purchase and use of food are very important consumption behaviors, consumer education by mass communication has been rarely done. For the successful commercialization of food irradiation, the information provision by mass communication for the consumers should be made. Third, consumers generally worried about residual pesticide and intended to purchase irradiated foods if radioactivity was not retained in the foods. Therefore, food irradiation could be an alternative method to the use of pesticide Fourth, consumers pointed out that they wanted to extend shelf-life of milk and dairy foods, fish and seafood and to irradiate these foods. Therefore, research for the safety of irradiated foods should be continually conducted. finally, labeling for irradiated foods is needed to provide the information and to further increase public understanding. Especially, the labeling should show the definite reason why irradiation is being used. In conclusion, recently, under the circumstances that the commercial utilization of food irradiation and irradiation for the import and export products have been increased in many countries, many efforts are needed to improve the quality of irradiated foods, and prove the safety of them in Korea. In addition, consumer education for food irradiation should be given to help consumers to make decision for food purchase and use.

본 연구는 충남 S시 방사선학과, 식품생물학과 1, 2, 3학년에 재학 중인 208명(남자 93명, 여자 115명) 을 대상으로 방사선 식품조사에 대한 인지도 및 수용도를 설문지 이용하여 분석한 결과는 다음과 같다. 1. 방사선 식품조사에 대해 알고 있다고 답변한 대상자는 전체 208명 중 81명(38.9%)으로 나타났으며, 학과, 학년별 분포에서는 방사선학과의 3학년 32명(15.4%)이 가장 많이 알고 있었고, 식품생물공학과 학 생들은 대부분 모르는 것으로 나타났다. 2. 방사선 조사식품에 대해 가장 신뢰하는 기관이나 단체에서 식품의 안정성을 과학적으로 입증한다 면 이를 “전적으로 구입하겠다”고 답변한 대상자는 전체 208명 중 방사선학과 50명(24%), 식품생물공학 과 12명(5.77%) 총 62명(29.8%)으로 나타났으며, 132명(63.5%)은 “모르겠다”라고 답하였는데 이는 방사 선 조사식품에 대해 정확한 정보부족으로 인식하지 못하는 것으로 사료된다. 방사선 조사식품의 수용도 와 성별과 학년별간의 유의성은 없는 것으로 나타났다. 3. 최근 정부에서는 학교급식 식중독사고에 대처하기 위하여 급식식품에 방사선 조사를 하겠다고 하 는 방침에 학생들의 생각을 분석한 것으로 학교급식의 식중독 사고 방지를 위하여 급식식품에 방사선 을 조사한다는 정부 방침에 총 204명 중 “매우 필요하다”고 답한 응답자는 18명(8.8%), “대체로 필요하 다”는 87명(42.6%)으로 총 105명(51.5%)이 긍정적으로 생각하고 있는 것으로 나타났으며, “모르겠다”고 답한 응답자는 87명(42.6%), “필요하지 않다”는 12명(5.9%)으로 총 99명(48.5%)이 부정적으로 생각하는 것으로 나타났고, 방사선 조사 식품의 필요성과 정부의 대처방안에 대한 일원 다변량 분산분석 결과 유 의성이 있는 것으로 나타났다.