The information on food labels helps consumers to make conscious and correct choice. The aim of this study is to determine how information on milk and dairy product labels influences consumer preferences. Subjects participating in the study were randomly divided into two homogeneous groups. Subjects in group 1 (n=19) tasted only the test foods without looking food labels, subjects in group 2 (n=19) tasted by looking food labels. After tasting, subjects were asked about their general dietary habits, to rate the tasted foods using the visual analog scale (VAS), and, their health literacy level was determined using the newest vital signs (NVS) test. 63.2% (n=12) of subjects in group 1 and 52.6% (n=10) of group 2 were female. 52.6% of individuals in group 1 and 57.9% of individuals in group 2 ate three main meals per day. It is noteworthy that the most frequently skipped main meal in both groups is lunch, and individuals eating outside generally prefer dinner on weekends. The VAS value of group 1 was 6±0.9; VAS value of group 2 was 7.4±0.36. The study power was 0.99, effect size was 2.04 (Cohen's d) and a margin of error was 0.05 (α=0.05), calculated according to t-test performed with the VAS results. While individuals in group 1 have adequate health literacy (4.8±1.7), individuals in group 2 have limited health literacy (3.8±2.4). This indicates that food label information is an effective factor in evaluating the visual appeal, odor, taste, aftertaste, and flavor of food products. In this context, labeling seems to be very effective in the selection of healthy foods that form the basis of an adequate and balanced diet. It is believed that the results of this study may provide a new perspective for the development of strategies for the selection of healthy foods by individuals.
Primary Language | English |
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Subjects | Environmental and Sustainable Processes |
Journal Section | Articles |
Authors | |
Early Pub Date | December 11, 2023 |
Publication Date | December 1, 2023 |
Published in Issue | Year 2023 |