GHI webinar: Food and Consumer Perception - Labelling Regulations and Quality Standards
Date: 27 June 2023, Time: 2pm CEST
Duration: 1:30 hours
Abstract:
Labelling and quality standards as part of food regulations and legislation can be important aspects of whether consumers choose to purchase food products or not. Retailers and brand owners adopt food quality certification standards for protection of brand reputation, consumer safety, and product marketing efforts. Consumers’ degree of awareness and understanding of these standards vary greatly, however, there is evidence to suggest that these can become important drivers of purchase behaviours. The same applies when new food products such as plant-based meat alternatives are trying to win space on the consumer's plate. Regulation and legislation and how these are communicated to the consumer are a crucial framework to be taken into serious consideration. This webinar will illustrate different examples of these standards, the need for legislation and regulation, the drivers for adoption, and how consumer awareness impacts on manufacturer, retailer and brand owner policy development.
This GHI webinar is brought to you by the GHI Consumer Perception working group and will be chaired by Dr. Diana Bogueva, Chair of the Consumer Perception Working Group.and Director of GHI Working Groups. The overall mission of the GHI Consumer Perception working group is to promote the investigation of consumer behaviour regarding food safety, food security and food legislation and contribute to a sustainable consumer-driven food supply chain.
Consumers and food safety certification standards
Carey Allen Vice President, Business Development and Strategy, SQFI, a division of FMI - The Food Industry Association, United States
Abstract:
Food safety is non-competitive, but is there value is raising consumer awareness of food safety certifications adopted by industry? What are the implications of broader consumer understanding of these certifications and does it bring added value to industry?
This presentation will address the accountabilities for food safety assurance from all parties in the value chain, regulators, consumers, and industry and what benefits there may be in deeper understanding of food safety risks and responsibilities by consumers.
Plant based meat alternatives regulations and legislations: A hard nut to crack.
Dr. Isabella Nyambayo Assistant Professor Food Science and Nutrition, Coventry University, United Kingdom
Abstract:
The global population is constantly increasing and focused to reach 9 billion by 2050. Food and nutrient security will be vital for health and wellbeing. Due to climate changes and demands for a healthier and more sustainable diet, the global food system is under pressure to be innovative thereby producing novel foods such as plant based meat alternatives. Plant based meat alternatives are perceived to be more sustainable and healthier than meat products. However, depending on the ingredients these plant based meat alternatives can introduce allergens into the diet. Food regulation and legislation of plant based meat alternatives is proving to be a very complex task for the food regulators. Globally, food product naming and labelling of the plant based meat alternatives is not consistent hence difficult to regulate or legislate as compared to conventional meat products. This presentation will discuss the challenges of regulating and legislating plant based meat alternatives and progress made so far by different global regions.
Speaker 1:
Carey Allen
Carey Allen has over twenty years experience in the food industry with expertise in food safety and quality technical policy development and leadership. Her work in food standards design, strategy development and implementation, and business operations leadership with global organizations has supported the growth of established and emerging food brands. With the evolution of consumer demands for transparency and social impact, Carey’s work has contributed to industry risk management, claims substantiation, and verification of management systems implementation. that drive trust and value with consumers.
Speaker 2:
Dr. Isabella Nyambayo
Dr. Isabella Nyambayo is an Assistant Professor at Coventry University. She completed her PhD in Analytical Biochemistry at the University of Zimbabwe in 1999 and an MSc in Human Nutrition and Metabolism at Aberdeen University (UK) in 2003. Dr. Nyambayo has food science and nutrition teaching experience in Higher Education and industry experience on product design and quality control (Lever Brothers (Unilever), Zimbabwe). Her research interests include food science, sensory science, and nutrition encompassing food & nutrient security and sustainability. PhD research projects supervised include the (i) impact of food kitchens in Birmingham (UK) on food security and nutrition outcomes, (ii) impact of beetroot betanin extract on cancer cell lines (Agrial Fresh - part-funded industry project) and (iii) impact of cultured buffalo milk on gut microbiota of children (UK-Indonesian collaboration). Masters research projects focus on association of health, food preference and consumer perceptions with bitterness (TAS2R38), sweetness (TAS1R2), ACE2, and CD36 genotypes of different population groups and their susceptibility to respiratory infection. The undergraduate projects are on food & nutrient security and sustainability predominantly focusing on new product design of free from foods (gluten and dairy) and protein alternatives and their texture profile and sensory evaluation. Dr. Nyambayo works collaboratively with the Sensory Science Group of the Institute of Food Science and Technology (UK) to develop short Sensory Science accredited courses. As part of a consortium of researchers from Global Consortium of Chemosensory Research (GCChemosensoryR) Dr. Nyambayo is involved in analysing data collected on COVID-19 and loss of taste and smell, and to develop a global repeatable protocol on sweetness perception of sugar.
Chair & Event Moderator:
Dr. Diana Bogueva
Dr. Diana Bogueva, GHI Working Groups Director is a social scientist with interests in sustainable food consumption, alternative proteins, consumer perception of novel food processing technologies and generational consumer behaviour, food sustainability and harmonization. Diana’s work has won three awards: the Australian National Best Book winner in 2019 and the World’s Best Book award 2020 in the Vegetarian book category at the prestigious 24th and 25th Gourmand Awards, considered equivalent to the Oscars in the area of food books, for her co-edited book ‘Environmental, Health and Business Opportunities in the New Meat Alternatives Market’. She also won the 2020 Faculty of Humanities Journal Article of the Year Award at Curtin University for their co-authored paper “Planetary Health and reduction in meat consumption”, which was at the top 5% of all world research outputs scored by Altmetrics. Diana is also a finalist in the 10th International Book Award at America’s Book Fair 2019 for her co-edited book ‘Handbook of Research on Social marketing and its influence on animal origin food product consumption’. In 2022 Diana published her first co-authored book ‘Food in a Planetary Emergency’ with Professor Dora Marinova. This book is a timely overview of current food systems and the required transformations to respond to climate change, population pressures, biodiversity loss and use of natural resources. And, in May 2023, as a tribute to the authors' efforts, talented writing skills and passion, ‘Food in a Planetary Emergency’ was awarded the 'Best of the Best - The Future of Food Gourmand Award’ at the 28th Award Ceremony.
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