How information about fibre (traditional and resistant starch) influences consumer acceptance of muffins

The influence of information on the fibre content of plain, wholemeal and fibre-enriched (resistant starch) muffins were studied in 102 consumers. Sensory acceptability, health and nutrition questions and consumption and purchase intentions were evaluated with and without label information about fibre content. Plain muffins scored the same with or without information. Without label information consumers gave the wholemeal muffin a low score, but when information was given to the consumers the score increased. However, it would seem that the information was not well understood for fibre-enriched muffins, as although the quantity of fibre was the same for the wholemeal and fibre-enriched muffins, the fins, consumers appear not to have believed it or thought it was somehow unnatural. On grouping the consumers by health consciousness attitudes, when the fibre information was provided the high health consciousness group gave higher ratings but the low health consciousness group gave lower ratings. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.