Eating flowers? : exploring attitudes and consumers' representation of edible flowers

• Autores: Rodrigues, H.; Cielo, D. P.; Goméz Corona, Carlos; Silveira, A. A. S.; Marchesan, T. A.; Galmarini, Mara Virginia; Richards, Neila Silvia Pereira Dos Santos
• Año de publicación: 2017
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Fuente: Postprint del artículo publicado en: Food Research International. 2017, 100 (2)
• Materia: FLORES COMESTIBLES; REPRESENTACION SOCIAL; COMIDA; ALIMENTOS; CONSUMIDORES
• Institución: Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina

Fil: Rodrigues, H. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Department of Food and Nutrition. School of Food Engineering; Brasil
Fil: Cielo, D. P. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Departament of Technology and Food Science; Brasil
Fil: Goméz Corona, Carlos. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. Biotechnology Department. Sensory and Consumer Laboratory; México
Fil: Silveira, A. A. S. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Departament of Technology and Food Science; Brasil
Fil: Marchesan, T. A. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Departament of Technology and Food Science; Brasil
Fil: Galmarini, Mara Virginia. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina
Fil: Galmarini, Mara Virginia. Consejo Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica; Argentina
Fil: Richards, Neila Silvia Pereira Dos Santos. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Departament of Technology and Food Science; Brasil
Abstract: Edible flowers have gained more attention in recent years thanks to their perceived health benefits. Despite this attention, it seems that edible flowers are not popularized for consumption in South America, being considered unfamiliar for some cultures from this continent. In this context, the general goal of the present study was to investigate the three dimensions of social representation theory, the representational field, the information and the attitude of the two conditions of edible flowers: a more general ―food made with flowers‖ and more directional product ―yoghurt made with flowers‖, using Brazilian consumers. To achieve this goal, a free word association task was applied. A total of 549 consumers participated in this study. Participants were divided into two conditions, in which the inductor expressions for the free word association task changed: (a) food products made with flowers and (b) yoghurt made with flowers. Results showed a very positive attitude to both situations, and consumers associated Food products made with flowers to ―health care‖ while the central core of yoghurt made with flowers reflected the innovative condition of this product, supported here by their unpredictable character (information generated).