Relevant characteristics of food products based on alternative proteins according to European consumers.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the importance attributed by consumers in Denmark (DK), Germany (DE) and Spain (ES) and across dietary lifestyles to the characteristics of different types of foods based on alternative proteins. Data were collected through a web-based survey (15 November to 16 December 2019). A total of 872 completed questionnaires from DK (n = 258), DE (n = 296) and ES (n = 318) were obtained. RESULTS: Four segments according to frequency of animal- and plant-based food consumption were identified: (i) no animal, high plant; (ii) low animal, high plant; (iii) moderate animal and plant; and (iv) high animal, moderate plant. Across all segments, foods based on legumes/pulses as well as plant-based spreads and products that do not resemble meat in taste and texture were of interest. Segment 4 was more in favour of 'health' as an important factor in new food products, whereas segment 1 was more likely to consider 'animal friendly', 'minimally processed', 'environmentally friendly' and 'produced with minimum CO2 emissions' as key aspects. Furthermore, familiarity was of minor importance across the segments. This could indicate an opening for new, innovative plant-based alternatives that have their own identity. CONCLUSION: An overall interest exists towards innovative food products based on plant protein, specifically legumes/pulses, among consumers in the three countries and across different dietary lifestyles. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

[School escorts in inclusive education- the current situation in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg]. / Schulbegleiter als Unterstützung von Inklusion im Schulwesen.

In the context of inclusive education, so-called «Schulbegleiter¼ (school escorts) have been installed to assist children with special needs. However, adequate conceptions of their role are lacking, and no provisions exist describing the exact tasks and duties of these school escorts. This article presents data on a statewide empirical study and provides information on the professional background, qualifications, and assignments of such escorts as well as the nature of the assisted children in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The data were collected in nearly 50 % of all schools providing general education in Baden-Württemberg, and a total of 526 school escorts completed a questionnaire on their work. Children with special needs who received such assistance were aged 6 to 19 years (M = 10.4) and had a mental disorder in nearly three-fourths of all cases, with autism spectrum disorders being most common (59.4 %). The most frequent assignments of the escorts were providing practical assistance during classes and mobilizing the child as well as providing direct support in emotionally challenging situations. Such escorts can make a significant contribution to the inclusive education of disabled children. They do, however, need an adequate qualification and practical competences to meet the diverse challenges of children with special needs. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are supposed to stay involved in the process, not only by planning interventions, but also during the course of inclusive education itself. Thus, the emotional situation and adjustment of included children with mental disorders over time must be monitored adequately.

Health versus environmental benefits: Does additional information influence consumer acceptance of pulse-based spreads?

Despite the known health benefits and the potential for substituting less environmentally sustainable consumed foods such as meat, the current intake of pulses in developed countries remains less than recommended. Barriers are related to sensory characteristics and lack of knowledge about preparation, while drivers of environmental benefits are intangible. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of additional information about health or environmental benefits of pulses on the acceptance of novel pulse-based products from chickpeas, black beans, and faba beans. Perceptions of these pulse-based spreads in a blind and informed stage were assessed with 202 consumers in urban and suburban areas of Denmark. In general, the familiar chickpea spread followed by the relatively most unfamiliar black bean spread was liked the most. Only for these two products, additional information increased hedonic perception, regardless of the context (health or environmental benefits). If consumers did not like the spread, as found for the faba bean spread, providing additional information did not significantly alter this perception. Participants' preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) in a discrete choice experiment corresponded to hedonic scores, whereas providing additional information increased the WTP. These findings suggest that extrinsic cues such as health or environmental benefits may only be useful in products with an acceptable baseline taste profile. Moreover, black beans might be investigated as a promising source for further product development due to their acceptance by consumers besides being the comparably most unfamiliar pulse type.

Willingness to replace animal-based products with pulses among consumers in different European countries.

The growing world population and increased meat consumption pose a challenge for current food production systems. While pulses present a promising position in terms of low impacts in primary production and high nutritional quality, it is unclear whether consumers are willing to consume pulses instead of meat. Based on an online survey answered by 4,322 respondents across five European countries, this study examined consumers' willingness to utilize pulses as a plant-based alternative to animal-based products. More than a third of pulse consumers (42%) were, to some extent, already using pulses as an alternative to animal-based foods. Beef was noted as the most frequently replaced type of food, mainly driven by arguments relating to health, environment, and sustainability, especially relevant for German and Danish consumers. Respondents who did not indicate a current replacement of animal-based foods stated a relatively low willingness to change in the future (40%). German pulse consumers were likely to be part of the low willingness segment. In contrast, Polish consumers possessed a relatively higher incidence of using pulses instead of meat, especially pork and poultry. Respondents with a low replacement willingness indicated a high importance of future pulse-based products to be natural, while respondents already using pulses instead of animal-based foods expected convenient and minimally processed foods. Respondents, who already replaced meat with pulses or expressed a low future willingness, stated to prefer plain pulses over processed pulse-based products, and meat-resembling forms considering the former segment, alternatively to meat. These preferences and expectations should be considered for future product development, especially if aiming to attract unwilling consumers to shift to pulse-based foods.