Consumer Acceptance, Emotional Response, and Purchase Intent of Rib-Eye Steaks from Grass-Fed Steers, and Effects of Health Benefit Information on Consumer Perception.

Sensory acceptability, purchase intent (PI), consumer emotional profile, and fatty acid profile of rib-eye steaks from four different biological types of grass-fed cattle (Angus, Brangus, Pineywoods, and Holstein) were evaluated. The effects of health benefit information (HBI) pertaining to grass-fed beef on the overall liking (OL), emotional profile, and PI were also studied. Consumers rated steaks from the two nontraditional beef biological types (Pineywoods and Holstein) equally or higher than conventional biological types (Angus and Brangus) in several hedonic (9-point scale) categories. Mean OL scores were 6.1 for Pineywoods and 6.3 for Holstein steaks, versus 5.5 for Angus and 6.0 for Brangus. Hedonic attributes, especially OL and liking of beef flavor, accounted for most of the differences between treatments based on Wilks' Lambda Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and descriptive discriminant analysis. After knowledge of HBI, OL of all treatments increased, particularly Angus with OL mean score significantly increasing from 5.5 to 6.2. Positive PI increased significantly for Angus (from 48% to 65.33%), Brangus (from 50.67% to 66.67%), and Holstein (from 61.33% to 76%) steaks. Angus steaks, which initially received the lowest beef flavor liking (5.1) showed the most improvement for OL after HBI. Likewise, emotional profiles were improved after HBI, particularly the "Interested" emotion with a 0.5 unit increased.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Providing consumers with health benefit information (HBI) can enhance acceptability of grass-fed beef. Fatty acid analyses of steaks from four biological types of steers showed favorable n-6/n-3 ratios. Although some sensory attributes of cooked rib-eye steaks were scored differently among biological types, knowledge of grass-feeding and healthier fatty acids increased overall liking and purchase intent (PI) across products. Emotional profiles improved after HBI was given to consumers, with some emotions being significantly related to PI odds ratios. This research demonstrated the usefulness of HBI in improving hedonic perceptions of grass-fed steaks and the importance of consumer emotions in predicting PI.