Consumers’ acceptance, emotions, and responsiveness to information cues for air-fried catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) skin chips

Authors: MURILLO, SILVIA - LSU Agcenter; Ardoin, Ryan; PRINYAWIWATKUL, WITOON - LSU Agcenter

Submitted to: Foods
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2023
Publication Date: 4/5/2023
Citation: Murillo, S. Ardoin, R., & Prinyawiwatkul, W. 2023. Consumers’ acceptance, emotions, and responsiveness to informational cues for air-fried catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) skin chips. Foods. 12(7), 1536. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071536
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071536

Interpretive Summary: New food uses of catfish processing byproducts can help reduce waste and enhance sustainability of our food supply. In some Asian countries, fish skins are sold commercially as fried snacks, but no such product exists on the US market using catfish skin. This research evaluated US consumers' perceptions of air-fried catfish skin chips flavored with Lemon & Pepper, Paprika, and Barbecue seasonings, as well as Plain (unseasoned) chips. This was done by testing two groups of 115 consumers. Twenty-five consumers participated in both studies. Since the catfish skin chips contained about 16 grams of protein per 30 gram serving, and because developing new foods from seafood byproduct can reduce food waste, we also tested the effects of product-benefit information on consumers' acceptance of catfish skin chips. All flavors were found to be acceptable to consumers, except for Paprika. In addition, providing protein/health and food waste/sustainability information significantly increased acceptability, purchase intent, and positive emotions for the products. Additionally, the 25 repeat consumers rated the catfish skin chips higher than the other first-time consumers in Study 2. This research demonstrated that air-fried catfish skin chips can be an acceptable product to US consumers, that benefit information improved product ratings (especially when messages are presented one at a time), and that consumers' emotions can provide additional information about new foods made with fish byproduct.

Technical Abstract: Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) skins, as filleting byproduct, were developed into a crispy snack food via air-frying. Consumers rated catfish skin chips (CSC) across sensory modalities (9-point hedonic scales, a just-about-right scale, and “yes/no” for purchase intent) for Plain, Lemon & Pepper, and Barbecue flavored samples during two consumer studies (N=115 each). Paprika flavored CSC were excluded from Study 2 due to inferior acceptance and emotional ratings. CSC-elicited emotions were evaluated using a 25-term lexicon with CATA scaling (Study 1) and refined with an abbreviated lexicon containing food-evoked sensation seeking emotions (5-point intensity scale). The two consumer studies differed in delivery format of product-benefit information (a health/protein message and a food waste/sustainability message). Presenting two separate cues (Study 1) significantly increased overall liking (by 0.5 units) and PI (by 15%) for CSC compared to a single integrated message (Study 2), perhaps due to consumers’ mode of information processing. Magnitude of increases were less for Barbeque CSC despite performing best overall (overall liking reaching 6.62 and PI reaching 61.7%). CSC generated mostly positive emotions, and informational cues increased sensation seeking feelings, which can motivate trial of new foods. In combination, sensory, cognitive, and emotional data showed favorable responses for flavored CSC as an appropriate application of this seafood byproduct. Accordingly, acceptance of CSC improved for 25 repeat-exposure consumers who participated in both Studies 1 and 2.