What Happens When Consumers Taste Alternative Protein Products? First Impressions from Product Prototype Testing
What do consumers really think when they encounter foods made with alternative protein ingredients for the first time? This question was at the heart of one of the first consumer engagement activities carried out within EPIC-SHIFT.
During a large-scale tasting session organised by CNTA in Spain, participants had the opportunity to evaluate three savoury food concepts developed within the project: a microalgae-based pasta, a burger incorporating mushroom-derived ingredients from food side streams, and a spreadable product formulated with fish-derived ingredients.
The objective was not only to assess product liking, but also to understand how consumers react to new ingredients, how trust is built, and what factors influence the willingness to purchase and consume these products in everyday life.
The video captures authentic reactions from participants as they tasted the products and shared their impressions. Words such as interesting, surprising and innovative appeared frequently throughout the discussions, highlighting a growing openness towards alternative protein solutions. At the same time, consumers did not hesitate to point out areas where further improvements could be made, particularly regarding texture, aroma or product handling.
Watch Consumers Taste Novel Foods: First Impressions and Reactions
Almost 100 Spanish consumers took part in this session, evaluating appearance, flavour, texture, overall acceptability and purchase intention, both before and after learning about the origin of the ingredients used in the presented product prototypes.
🍝 Fresh pasta with microalgae
🍔 Plant‑based burger formulated with mushroom by‑products
🧀 Creamy spread developed using aquaculture by‑products
Tastings- key step to improve project prototypes
These real‑life tastings are a key step to:
- understand consumer perception and trust
- identify opportunities and barriers for market uptake
- support the transition towards more sustainable protein sources
One of the most important findings from the tasting sessions was that sensory experience plays a crucial role in shaping consumer acceptance. In fact, taste and texture emerged as the main drivers of positive evaluations, while direct product experience often increased both trust and purchase intentions. Some products generated higher levels of confidence after tasting than before, showing that first-hand experience can help overcome initial uncertainty about innovative ingredients.
These insights reinforce a key principle behind EPIC-SHIFT: developing sustainable food systems is not only about identifying environmentally responsible ingredients. Success ultimately depends on creating products that are enjoyable, trustworthy and relevant to consumers’ everyday lives.
As the project continues, consumer perspectives will remain central to understanding how novel foods based on alternative proteins can become part of a future food system with diverse protein sources, while ensuring that these foods are environmentally and socially sustainable, widely accepted, and enjoyed by consumers.
Multistakeholder approach is at the heart of EPIC-SHIFT project. Consumer tastings described above were implemented as part of the WP5 – Societal considerations and social implications of NFAP.
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