The EIT Food Consumer Observatory has released a study of how European consumers respond to different ways of describing products made with precision fermentation. The report, titled From Curiosity to Confidence, tests three narratives across three product concepts: a plant-based burger, a cream cheese and a packaged snack cake.

The research was qualitative and used the Consumer Observatory’s Citizen Participation Forum, which has 300 members across 17 European countries. A group of 45 participants took part in an initial discussion, before being split into three groups of 15 to evaluate the concepts.

The cake concept used precision fermented egg protein. The report states that only a small handful of precision fermented products have been approved for sale on the European market.

According to the study, participants showed curiosity about the technology but wanted clearer answers on what the products are and how they are made.

The report is intended for food manufacturers, brands and retailers developing products with precision fermented ingredients, as well as authorities and policymakers.

The full report is available via the EIT Food Consumer Observatory at eitfood.eu/projects/consumerobservatory.