NFOK20002U Meal Consumer Research
MSc Programme in Integrated Food Studies
An introduction to food consumer research as a scientific discipline that deals in a multi-disciplinary way with the understanding of the food choices made by consumers. Focus will be on presenting general and current food consumer research highlighting the importance of product cues (healthiness, sustainability and ethics) for consumer’s choices. Further, the course will introduce examples of consumer driven food innovation using relevant consumer methodologies. The role of consumer science in evidence-based policy making will be addressed.
The course will provide the students with an understanding of how individual factors and product cues can be used to segment consumers in the population of interest using online questionnaires combined with cluster analysis and profiling clusters with logistic regression. By the end of the course special focus will be given to the design and implementation of hedonic evaluation of foods and meals in behavioural lab, living lab and real consumption situations applying methods like rapid sensory analysis (e.g. CATA, RATA, Napping). Different scales will be applied and described for measuring consumer acceptance, preference and liking. The course will focus on solving practical problems related to consumer driven innovative meal and food product design and evaluation.
By the end of the course the students will have designed their own experiment to evaluate consumer perceptions towards the characteristics of meals, have collected consumer data, analysed their data using the appropriate statistical methods and software (software R/R Studio), and have communicated written and orally their research results.
After the completion of the course the student will have acquired the following knowledge, skills and competences
Knowledge
- Understand and describe food consumer science, theories of food consumer behaviour and relevant consumer segments
- Reflect scientifically on consumer issues (e.g. health, sustainability, ethics) and their drive towards innovative food supply
- Explain the role of food and nutrition policy in food-related consumer decision making
- Understand and explain the design, testing and implementation of a questionnaire based consumer survey
- Indicate the appropriate methods for consumer survey data analysis (descriptive and inferential statistics)
- Implement hedonic evaluation of foods applying affective scales and rapid sensory methods
Skills
- Able to apply relevant consumer behaviour theories around food issues in the formulation, design of questionnaires and in planning data analysis
- Able to design consumer research taking in to account GDPR and ethical considerations
- Able to administer questionnaires and collect consumer data using IT platforms
- Able to apply principles of experimental design and statistical evaluation of consumer perceptions towards the characteristics of foods and meals
- Able to profile consumer segments by e.g. their socio-economic status, their attitudes, values, knowledge, hedonic responses to foods, liking of food products, etc.
- Able to use affective scales for the evaluation of foods and meals by consumers
- Communicate research results in scientific writing
Competences
- Students will be able to provide evidence-based advice to the food sector, the public sector and the societal actors regarding the relevant consumer segments
- Students will be able to study consumer behaviour in relation to food, taking into account individual characteristics
- Students will be able to handle data following the ethical standards of Denmark and Europe
- Students should be able to collaborate and contribute effectively in team work
See Absalon for a list of course literature.
It is recommended to have understanding of the determinants of food intake and food choices.
It is recommended to have knowledge about the Sociology of Food and Eating, and of Qualitative, Quantitative, and Case-based Social Science Methods.
Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
Lectures are designed to encourage participation and support active student learning. Theoretical concepts will be discussed in the keynote lectures, and examples of food consumer research will be illustrated with most recent peer-reviewed publications. Problem-based learning approach will be implemented to enable students to apply the knowledge, skills and competences of the course in solving a specific practical food or meal related challenge.
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 42
- Class Instruction
- 9
- Preparation
- 68
- Theory exercises
- 20
- E-Learning
- 1
- Project work
- 61
- Guidance
- 4
- Exam
- 1
- Total
- 206
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Written assignment, 2 h under invigilation under invigilationWritten examination, during the courseWritten examination, 2 hours under invigilation
Written assignment, during the course
The exam grade comprises of two parts, a challenge document/report and an individual written exam.
The challenge document/report in teams (30% of the grade).
The individual written examination, which will be a multiple choice questionnaire (70% of the grade).
Both parts must be passed in order for the student to pass the course. - Exam registration requirements
Oral presentation of the course challenge document/report.
- Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Several internal examiners.
- Re-exam
Same as ordinary.
Any previously passed part of the exam will count in the re-exam. A failed challenge document/report has to be submitted two weeks before the date of the re-examination.
If 10 or fewer register for the written re-examination (70%) the examination form will be 100% oral. The oral exam will be 20 minutes in the course curriculum, no preparation time and all aids allowed.
Criteria for exam assesment
See Learning Outcome
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- NFOK20002U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 4
- Schedule
- A
- Course capacity
- No limitation
- Course is also available as continuing and professional education
- Study board
- Study Board of Food, Human Nutrition and Sports
Contracting departments
- Department of Food Science
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinators
- Armando Perez-Cueto (4-65746769446a737368326f7932686f)
- Helene Christine Reinbach (15-6a676e6770673074676b706463656a4268717166306d7730666d)
- Bodil Helene Allesen-Holm (4-666c656c446a737368326f7932686f)
(Course coordinator)