Location: Potato, Pulse and Small Grains Quality Research
Project Number: 3060-21650-002-069-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2025
End Date: Dec 31, 2026
Objective:
The aim this proposal is to refine techniques to effectively promote choice and consumption of pulse foods. Specifically, (1) Examine the effects of framing pulse foods as a substitute for ASFs or as unique foods on choice and sensory properties. We will additionally investigate the use of whole pulses vs. the use of fractions of pulses (e.g., pulse protein). We will collect data that are likely to differentiate individuals’ responses to how pulses are framed: priorities during food choice, demographic characteristics, and individuals’ aversion to trying new foods. (2) Develop, test, and refine pulse logo prototypes to help identify and communicate benefits of pulses. A logo aids recognition, making pulse products easier to locate. (3) Use personalized interventions to promote pulse food choice.
Approach:
The aim of this project is to increase the consumption of pulse-based foods by addressing barriers such as low recognition, perceived inconvenience, and lack of awareness about their benefits. Specifically, Objective 1: A valuation experiment will be conducted with two arms: 1) framing pulse foods as a substitute for ASFs vs. presenting them as unique foods; 2) whole pulses vs. pulse-derived ingredients (e.g., pulse proteins). We will recruit participants from the local community to participate in the experiment (n=400). Participants will evaluate two food items—one pulse-containing food and one meat-containing food. Using the Becker-DeGroot-Marschak mechanism, which is a widely used method for eliciting valuation measures, participants will submit bids for both food items. We will include survey questions to measure consumers’ relative priorities for health and taste attributes during food choice, use of nutrition information during choice, taste expectation ratings, and other relevant measures. Objective 2: A graphic designer will develop prototype pulse logos. We will evaluate consumers’ response to the logos, including measures of clarity, ease of identification, interpretability, and general preference. Objective 3: We will examine the impact of personalizing pulse-promoting interventions to individuals’ unique priorities. We will test succinct messages (customized to individuals’ priorities) to explain the value of pulses and retail interventions making pulses easy to identify. We will recruit a nationally representative sample of 5000 US respondents from Dynata, a leading consumer survey panel firm. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four conditions: 1) a control condition, 2) a non-personalized pulse promotion condition (in which participants are exposed to existing pulse promoting materials, including pulse logos developed in the project to aid identification of pulse foods), 3) a personalization condition; we will additionally include 4) a health-priority focused condition in order to estimate the additional impact of including a broader set of individual priorities in the personalization process. Participants in personalization conditions will be invited to answer a series of questions about their priorities, which will then be used to personalize messaging and product set suggestions that respond to those priorities. Participants will make food choices from six food categories that contain both pulse and non-pulse foods. We will examine the impact of personalization on the choice of pulse food products and the nutritional profile of food choices in the four conditions.