Round 2 of the Delphi study: conduct and outcomes (deliverable 3.2)

Building on the CONNECT4ACTION Round 1 Delphi study (D3.1), the Round 2 survey investigated the needs and approaches for improving communication between actors involved in the food technology development chain, particularly between consumer scientists and food development technologists, which might result in improved consumer acceptance of new food technologies. The survey was administered on-line to all respondents to the Round 1 survey and in all 54 usable responses were received (a response rate of 72%). The Round 2 survey confirmed that incorporating consumer science information is perceived as important throughout development of both new technological processes and the resultant products, but especially to guide critical decisions in the early stages of both activities, and also before and after product launch. Information about consumers’ preferred attributes and acceptability of products are ranked of higher importance than the acceptability to consumers of the underlying technological process.