Effects of cultural background on consumer perception and acceptability of foods and drinks: a review of latest cross-cultural studies

Abstract

Culture is a key factor in consumers’ choice of food products. Through a review of 2019–2021 cross-cultural studies, this paper highlights the effects of culture on consumers’ sensory perception and acceptability of foods and drinks and considers differences in the ways consumers from different countries describe the sensory properties of foods and drinks. As cultural elements can influence the results of sensory studies, the effects of familiarity with the food or beverage samples, information on health benefits of the product or ingredients, food labels, language, and the food environment are considered here. The selected cross-cultural food studies focused on consumers’ sensory perception, acceptability, and discrimination ability. We suggest that demographic aspects such as education, sex, and specific age groups should also be considered in cross-cultural studies because results may be influenced by consumer composition in addition to their culture.