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E. BROMFIELD and A. Bovell-Benjamin. Food and Nutritional Sciences, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088 At Tuskegee University, the Food Processing and Product Development Team (FPD) has developed several sweetpotato value-added products intended for inclusion in the diets of astronauts on space mission and consumers on earth. In an effort to make appropriate and cost effective preparations for the transfer and application of these technologies, a study was conducted to: 1) determine the level of awareness among athletes of selected value-added sweetpotato products; and 2) determine the consumption interest of athletes for selected value-added sweetpotato products. Sixty-five athletes between the ages of 17-25 years completed a 17-item self-administered questionnaire. Athletes rated their awareness of six value-added sweetpotato (SP) products, their consumption interest, their intended willingness to consume the products on a five-point scale, and they answered five questions from a modified food neophobia scale (MFNS). Forty-six percent and 20% of the athletes were aware of the SP beverage and pound cake respectively. The athletes heard about the value-added SP products through freshman orientation, television, the World Wide Web, classmates or family member. The athletes’ consumption interest for the selected value-added sweetpotato products indicated that 39%, 31%, 28% and 23% definitely would consume the sweetpotato pound cake, rolls, waffle and pancake, respectively. Fifty-two percent of the participants indicated that they “constantly sampled new and different foods”, whereas, 43% indicated that “they do not trust new foods.” The athletes (54%) said they were reluctant to “try new foods” because they “do not know what is in them” which seemingly corresponded to the 63% who said “no” to their willingness to “eat almost anything.” The data obtained from this survey can be useful for the development of expanded programs to create awareness, and possibly enhance consumption, and therefore, increase willingness to purchase the value-added sweetpotato products developed by Food Processing and Product Development Team at Tuskegee University.
Session 113, Product Development: General
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