The functional food-related statements were formulated
based on the results of a laddering study (Urala &
L€ahteenm€aki, 2003) in which five central means-end
chains described the product attributes, consequences
and values behind respondents’ food choices (healthiness,
taste and pleasure, security and familiarity, convenience
and price). For a pilot study, 42, both
positively and negatively worded statements, were formulated.
These statements were tested using 33 students
and staff members (23 males and 10 females, mean age
33 years) from the Technical University, Otaniemi.
Based on the pre-test results, one statement was discarded
because of its high correlation with another
794 N. Urala, L. L€ahteenm€aki / Food Quality and Preference 15 (2004) 793–803
statement and three statements were reformulated because
their distributions were strongly skewed. Also, 12
new statements were reformulated. Altogether there
were 53 functional food-related statements in the final
questionnaire.