To meet the objectives of the study, we opted for an exploratory study with six conditions.
The two factors addressed were the added nutrient (lycopene and beta-carotene) and the
degree of production technology (low, medium, and high). Lycopene and beta-carotene
were both added to two functional foods with different health features, which are, in this
study, orange juice and apple pie. The use of this latter factor supposed that the level
“low” implied a product which was improved by adding a food that naturally contained a
nutrient, the level “medium” implied that the nutrient was added in the laboratory, and
the level “high” refers to an ingredient whose genetic code had been modified in order to
introduce the gene producing the nutrient. In order to reduce the effect of the order of
presentation of the technology levels, the sequence of levels was randomized.
The data collection took place in a supermarket located in the Canadian city of
Montreal in 2005. In order to be eligible, participants had to be at least 18 years old and
be partly or totally responsible for food purchases in their respective household.
Individuals were randomly approached when they entered the supermarket and a total
of 187 questionnaires were completed.