Browsing by Author "Neill, Clinton L."
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- 2020 Virginia Tech Eastern Shore AREC Virtual Research Field DayReiter, Mark S.; Deitch, Ursula; Pittman, Theresa; Flessner, Michael; Rideout, Steven L.; Zhang, Bo; Vallotton, Amber; Thomason, Wade E.; Wolters, Bethany; Templeton, Jenny; Lawrence, Cris; Strawn, Laura K.; Neill, Clinton L.; Sutton, Kemper; Britt, Kadie; Boyle, Sean; Pagini, Mika; Kuhar, Thomas P. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2020-08-18)Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center Virtual Research Field day includes various presentations and publications of the authors’ above, which are each linked in the body of the publication
- Appeal of the Apple: Exploring consumer perceptions of hard cider in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United StatesCalvert, Martha D.; Neill, Clinton L.; Stewart, Amanda C.; Chang, Elizabeth A. B.; Whitehead, Susan R.; Lahne, Jacob (Taylor & Francis, 2023-10-23)Alcoholic or “hard” cider is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, particularly throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Yet, many stakeholders struggle to understand how consumers define and distinguish hard cider from the sea of options in the saturated alcoholic beverage market. This study aimed to explore consumer preferences for hard cider using a phenomenological, qualitative approach. The research comprised 14 focus groups with regular cider consumers (99 participants) throughout three leading cider-producing states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States: Virginia, Vermont, and New York. All focus group sessions were subject to reflexive thematic analysis for themes broadly related to cider product preference and the cider-drinking experience. Results of the study suggest that cider preference is motivated largely by sensory quality in addition to various other factors including perceived health effects, regionality and proximity, the drinking occasion, and product information. Results also emphasize the importance of nostalgia in cider sensory experiences, as well as the role of social norms in consumer valuation of cider products. Overall, this research highlights diverse consumer preferences for cider and serves as a framework for using qualitative research methods to explore consumer preferences in the food and beverage industries.
- Appeal of the Apple: Investigating Preference, Perception, and Communication Around Hard Cider in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United StatesCalvert, Martha D. (Virginia Tech, 2023-07-03)Alcoholic or "hard" cider, as it is known in the United States, is experiencing a resurgence in popularity worldwide, but most relevantly throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Cider has a rich history of being America's drink of choice, beginning with the native apple trees of indigenous communities and the proliferation of apple growing in the original American colonies. Today, cider is becoming popular particularly in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic where New York, Virginia, and Vermont are the 1st, 8th, 12th ranked states with the most cideries in America. In light of the American cider industry experiencing such a renaissance, leading industry stakeholders and various other scholars have drawn attention to the need for increased clarity regarding consumer and producer perceptions of cider quality, as well as a more comprehensive understanding of cider sensory quality. This dissertation utilizes qualitative research methods, including focus groups and interviews conducted in New York, Virginia, and Vermont, to explore consumer and producer preferences of cider and the cider-drinking experience. In addition, this research employed traditional sensory descriptive analysis (DA) to quantify sensory differences across cider products. Lastly, this research presents findings on the use of biterm topic modeling (BTM), an emergent method of text mining for small datasets, to explore topics of discussion in cider marketing materials for products in the American cider marketplace. This dissertation presents evidence of preferences, sensory perception, and discourse within a snapshot of the current American cider industry. Cider consumers and producers prioritize flavor when discussing cider quality, but also value how cider is made and where it comes from. Consumers, in particular, are nostalgic about the cider-drinking community and culture that is omnipresent in the Northeast. Secondly, the sensory quality of ciders can be discriminated across multiple variables, including region of origin, packaging, and style; suggesting that the sensory space of American cider products is diverse and nuanced. Lastly, when marketing cider products through website platforms, cider producers tend to emphasize topics related to sensory attributes, production elements, food-pairing, flavorings, and apple varieties. With a greater understanding of consumer and producer preferences of cider, cider sensory quality, and cider communication, industry actors and stakeholders may have a more actionable understanding of where the cider industry may be headed with continued growth. As well, this dissertation provides a framework for the use of qualitative and text mining tools to better understand facets of consumption and production, as well as marketing language in the food and beverage space.
- Assessing Consumer Preferences and Intentions to Buy Edamame Produced in the USCarneiro, Renata C. V.; Drape, Tiffany A.; Neill, Clinton L.; Zhang, Bo; O'Keefe, Sean F.; Duncan, Susan E. (Frontiers, 2022-01-18)Due to the growing consumer demand for edamame (vegetable soybean) in the U.S., the domestic production of this specialty crop has been promoted in several Mid-Atlantic and Southeast states as an economically attractive alternative to replace the decreasing tobacco production. For the edamame agrobusiness to be successful in the U.S., consumer studies are as needed as new commercial cultivars that are developed for the U.S. environment. Thus, in this exploratory study, we investigated consumers' preferences and intentions to buy edamame products in the U.S., especially domestic products. Data was collected through a web-based survey distributed through Qualtrics(XM) and a convenience sampling method was chosen. Volunteers who completed the survey (N = 309) were 82% female, 57% residents of the South Atlantic area, and 79% daily consumers of vegetables. Survey respondents had a positive attitude toward domestically produced vegetables and valued supporting U.S. producers. Overall, domestically grown, in-shell edamame products were preferred compared to shelled edamame or imported products. Regarding future purchasing, respondents exhibited higher intention to buy fresh edamame relative to frozen edamame. Additionally, respondents considered price, availability, and familiarity with the vegetable brand, respectively, as the most important factors in their decision-making process to buy edamame products. Our study confirmed there is a market potential for domestically produced edamame and it also provides valuable information to support future studies, production decisions, and the growth of the edamame agrobusiness in the U.S.
- Can Cider Chemistry Predict Sensory Dryness? Benchmarking the Merlyn Dryness ScaleCalvert, Martha D.; Cole, Elizabeth; Stewart, Amanda C.; Neill, Clinton L.; Lahne, Jacob (Taylor & Francis, 2022-09-23)The growing popularity of hard cider in the United States has been accompanied by an inconsistent understanding of the nature and importance of consumers’ perception of dryness and sweetness in the product. In 2018, the New York Cider Association proposed the Merlyn Dryness Scale as a tool to predict cider dryness using basic cider chemistry, but this approach has yet to be validated in sensory experiments. In the current study, panelists (N = 48) evaluated three different commercial ciders served at two different temperatures (2 °C and 22 °C) in three parts: by rating the dryness of the sample on a line scale equivalent to the range of the Merlyn Dryness Scale, by using a simple check-all-that-apply (CATA) tool that included dryness, and by rating their overall liking on a 9-point hedonic scale. The results indicated that the Merlyn Dryness Scale may not achieve its goal of predicting perceived dryness in cider, as consumers perceived cider samples to be more dry than was suggested using Merlyn Scale chemical procedures. Contrary to expectations, the serving temperature of the cider samples did not significantly impact perceived dryness rating but did influence overall liking. This study suggests that predicting sensory dryness from cider-chemistry parameters requires further study.
- Components of a Food Business PlanNeill, Clinton L. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2019-05-08)Discusses some ways to develop of a business plan, and types of structure and information to include.
- Consumer responses and willingness-to-pay for hibiscus products: A preliminary studyNdiaye, Oumoule; Hedrick, Valisa E.; Neill, Clinton L.; Carneiro, Renata C. V.; Huang, Haibo; Fernandez-Fraguas, Cristina; Guiro, Amadou Tidiane; O'Keefe, Sean F. (Frontiers, 2023-04)The rise in diseases like obesity and diabetes is a worldwide challenge. The consumption of functional products such as hibiscus, which has been proven to be high in bioactive compounds and dietary fiber, providing it with anticancer, antiaging, anti-inflammatory and satiety properties, should be promoted. In the U.S., promoting the consumption of hibiscus products can be a good approach to increase fiber consumption and to reduce risk of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. However, information about knowledge of this functional product among consumers is still sparse and increasing consumption requires designing and marketing desired products made from hibiscus. Therefore in this preliminary study, we assessed consumer response to hibiscus products and investigated whether providing information about potential health benefits could impact consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP) for three types of non-alcoholic hibiscus beverages: ready-made tea, bottled juice, and kombucha. Our web-based survey was distributed through Qualtrics(XM) and a convenience sampling method was chosen. Most participants identified themselves as female, 18-34 years old, with a graduate degree. Most participants (81%) had consumed hibiscus products before and 57% had a weekly food budget lower than $60. Overall, tea and juices were the most liked hibiscus beverages, respectively. Although taste and health benefits were ranked as the main reasons to consume hibiscus beverages, additional information about hibiscus health benefits did not significantly affect WTP for these products. Without additional health benefit information, consumer WTP for non-alcoholic hibiscus beverages ranged from $2.9 to $3.60 for kombucha and $4.08-4.97 for Ready-made-tea. This study provides valuable insights that can support future research on hibiscus products and promote the development of novel hibiscus-based foods and beverages that are appealing to the U.S. market.
- Demystifying Food Labels for Meat and Poultry Products Part I: OverviewNeill, Clinton L.; Qi, Tao; Bovay, John (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2024)Food labels often represent credence attributes, which are qualities consumers cannot verify even after consumption. This creates an information asymmetry between producers and consumers (Kuchler et al., 2017). For producers and consumers alike, the meaning behind the labels found on meat products may be confusing. The purpose of this publication is to help improve buyer understanding of retail meat and poultry product labels using text and infographics. Each infographic contains basic facts and straightforward definitions of common words and phrases included on labels used on meat and poultry products found in grocery stores nationwide.
- Demystifying Food Labels for Meat and Poultry Products Part II: Labels for Specific ProductsNeill, Clinton L.; Qi, Tao; Bovay, John (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2024)Labels on food products can inform consumers about quality information and product differentiation, in other words, what features, or attributes distinguish it from similar products. Sometimes labels can signal to consumers that the products on which they appear have a different taste or texture than other similar products. Other times, labels reflect information about how the product was produced, which may not affect the taste or texture. Producers can use product differentiation and communicate information about food quality or attributes to consumers using labels. This publication and an accompanying publication provide information to help consumers understand and interpret labels on meat and poultry products, and help producers understand how they may use labels to differentiate their products and increase their profit margins. “Demystifying Food Labels for Meat and Poultry Products Part I: Overview” (VCE publication AAEC-229NP) provides basic information about meat and poultry labels and examples of labels that may be found on multiple different categories of products. The labels discussed in this publication are specific to certain types of meat (beef and lamb) and poultry.
- Demystifying Food Labels: General Labels for All Meat ProductsNeill, Clinton L. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2019-02-06)Discusses labelling and labelling requirements for meat and meat products.
- Demystifying Food Labels: Labels for Specific Meat ProductsNeill, Clinton L. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2019-02-28)Discusses food labels for meats and meat products.
- Economic and chemometric studies to supplement food-grade soybean variety development in the Mid-Atlantic regionLord, Nilanka (Virginia Tech, 2021-01-07)Sustainability of the soybean industry relies on the growth of new industries and the continued improvement of seeds for utilization. Grower adoption and growth of the edamame industry has been slow in part due to insufficient information on its potential profitability and marketability. As such, the first and second objectives of this thesis aimed at 1) determining production costs of hand-harvested fresh edamame enterprise and 2) exploring consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP) for fresh, local, organic, and "on-the-stalk" marketed edamame. Sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose sugars hold tremendous implications for utilization of soybean seeds in livestock, soyfood, and probiotics industries. Current sugar phenotyping methods using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are costly and inefficient. Therefore, the third objective of this study was to develop calibrations to predict sugar content using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS). Results showed that labor accounted for 72% of production costs for edamame pods, which largely limits its profit potential. Mean WTP for fresh and local edamame exceeded their frozen and non-local counterparts by 94 and 88 cents, respectively. In addition, mean WTP for organic edamame exceeded non-GMO edamame by 33 cents. Pro-environmental attitudes appeared to be a consistent driver of WTP these three attributes. Meanwhile, a 40-cent discount for "on-the-stalk" edamame compared to pods indicates convenience may also be a factor in edamame marketability. Calibration development for sucrose and stachyose was successful, with R2cal, R2cv, RMSEC, and RMSECV of 0.901, 0.869, 0.516, and 0.596, and 0.911, 0.891, 0.361, and 0.405, respectively. Alternative methods should be investigated for quantification of raffinose.
- Edamame: Costs, Revenues, and ProfitabilityGarber, Ben; Neill, Clinton L. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2019-07-15)Discusses the expenses and potential profit related to producing, marketing and selling edamame.
- Effects of Food Safety Events on U.S. Romaine Lettuce PricesAdams, Normand Rutledge (Virginia Tech, 2020-10-21)Romaine lettuce and leafy greens have been at the center of food safety concerns over the last several years. More specifically, romaine lettuce has been directly linked to seven(7) foodborne illness outbreaks and resulted in five(5) recalls over the eight(8) years period of January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2019. This paper estimates the effects that these food safety events have had on the price returns of romaine lettuce utilizing a series of Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) models. Importantly, the GARCH models allowed us to capture the effects of the recall and illness outbreaks on both the returns and volatility of the romaine price series. We find that three (3) of the seven (7) illness outbreaks resulted in marked increases in the price returns - between 4.1% and 9.6%. Conversely, three (3) of the five (5) recalls reduced price returns - between 30% and 57%. However, the volatility is not found to be significantly nor to affect the price volatility significantly. We conclude that recalls serve as a market correction in the romaine lettuce market. Consequently, a continued focus on increasing traceability with in the romaine lettuce market will help to reduce price fluctuation and limit the number of illnesses resulting from outbreaks.
- Exploring cider website descriptions using a novel text mining approachCalvert, Martha D.; Cole, Elizabeth; Neill, Clinton L.; Stewart, Amanda C.; Whitehead, Susan R.; Lahne, Jacob (Wiley, 2023-05)Rapid methods of text analysis are increasingly important tools for efficiently extracting and understanding communication within the food and beverage space. This study aimed to use frequency-based text mining and biterm topic modeling (BTM) as tools for analyzing how cider products are communicated and marketed on cider-producer websites for products made in Virginia, Vermont, and New York. BTM has been previously used to explore topics in small corpora of text data, and frequency-based text mining is efficient for exploring patterns of text across different documents or filters. The present dataset comprised 1115 cider products and their website descriptions extracted from 124 total cider-producer websites during 2020 and 2021. Results of the text mining analyses suggest that cider website descriptions emphasize food-pairing, production, and sensory quality information. Altogether, this research presents the text mining approaches for exploring food and beverage communication. Practical applicationsThis research will be valuable to stakeholders in the United States' cider industry by providing relevant insight as to how cider marketing and sensory communication varies based on extrinsic product factors, such as geography and packaging. This research also demonstrates the efficiency and potential of text mining tools for exploring language and communication related to foods, beverages, and sensory quality. Further, this research provides a framework for extracting sensory-specific language from a large corpus of data, which may be adopted by other researchers wishing to apply rapid descriptive methods in the sensory, quality, and consumer research fields.
- Exploring Perceptions and Categorization of Virginia Hard Ciders Through the Application of Sorting TasksKessinger, J.'Nai Britny (Virginia Tech, 2020-02-19)Hard cider is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented apple juice. Its popularity has grown rapidly since the early 2000s and is expected to grow to a billion-dollar industry by 2022. However, unlike beer and wine, there are few popular resources and little scholarly research on the sensory attributes of ciders and how consumers perceive them. Thus, the purpose of this study was to categorize and describe the sensory and visual product attributes of ciders made in Virginia, USA using a rapid sensory evaluation method with untrained panelists known as a free sorting task. Specifically, panelists (N=65) first evaluated, sorted into groups, and described ciders (K=18). Then panelists (N=63) sorted photo sheets of cider labels and packaging according to how they expected the products would taste and at what occasion they would be most inclined to drink each cider. The data were analyzed with DISTATIS to produce compromise similarity maps, with bootstrapped confidence intervals to identify significant differences between products. Classical text analysis was used to evaluate the sensory descriptions used by assessors during the sorting task and project terms onto the similarity map. Panelists identified and described distinct sensory styles and attributes among the ciders evaluated. Consistent patterns in what occasion panelists might consume a cider emerged, providing a first-look into how cider might be valued based on packaging and label.
- Flavor language in expert reviews versus consumer preferences: An application to expensive American whiskeysHamilton, Leah M.; Neill, Clinton L.; Lahne, Jacob (Elsevier, 2023-07)Treating natural language flavor descriptions as data that can explain or “predict” consumer or market responses to a product, a process called Natural Language Processing or Text Mining, is increasingly common in food research. Text data has high variation in vocabulary usage and which features writers attend to, necessitating large datasets which tend to be from unblinded tastings with limited types of supplemental data. In this study, a random forest model trained on 4300 full-text whiskey reviews identified terms commonly describing higher- or lower-priced whiskeys. Ten terms were selected for a survey of American whiskey consumers. Professional whiskey reviewers commonly describe expensive whiskeys as tasting of “sultanas”, “oak”, “leather”, and “chocolate”. “Corn” and “grassy” are used commonly for inexpensive whiskeys. In contrast, US consumers are more likely to purchase whiskeys with “chocolate” and “caramel” flavor, ranking “corn” near the middle of the 10 terms tested and “tobacco”, “leather”, and “grass” the lowest. This study shows that the flavor terms reviewers use for expensive whiskeys aren’t necessarily most important to consumers, possibly due to bias from unblinded tastings or differences between reviewers and consumers. Predictions based on reviews can also overestimate the negative impact of common or expected flavors (like “corn” or “caramel” in whiskeys). Large correlational studies using convenient text corpora can effectively generate hypotheses or identify vocabulary and follow up surveys or controlled sensory experiments using the population of interest can provide additional insights about the product category and the groups of people interacting with it.
- Grocery Store Layouts: Where is it Located and Why?Neill, Clinton L.; Shadler, Meleah (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2019-05-28)Discusses where products are placed in stores, and reasons for the product locations.
- Investigating Consumer Demand and Willingness to Pay for Fresh, Local, Organic, and "On-the-Stalk" EdamameLord, Nick; Zhang, Bo; Neill, Clinton L. (2021-08-31)Introduction of locally adapted, commercially viable edamame varieties can allow it to be marketed as fresh, local, organic, or on the stalk. Here, we utilized a one-and-one-half bounded (OOHB) elicitation format to estimate mean willingness to pay (WTP) for these external attributes in relation to a vector of explanatory variables. Results showed 84-, 85-, and 28-cent premiums for fresh, local, and organic edamame (10 oz). Pro-environmental attitudes drove WTP for all three of these attributes, while shopping location significantly increased mean WTP for fresh and organic attributes. A 40-cent price discount was observed for the "on-the-stalk" attribute, suggesting that convenience also plays an important role in marketing edamame. The results suggest that more research regarding edamame demand is warranted.
- Labels, Logos, and Brands - What's the Difference?Neill, Clinton L. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2019-08-30)Provides information about labels, logos and brands, and shares details about how these differ.