Do knowledge and beliefs about calcium content influence preference for dairy vs. plant-based milk products?
Geller, Sarah G
Geller, Sarah G
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Abstract
Do knowledge and beliefs about calcium content influence preference for dairy vs. plant-based milk products? Sarah Geller Research Mentor: Dr. Emily Morgan Problem Statement: In recent years, the rise of non-dairy products, especially plant-based beverages, has coincided with a decrease in dairy milk sales. This has prompted debate around whether dairy terms (e.g. milk, yogurt, cheese) should be used on the labels of non-dairy products. The aim of this project is to explore whether the use of dairy terms on non-dairy products influences perceptions of calcium content and if perceptions of calcium in non-dairy versus dairy products influences product preference. Methods: In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration established a Federal Register docket to gather public comment on whether or not dairy terms should be limited to dairy products. Over 11,000 comments were submitted. In collaboration with other students and faculty, I built and refined a codebook to explore nutrition-related themes in the data and coded all of the comments using NVivo, a qualitative software program. We are currently cleaning the data to prepare for analysis. To analyze the data, I will examine coding related to calcium content, product healthfulness, and product preference. Results: Over 160 unique comments addressed the theme calcium. Initial reviews of the data suggest that most commenters have an inaccurate understanding of calcium content in dairy vs. plant-based products. Conclusions: The comments provide insight on the public’s knowledge of nutrition, specifically the nutrient composition of dairy products versus non-dairy products. The findings may support evidence-based food labeling and nutrition education.
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3:00pm-5:00pm
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Date
2020-01-01