Are natural and functional ingredients valued by meat consumers? From what you claim to think to what you like to taste

This article evaluates consumer liking and preferences toward the use of cherries and pecan nuts in novel formulations of lamb burgers to improve their nutritional content and shelf life. Data were obtained from October to December 2021, with a sample of 149 untrained consumers. Participants completed two tasks: first, a sensory test where they tasted and rated the burgers and second, a choice experiment to study their purchasing preferences. Results showed that consumers preferred the taste of the control burger and especially disliked the cherry-added burger. However, they showed interest in the addition of natural ingredients to improve the nutritional features of lamb burgers.