The project
The PDO cheeses represent 56 Italian certified products and a value of 4.5 billion € (2019). Non-PDO cheeses (produced following a similar technological production specification, in the same or in a different area) are highly consumed and can sometimes represent important local realities.
Purchasing decisions are guided by consumers’ perceptions regarding both the intrinsic and extrinsic attributes of a product (1). Intrinsic attributes include specific characteristics that cannot be altered without modifying the product itself, such as sensory properties or product composition.
Extrinsic attributes, while being product-related, can be modified without changing the product itself. These include brand name, price, packaging, health/sustainability claims, place of origin and quality labels (2).
Often, intrinsic properties are difficult to evaluate, therefore, consumers’ evaluations and purchase decisions need to refer mainly to extrinsic attributes, including brand names and quality labels.
The inclusion of intrinsic attributes, in particular sensory properties in the analysis of consumer choice through affective tests are increasingly widespread in food market research.
In general, consumers show a scarce awareness and knowledge of food products with a PDO label and PDO labels do not always have the same relevance in influencing consumer attitudes (4). PDO products are linked to the territory mainly for the raw material that constitutes them but, for the fermented foods, this raw material is modified by the production process and through the metabolic activity of microorganisms, in particular lactic bacteria (LAB).
This is particularly true for cheeses, and even more so for ripened cheeses for which the LAB effect occurs also during ripening. These LAB therefore become an added value in linking the product to the territory of origin, especially if they arise from raw milk and natural starter. However, their specific contribution to the production of specific aromatic characteristics of different cheeses has still to be proven.
In this project four different cheese varieties were rationally chosen (Parmigiano Reggiano, Robiola di Roccaverano, Caciocavallo Silano and Grana Padano), based on the strong contribution given by autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to the distinctive aromatic characteristics of the cheeses.
The results of the project will allow to highlight the drivers that influence the consumer’s choice in PDO or non-PDO cheese and the relevance of PDO labels in influencing consumer attitudes and purchases.
1) Brunsø K, (2002). Consumers’ food choice and quality perception, MAPP Working Papers 77, University of Aarhus, Aarhus School of Business, The MAPP Centre.
2) Asioli D, et al. (2017). Making sense of the “clean label” trends: A review of consumer food choice behavior and discussion of industry implications, Food Res Int, 99, 1:58-71.
3) Savelli E, et al. (2020). PDO labels and food preferences: results from a sensory analysis. Br Food J, (ahead-of-print), DOI 10.1108/BFJ-05-2020-0435.
4) Kos Skubic K, (2019) Consumer awareness of PDO-labelled food in Slovenia. Ital J Anim Sci, 18,1:366-371.
