Analysis of seaweed food systems from a consumer perspective

The objective of the study is to analyze food systems containing seaweed from the consumer's point of view and to identify promising food systems for introducing extracts of biologically active substances of seaweed into them. The study was conducted by questionnaires in the city of Vladivostok (Primorsky Region) in 2023. The quota sample of respondents was 500 people. To conduct the survey, an online questionnaire was developed containing 15 questions, which is publicly available on the Internet. The analysis of food systems containing seaweed from the consumer's point of view showed that a significant number of respondents have sufficient general knowledge about the positive effect of eating seaweed on human metabolism. At the same time, 470 respondents (94 %) have a positive attitude towards food systems containing seaweed, and 425 consumers (85 %) are ready to include such products in their diet once a month or more often. The reasons for choosing food systems that include seaweed are the taste of seaweed (326 people), the positive effect on metabolism (260 people), and the desire to diversify the diet (132 people). To develop new food systems that contain seaweed extracts, the most promising types of food systems were determined based on the analysis, in which it is advisable to introduce biologically active substances of seaweed in the form of extracts. When studying preferences by type of products, 434 people (87.5 %) chose salads, 384 people (77.4 %) prefer rolls or gunkans, 348 people (70.2 %) - sauces, the component of which are seaweed.