Can consumers follow a recipe?

A successful introduction of new food items in the market require that the consumers know how to use it. Tempeh is a fermented plant product which is relatively new in Denmark. Basic cooking skills are therefore absent, which is an obstacle for the introduction on the Danish menu. Recipes are therefore crucial both for inspiration and as practical guidelines. The recipes must be attractive and are often made by a chef. However, the basic understanding of how these recipes are used at home by consumers is unknown.

Experiment
An observational in-home study was performed in 20 families all having at least one child living at home. The families was invited to participate and could choose between six different recipes from the tempeh-producing company Contempehrary. The tempeh was send to them, while they had to buy the rest of the ingrediens themselves. On the evening of cooking, a project staff visited the family and made observations during cooking following a systematic observational guide combined with free observation notes.
The families was offered a goodie bag as incentive for the participation.

Data analysis
A preliminary data analysis showed that same recipe was used very differently in different families. It gave fruitful insights on how to optimize the recipe to give the consumers a successful experience the first time the try a new food item. Furthermore, the insights can be generalized to other recipe developments.

Acknowledgment
This research was funded by the Green Development and Demonstration Programme (GUDP) under the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark