EIT Food on “normalizing” upcycled ingredients by overcoming taste, health and safety barriers

Despite advances in food upcycling, consumers remain cautious of greenwashing, taste, and food safety compliance, according to a recent report by EIT Food’s Consumer Observatory. The study examines key gaps between consumer expectations and industry action across four categories: price, quality, health, and taste.

The report offers insights for F&B businesses to navigate consumer perceptions and position upcycled ingredients (ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption) efficiently. 

“Supermarkets and retailers play a key role in shaping consumer perceptions of upcycled foods, particularly around pricing and accessibility,” Durk Bosma, head of Insights at EIT Food Consumer Observatory, tells Food Ingredients First.

A key takeaway from the price narrative is that consumers value affordable and high-quality upcycled products. However, they remain skeptical of costly products made from repurposed ingredients as they associate them with low-cost inputs.

“A key strategy in balancing this demand is not emphasizing products’ ‘waste origins.’ For example, Saida’s Kitchen focuses on communicating its product in terms of its flavor and heritage rather than its efforts to reduce farm waste. This is a smarter way to normalize utilizing surplus products without making it the central focus,” says Bosma.

Emphasizing affordability and sustainability

The EU organization flags that it is crucial to avoid linking upcycled products with high costs or exclusivity and focus on communicating the accessibility and practical aspects of reducing food waste. In this regard, supermarkets and retailers can help push consumer acceptance.

“One way to reduce unnecessary waste is by lowering aesthetic standards for fruit and vegetables, ensuring more produce reaches shelves. However, the ‘wonky vegetables’ approach has reinforced the idea that imperfect produce is lower in value. Instead, retailers can shift the narrative from ‘perfection equals quality’ to ‘imperfection equals natural equals quality,’ helping consumers see visually varied produce as just as fresh and nutritious,” notes Bosma.

He says that while this shift would not directly drive the uptake of repurposed foods, it would redefine the standard if more “imperfect” produce was sold.

Several participating consumers in the study reported being unsure whether upcycled products offer the nutritional properties they claim. EIT Food suggests that communication and transparency are crucial to drive adoption amid such hesitancy, so brands should not overstate health claims.

Instead, companies in the upcycled space might benefit more easily by communicating “natural” or “minimally processed” properties to minimize consumer concern.

“One effective strategy is for brands to emphasize the natural and sustainable aspect of upcycling, framing it as a smart, responsible way to make the most of high-quality ingredients that might otherwise go to waste. Storytelling through transparent sourcing narratives and engaging brand messaging can further humanize the process, making it clear that upcycling is about maximizing value, not compromising quality,” Klaus Grunert, director of the EIT Food Consumer Observatory, tells Food Ingredients First.

Bosma reiterates that normalizing the practice of utilizing all ingredients “reinforces the message that this is a natural and not a novel idea — something we have always done. Framing upcycling as a continuation of long-standing culinary traditions — rather than a modern innovation — helps build trust and familiarity.”

He says an example is the brand Garden of Eva, which communicates traditional values, recipes, and processing methods.

Addressing food safety concerns

Many consumers also associate food safety risks with upcycled products, especially if the ingredients are new. According to the report, innovative offerings seem to worsen their neophobic fears.

Bosma explains that the wider issue concerns negative connotations around “waste,” as consumers tend to perceive the products as spoiled, for example.

Innovative upcycled offerings seem to worsen consumers’ neophobic fears.“But when we communicate regarding rescuing perfectly good food and using terms such as ‘surplus,’ it can shift the narrative away from labeling ingredients as waste products.”

“An effective strategy would be through third-party certification to build consumer trust in the product and by clearly communicating the safety and quality of upcycled ingredients with consumers through labeling.”

Taste on top

Taste remains a top priority for consumers as doubts over whether repurposed ingredients can taste as good as conventional ones persist. While EIT Food’s data indicates hesitancy around novel products, this could be an opportunity for chefs and product developers to innovate to make upcycled ingredients appealing without alienating consumers.

“Our studies have identified taste as a key driver of consumer decision-making again and again. Taste can’t be underestimated as a key driver in consumer choice. To make upcycled ingredients appealing without putting off consumers, chefs and product developers should start with familiar flavors, adding only subtle twists rather than drastic changes,” says Bosma.

“Instead of emphasizing novelty, brands should highlight similarities to well-known tastes and textures, reassuring consumers that these ingredients fit naturally into their everyday preferences. Effective communication should focus on the product’s recognizable aspects while conveying the benefits of upcycling without making it seem overly experimental.”

According to the findings, there is a generally growing consumer emphasis on food waste reduction, with the expectation that manufacturers and retailers lead efforts.

On whether such engagement could impact product development trends in the F&B industry beyond upcycling, Grunert says: “Consumers tend to make a distinction between food waste in their own kitchen and food waste further up the food chain.”

“When it comes to household waste, they feel a personal sense of responsibility and are particularly receptive to products that help them minimize it. This presents clear opportunities for innovation, such as offering more flexible portion sizes, resealable packaging, and clearer storage guidance to extend shelf life.”