Determinants influencing the food digestibility perception: A study based on consumer-stated preferences for sweet peppers

In recent years, there has been a growing focus on healthy eating. Concerns about general healthiness, food safety, evolving culinary preferences and the shift towards healthier lifestyles are shaping consumers' intentions when it comes to food purchases, impacting the demand for food items that are perceived as healthier than other options. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the significance that consumers place on perceptions of food digestibility, with a specific focus on sweet peppers as a case study. To explore signals linked to consumers' perceptions of digestibility, a questionnaire was administered to 582 Italian consumers. Employing an econometric estimation as the methodological approach, we aim to elucidate the relationship between various factors and the perception of digestibility. The results suggest that intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of sweet peppers, culinary preparations and sociodemographic traits of consumers may influence perceived digestibility. In conclusion, the study finds that Italian consumers pay significant attention to the digestibility of sweet peppers, and these insights can serve as a valuable tool for the gastronomy sector. This paper introduces novel aspects to the literature, as–to the best of the authors' knowledge–no previous study has explored consumers' perceptions of food digestibility.