Consumer Sensory Preferences for Conventional versus Organic Ingredients Food Ingredients in the United States

The perceived environmental sustainability of organic food products is often offset by consumer sensory preferences, yet a quantitative understanding of these preferences remains elusive. Here we show, through a three-year longitudinal sensory panel analysis of non-incentivized consumers' opinions on widely consumed processed meat products, that retronasal aroma, specifically non-meat aftertastes, critically determines consumer purchase intent between organic and conventional formulations. This sensory dimension overrides assumptions of environmentally driven consumer choices, revealing a significant barrier to the adoption of organic alternatives. These findings underscore the necessity for targeted sensory optimization in organic food production and have vital implications for both industrial strategies and policy development aimed at promoting sustainable food systems.