Consumer's attitude and awareness towards functional foods during COVID-19

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 is an infectious disease which was originated in Wuhan (China) and is declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Functional foods are gaining popularity as they have been boosting immunity and capable to fight against various diseases including the COVID-19. Functional foods are categorized under the type of food products that possess physiological benefits. These foods are essential for health and help in improving one's health by preventing and curing several chronic diseases. This study has been conducted to evaluate the consumer's awareness and their knowledge of functional foods and their health benefits. A survey method was employed using a set of questions to assess consumer's knowledge and awareness. The scientific goal of this study was to increase awareness in the population about the advantages of these foods. The survey was conducted online on sample size of 301 participants for functional foods and, the data thus obtained was magnificent. The majority of the participants were either students or working professionals. More than half of the participants knew functional foods and were regular consumers. This survey gave an idea about what people think of the new emerging foods, their health claims, and their consumption during COVID-19, therefore, moving towards a healthy future.