Understanding consumer attitude toward the name framings of cultured meat: Evidence from China.

The naming and labeling of products can affect consumer attitudes and subsequent behavior, particularly in the case of new food products in the market. The present study explores the effects of name framing on consumer attitudes towards cultured meat (CM), which is currently in the early stages of development. With a sample of 1532 Chinese consumers, we integrated several pathways to explain the name-framing effect by examining three different terms ("cultured," "artificial," and "cell-based") for CM. Results indicate that "cultured meat" and "cell-based meat" are more appealing than "artificial meat." Name framings of CM affect consumers' perception of benefits more than that of risks. Our comprehensive model identified evoked affect (perceived disgust) and naturalness as two crucial predictors of attitudes. These two predictors also act as substantial mediators of perceived benefits, and they activate the mediation of perceived risks (an insignificant mediator in cognitive processing). In addition, perceived naturalness mediates the name-framing effect mainly through perceived disgust. Our findings have implications for future strategies for communicating about novel foods (like CM) to the public.

Will cultured meat be served on Chinese tables? A study of consumer attitudes and intentions about cultured meat in China.

This research investigates the attitudes and intentions of Chinese consumers about cultured "meat" (CM). We also investigate framing effects through the names used for these products ("cultured meat," "artificial meat," and "cell-based meat") and the effect of information provision. Of the 1532 consumers in our sample, most had not heard of "cultured meat" or "cell-based meat" before, although 70% had heard of "artificial meat". Around 44% of the participants indicated that they would be willing to try CM, and 32% would be likely to purchase it. Participants disliked the terms "cultured meat" and "cell-based meat" less than they disliked the term "artificial meat," although the latter was the most familiar to them. The provision of neutral information on the production process increased consumer support for CM, but the effect was limited. Prior knowledge and naming terms were strong predictors of attitudes and willingness to buy. A key implication is that stakeholders should cautiously apply framing strategies when introducing CM to the public.

Preparation of Lotus Root-Type Monolithic-Activated Carbons with an Hierarchical Pore Structure from Rice Husks and Their Adsorption of Vitamin B12.

Activated carbon is widely used in many fields because of its well-developed pore structure. Especially in hemoperfusion, activated carbon beads derived from macroporous resin spheres are the predominant adsorbents in hemoditoxifiers. In comparison, biomass-activated carbon attracts more extensive attention on account of its renewability and environmental protection. In this study, a lotus root-type monolithic-activated carbon with a hierarchical pore structure was made from rice husks by the injection molding process followed by carbonization and activation. The straight square channels with the side length of about 1.3 mm were designable, and these channels with adjustable lengths were favorable for the fluid flow during blood purification compared with the tightly packed carbon beads in commercialized hemoditoxifiers. Complementally, the hierarchical nano-sized pores in the walls of the big channels would contribute much to the adsorption capacity for the monolith. Specifically, the adsorption of vitamin B12, a representative of middle molecular toxins in human blood, was about 3.7 mg g-1, which was acquired by simulated in vitro hemoperfusion tests and this demonstrated the promising application of the lotus root-type biomass-activated carbon in hemoperfusion.

Meat packaging, preservation, and marketing implications: Consumer preferences in an emerging economy.

Meat is a perishable food which appears in the market in a variety of forms. Using a choice experiment survey conducted across four Chinese cities, this paper studies consumers' preferences for packaging and preservation methods and place of origin for fresh pork. Results showed that Chinese consumers preferred chilled and locally produced pork packaged in plastic. They discounted frozen and imported pork more than hot pork. Consumers believed that meat, which had been frozen or preserved over a long period, was not as fresh. Many consumers believe their own perceptions about meat preservation methods are correct when in fact they may be wrong. When scientific information about meat preservation methods was introduced, a significantly positive effect could be observed on their preferences and on the willingness-to-pay for frozen meat, chilled meat, and imported meat. This suggests that using science-based information to educate consumers can increase the economic value of pork. The implications on the marketing and trade of pork are explored.

Hierarchically Mesostructured Aluminum Current Collector for Enhancing the Performance of Supercapacitors.

Aluminum (Al) current collector is one of the most important components of supercapacitors, and its performance has vital effects on the electrochemical performance and cyclic stability of supercapacitors. In the present work, a scalable and low-cost, yet highly efficient, picosecond laser processing method of Al current collectors was developed to improve the overall performance of supercapacitors. The laser treatment resulted in hierarchical micro-nanostructures on the surface of the commercial Al foil and reduced the surface oxygen content of the foil. The electrochemical performance of the Al foil with the micro-nanosurface structures was examined in the symmetrical activated carbon-based coin supercapacitors with an organic electrolyte. The results suggest that the laser-treated Al foil (laser-Al) increased the capacitance density of supercapacitors up to 110.1 F g-1 and promoted the rate capability due to its low contact resistance with the carbonaceous electrode and high electrical conductivity derived from its larger specific surface areas and deoxidized surface. In addition, the capacitor with the laser-Al current collector exhibited high cyclic stability with 91.5% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles, 21.3% higher than that with pristine-Al current collector due to its stronger bonding with the carbonaceous electrode that prevented any delamination during aging. Our work has provided a new strategy for improving the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors.

Awareness, acceptance of and willingness to buy genetically modified foods in Urban China.

There is concern about the extent to which consumers will accept genetically modified (GM) foods if they are commercialized in China. The evidence from the existing literature is mixed and sometimes confusing. The objective of this study is to conduct a large in-depth face-to-face in-house survey that examines the consumers' awareness, acceptance of and willingness to buy GM foods in China. To achieve this objective, a well-designed consumer survey was conducted in 11 cities of five provinces in Eastern China in 2002 and 2003. The results indicate that despite much less information on GM foods available publicly in China, more than two thirds of consumers in urban areas have heard of GM foods. But their knowledge on biotechnology was limited. Chinese consumers' acceptance of and willingness to buy GM foods was much higher than in other countries. Chinese consumers also demonstrated great variance in their acceptance of different GM foods. Information and prices of GM foods were two important factors affecting consumers' attitudes toward GM foods. Based on the findings of this study and given that our sample is in the more developed eastern Urban China, we conclude that the commercialization of GM foods is not likely to receive great resistance from the consumers in China.