Red Deer, Alta., Feb. 12, 2007: The Canadian dairy industry is working with scientists to develop "CLA-enriched" dairy products that feature enhanced health benefits for consumers. Now analysis from a major survey conducted in Alberta and British Columbia has uncovered new knowledge of consumer attitudes that can help fuel marketing strategies for these products.
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a good fat found naturally in dairy and beef products. Though research is in early stages, pioneering studies based largely on animal models have shown considerable CLA promise for human health benefits related to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, bone density and obesity.
A consumer telephone survey of more than 800 respondents was conducted by the CLA Network to examine consumers' attitudes toward CLA-enriched products and to identify key factors that may help determine consumers' acceptance of these products. Based in Alberta, the CLA Network is a collaborative team from academia, industry and government, including representatives from many areas of expertise such as research, food industry, health and communications.
"The survey results pointed to significant market potential for CLA-enriched dairy products," says Yanning Peng, market analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Food and member of the CLA Network. "Keys to tapping this potential include clinical trials to prove the efficacy and safety of CLA on humans, the approval of health claims, and the implementation of an aggressive marketing strategy."
With progress in these areas, CLA-enriched products could help the dairy industry further tap into the burgeoning market for functional foods, says Peng. A functional food is defined as any food with that has demonstrated physiological benefits or reduces the risk of chronic disease beyond what are considered normal nutritional functions.
"Today's consumers focus more on nutritional content and health benefits, so specialty dairy products, including functional dairy products, have become the drivers of growth in the dairy sector," she says. Examples of these products include milk enriched with vitamins, minerals, or omega-3 fatty acids.
"The development of functional dairy products improves consumer welfare by providing new options to promote health through dietary choices," says Peng. "It also helps the dairy industry to gain competitive advantages in the marketplace."
The survey was conducted in 2004 and results / analysis were recently published in the December 2006 Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics. The survey gathered responses from approximately 400 people in Alberta and 400 in British Columbia. Participants were randomly selected and the survey was designed to achieve a 95 percent confidence interval with an accuracy of plus or minus five percent.
The survey collected information on socio-demographic characteristics and included questions on consumer attitudes and knowledge about dairy products, nutrition labeling, health claims, health concerns, the relationship between food and health, as well as consumption of milk and existing functional foods.
Despite limited promotion of CLA, 11.6 percent of respondents said they had some awareness of CLA and its benefits. Respondents were provided a summary of CLA and its links to health benefits. Based on this information, respondents estimated that CLA-enriched milk was worth $0.39 more per liter than the price of regular milk - an average of 35.5 percent more than the base price.
Positive attitudes toward the healthiness of conventional dairy products significantly increased interest in purchasing five potential CLA-enhanced dairy products, including yogurt, cheese, 2 percent milk, 1 percent milk, and butter.
More detailed information and analysis on the survey results is available in a new article available on the Web, at www.CLAnetwork.com.
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