EIT Food study finds consumers willing to try precision fermentation, but trust remains a hurdle

Consumers may be more willing to try foods made using precision fermentation than their understanding of the technology might suggest, according to new research from EIT Food. However, unanswered questions about how ingredients are produced, their safety and whether they qualify as 'real' food could prevent initial curiosity from developing into lasting acceptance.

• EIT Food research involving 45 participants found curiosity about precision fermentation despite limited understanding of the technology.
• Familiar comparisons with traditional fermentation helped explain the process, although consumers still wanted greater transparency.
• Taste, texture and nutritional value proved more persuasive than sustainability or ethical claims when considering new products.

The findings are detailed in From Curiosity to Confidence: Developing effective messaging for products made with precision fermentation, a qualitative report published by the EIT Food Consumer Observatory ahead of World Food Day on October 16.

The research examined how consumers perceive precision fermentation and how different explanations of the technology influence their responses to food products containing precision-fermented ingredients.

Precision fermentation uses microorganisms, including yeast and fungi, to produce specific substances such as proteins and fats. These ingredients can then be incorporated into foods, potentially offering manufacturers new ways to achieve particular nutritional or functional characteristics.

Although the technology is attracting growing commercial interest, the report suggests that explaining it to consumers remains a considerable challenge.

The study involved 45 participants across two stages. The first explored existing perceptions of precision fermentation, while the second tested product concepts and communication approaches to establish which explanations were most effective.

Many participants regarded the technology as new and innovative, even when they were uncertain about its merits. Rather than rejecting products outright, they expressed a willingness to taste them before reaching a conclusion.

That willingness, however, came with conditions. Participants expected products to meet their expectations for taste and quality, suggesting that a disappointing first experience could undermine the curiosity that encouraged them to try something unfamiliar.

“Curiosity gives precision fermentation an opening, but consumers still have very basic questions about what the technology is and what it means for the food they eat,” said Klaus G. Grunert, Professor of Marketing at Aarhus University and Lead of the EIT Food Consumer Observatory. “If those questions are left unanswered, novelty can quickly turn into suspicion. And once consumers decide to try a product, the product needs to deliver on their expectations.”

One recurring source of uncertainty concerned the microorganisms themselves. Some participants struggled to understand their role in producing food ingredients, while others questioned whether the resulting products should be considered genuine foods or alternatives to conventional ingredients.

Safety was another concern, alongside the possible consequences of precision fermentation for agricultural employment and established food-production systems.
The research found that explanations lacking sufficient detail could make the production process appear mysterious. Some participants described vague accounts of the technology as almost resembling 'magic', raising suspicions that important information might be missing.

EIT Food therefore recommends explaining the science in accessible language without removing details consumers need to understand what they are eating.
Traditional fermentation emerged as one potentially useful reference point.

Although foods such as bread, yogurt and cheese are familiar to most consumers, participants did not always recognize that microorganisms play a role in producing them.
Making that connection helped some participants understand precision fermentation as an extension of established food-production practices rather than an entirely unfamiliar process.

Nevertheless, the report cautions that comparisons with conventional fermentation are insufficient on their own. Consumers also need to understand what makes precision fermentation different and how it produces the ingredients used in finished products.

The research also offers guidance on which product attributes are most likely to influence purchasing decisions.

Taste, texture and nutritional value emerged as particularly persuasive benefits. Participants were generally more interested in what a product could offer them personally than in arguments centered on replacing existing ingredients for environmental or ethical reasons.

Sustainability and animal welfare remained relevant, but tended to support purchasing decisions rather than determine them.

For manufacturers, the findings suggest that communications emphasizing technological innovation or environmental credentials may be less effective than explaining how a particular ingredient improves the finished food.

The report also questions the value of marketing precision-fermented products primarily as substitutes for familiar foods.

Presenting a new product as a direct replacement can encourage consumers to compare it against something they already know and enjoy. Such comparisons may create expectations that are difficult for an unfamiliar product to satisfy.

Instead, EIT Food recommends developing products with identifiable benefits of their own, allowing consumers to assess them on their individual characteristics rather than solely on their resemblance to conventional alternatives.

The findings are based on qualitative research rather than a representative consumer survey, meaning they provide insight into participants' attitudes and reasoning rather than a measure of acceptance across the wider population.

The report forms part of the EIT Food Consumer Observatory's continuing work examining public responses to emerging food technologies. EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union.

Its publication coincides with World Food Day 2026, which carries the theme “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.” The observance, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, highlights the contribution of innovation, traditional knowledge and inclusive approaches to future food systems.

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