Bergamot Food Products: Consumers Preferences

This study examines trends and attitudes in the consumption of bergamot food, a niche food product. Mainly used for the extraction of essential oils, in the last twenty years it has been widely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries and as a flavoring for sweets, liqueurs and herbal teas and other food products. Bergamot is currently receiving renewed interest, thanks to its recognized nutraceutical effects, the multiplicity of culinary uses and its use in addition to many food preparations. Bergamot represents a tangible example of circular economy, in fact recent studies highlight the importance of recovering industrial waste from the Bergamot Essential Oil (BEO) extraction process and their use as antioxidants and natural additives in the food industry. However, to date, no empirical studies have been conducted on consumers of bergamot and bergamot food to identify consumption and purchasing preferences and behaviours. This empirical study is based on a face-to-face questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used as the main practical approach for data analysis and six research hypotheses were examined. The results show that curiosity, organoleptic qualities and health aspects such as a healthy and attentive lifestyle are the major influences on the attitude towards the consumption of bergamot-based products.