Acceptability of veggie bread among Lebanese adults

Bread is a staple food in Lebanon, but traditional refined wheat bread lacks essential nutrients. Incorporating vegetables as functional ingredients has gained interest in enhancing its nutritional profile. This study aimed to assess Lebanese adults' willingness to adopt veggie bread, given its...

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Main Authors: Asma Chanbour, Hussein F. Hassan, Dima Kreidieh, Salma Khazaal, Tareq Osaili, Khaled El Omari, Nada El Darra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1573593/full
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author Asma Chanbour
Hussein F. Hassan
Dima Kreidieh
Salma Khazaal
Tareq Osaili
Tareq Osaili
Khaled El Omari
Khaled El Omari
Nada El Darra
author_facet Asma Chanbour
Hussein F. Hassan
Dima Kreidieh
Salma Khazaal
Tareq Osaili
Tareq Osaili
Khaled El Omari
Khaled El Omari
Nada El Darra
author_sort Asma Chanbour
collection DOAJ
description Bread is a staple food in Lebanon, but traditional refined wheat bread lacks essential nutrients. Incorporating vegetables as functional ingredients has gained interest in enhancing its nutritional profile. This study aimed to assess Lebanese adults' willingness to adopt veggie bread, given its novelty in Lebanon. An English-Arabic survey was administered to 750 Lebanese adults to evaluate bread consumption and their willingness to switch to veggie bread. Statistical analyses included frequency distribution, response percentages, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), and the Chi-square test for independence to examine associations between sociodemographic factors and willingness to switch. Four veggie breads were obtained and a sensory evaluation was conducted with 50 panelists using hedonic ranking, preference ranking, and food action/attitude rating tests. The sociodemographic profile of the 750 participants revealed a predominance of females (82.1%), with the majority being young adults aged 18–30 years (47.3%). The study found that freshness (64%), use-by-date (65.3%), and taste (60.7%) were the most important factors in bread selection, with price rated as “very important” by 28.5% of participants. The study found that 51.2% valued fiber addition in bread, 37.5% considered veggie bread healthier, and 52.8% would switch to veggie bread if it offered more nutrients. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between sociodemographic factors and participants' willingness to switch to veggie bread. Education, occupation, income, and family size influenced perceptions of veggie bread's safety, health benefits, and appeal. Carrot bread received the highest acceptance and preference, followed by spinach and cabbage bread, while beetroot bread had the lowest acceptance. These results were statistically significant, as indicated by the Chi-square test (p < 0.008) for the hedonic ratings and p < 0.001 for the preference ranking. Out of 50 panelists, the majority expressed positive attitudes toward veggie bread, with 17 stating they would eat it at every opportunity and 12 frequently. This study highlights the growing interest in veggie bread among Lebanese adults, with significant factors such as health benefits and nutrition influencing their willingness to switch.
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spelling doaj-art-40d32ff4fd8b40eea38ac2144faf732d2025-08-20T02:40:29ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-06-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15735931573593Acceptability of veggie bread among Lebanese adultsAsma Chanbour0Hussein F. Hassan1Dima Kreidieh2Salma Khazaal3Tareq Osaili4Tareq Osaili5Khaled El Omari6Khaled El Omari7Nada El Darra8Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, LebanonDepartment of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut, LebanonDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, LebanonDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, LebanonDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab EmiratesDepartment of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, JordanLaboratoire Microbiologie Santé et Environnement (LMSE), Faculty of Public Health, Doctoral School of Sciences and Technology, Lebanese University, Tripoli, LebanonQuality Control Center Laboratories (QCCLABS)—Industrial Development and Research Agro-Agri Center (IDRAC), Center at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Tripoli and North Lebanon, Tripoli, LebanonDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, LebanonBread is a staple food in Lebanon, but traditional refined wheat bread lacks essential nutrients. Incorporating vegetables as functional ingredients has gained interest in enhancing its nutritional profile. This study aimed to assess Lebanese adults' willingness to adopt veggie bread, given its novelty in Lebanon. An English-Arabic survey was administered to 750 Lebanese adults to evaluate bread consumption and their willingness to switch to veggie bread. Statistical analyses included frequency distribution, response percentages, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), and the Chi-square test for independence to examine associations between sociodemographic factors and willingness to switch. Four veggie breads were obtained and a sensory evaluation was conducted with 50 panelists using hedonic ranking, preference ranking, and food action/attitude rating tests. The sociodemographic profile of the 750 participants revealed a predominance of females (82.1%), with the majority being young adults aged 18–30 years (47.3%). The study found that freshness (64%), use-by-date (65.3%), and taste (60.7%) were the most important factors in bread selection, with price rated as “very important” by 28.5% of participants. The study found that 51.2% valued fiber addition in bread, 37.5% considered veggie bread healthier, and 52.8% would switch to veggie bread if it offered more nutrients. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between sociodemographic factors and participants' willingness to switch to veggie bread. Education, occupation, income, and family size influenced perceptions of veggie bread's safety, health benefits, and appeal. Carrot bread received the highest acceptance and preference, followed by spinach and cabbage bread, while beetroot bread had the lowest acceptance. These results were statistically significant, as indicated by the Chi-square test (p < 0.008) for the hedonic ratings and p < 0.001 for the preference ranking. Out of 50 panelists, the majority expressed positive attitudes toward veggie bread, with 17 stating they would eat it at every opportunity and 12 frequently. This study highlights the growing interest in veggie bread among Lebanese adults, with significant factors such as health benefits and nutrition influencing their willingness to switch.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1573593/fullbreadveggiequestionnairesensoryacceptabilitypreference
spellingShingle Asma Chanbour
Hussein F. Hassan
Dima Kreidieh
Salma Khazaal
Tareq Osaili
Tareq Osaili
Khaled El Omari
Khaled El Omari
Nada El Darra
Acceptability of veggie bread among Lebanese adults
Frontiers in Public Health
bread
veggie
questionnaire
sensory
acceptability
preference
title Acceptability of veggie bread among Lebanese adults
title_full Acceptability of veggie bread among Lebanese adults
title_fullStr Acceptability of veggie bread among Lebanese adults
title_full_unstemmed Acceptability of veggie bread among Lebanese adults
title_short Acceptability of veggie bread among Lebanese adults
title_sort acceptability of veggie bread among lebanese adults
topic bread
veggie
questionnaire
sensory
acceptability
preference
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1573593/full
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