CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR ATTRIBUTES OF CATFISH NUGGETS: PRICE,BREADING COLOR,COOKING METHOD,AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

Marketed as the “nugget” in the seafood trade, the belly flap of the catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) is a residual portion with minimal value due to its elevated fat content and unsightly black peritoneal membrane. To ameliorate these shortcomings, a variety of marinated and breaded nugget formulations were developed and screened in the laboratory. Four of these were evaluated further for organoleptic traits using consumer sensory panels. Next, an in-store conjoint survey was conducted in 13 supermarkets in eight cities in the southern United States to elicit consumers' preferences for price ($3.28/kg, $10.12/kg, $16.51/kg), color of breading (light, medium, dark), cooking method (fried, baked), and country of origin (United States, China). Cluster analysis suggested three consumer segments: a price-sensitive segment, a U.S.-origin segment, and a dark-breading segment. Membership in the segments was related to age, ethnicity, and education. Unusually strong preferences for higher prices and country of origin were investigated in detail.