Public perception of algal consumption as an alternative food in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Figures & data

Figure 1. Conceptual framework determinants of attitude towards using algae as alternative food source.

Table 1. Socio-demographic profiling of the participants.

		Age
Occupation
Students	14	≤20	14
Administrative staff	10	20–40	6
Academic staff	5	40–60	10
Others	1	≥60	0
Gender		Nationality
Male	18	Bahraini	20
Female	12	Non-Bahraini	10

Figure 2. Experimental result of introducing to the participants algae in different ways.

Table 2. Socio-demographic profiling of the participants.

		Age
Education
Secondary school	78.2%	10–15	3%
BSc	13.9%	16–20	56%
MSc	6.7%	21–25	25%
PhD	0.6%	26–30	4%
Gender
Male	81.4%	31–35	1%
Female	18.6%	>35	12%

Table 3. Socio-demographics of the participants.

How do you evaluate your weight
I am overweight		27.9%
I am underweight		18.2%
My weight is ideal		54%
Diseases you are suffering from
Diabetes	Allergies	High blood pressure
81.1%	3%	10.9%
High cholesterol	High triglycerides	Osteoporosis
1.2%	1.8%	1.2%

Table 4. Behaviour regarding eating algal products.

Yes	No
73%	27%	Do you like seafood (Fish, shrimps, …etc)?
90%	10%	Do you know what is meant by algae (Seaweeds)?
46%	55%	Have you ever heard about algae (Seaweeds) as alternative food?
71%	30%	Have you seen algae (Seaweeds)/algal food in the supermarket?
84.5%	14.5%	Have you ever seen one of your family member or friend eating algae (Seaweeds)?

Table 5. Hypothesis testing (path analysis).

Hypotheses	B	T	Status
Sensory appeal – perceive risk and uncertainty	0.348	5.767	accepted
Perceived healthiness – perceive risk and uncertainty	0.312	4.903	accepted
Knowledge–experience–familiarity – perceive risk and uncertainty	0.303	4.408	accepted
Perceived risk and uncertainty – behavioral intention	0.414	4.459	accepted
Subjective norm – behavioural intention	0.255	2.806	accepted
Neo phobia –behavioural intention	0.369	5.946	accepted

Table 6. Explanation of variances.

Factor	R^2
Perceive risk and uncertainty	0.344
Behavioural intention	0.464

Table 7. AVE, composite reliability, and Cronbach’s Alpha.

Construct	AVE	Composite Reliability	Cronbach’s Alpha
Sensory appeal	0.670	0.875	0.973
Perceive health	0.798	0.754	0.799
Knowledge and experience/familiarity	0.824	0.953	0.957
Perceived risk and uncertainty	0.756	0.920	0.924
Food neophobia	0.650	0.876	0.876
Subjective norm	0.745	0.965	0.896
Behavioural intention	0.895	0.954	0.948

Table 8. Factor loading of the model constructs.

Construct	Items	Factor loading	Construct	Items	Factor loading
Sensory appeal	SA1	0.60	Perceived risk	PRU1	0.798
	SA2	0.754	and uncertainty	PRU2	0.690
	SA3	0.856		PRU3	0.970
	SA4	0.835		PRU4	0.696
	SA5	0.976
Perceive health	PH1	0.867	Food neophobia	FN1	0.967
	PH2	0.786		FN2	0.859
	PH3	0.657
	PH4	0.785
	PH5	0.687
	PH6	0.987
	PH7	0.897
	PH8	0.946
Knowledge and	KEF1	0.647	Subjective norm	SN1	0.798
experience/	KEF2	0.675		SN2	0.897
familiarity	KEF3	0.970		SN3	0.687
	KEF4	0.869
	KEF5	0.698
	KEF6	0.796
Behavioural	BI1	0.689
Intention	BI2	0.708