Australian wine consumers’ acceptance of and attitudes toward the use of additives in wine and food production

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic and consumption behavior of Australian wine consumers and low, medium, and high wine knowledge segments

Demographic and consumption behavior	Total sample (n= 1,031)	Wine knowledge segments
		Low (n=271, 26.3%)	Medium (n=528, 51.2%)	High (n=232, 22.5%)
Sex
Male	44.9	36.6	45.0	54.3
Female	55.1	63.4	55.0	45.7
Age (years)
18-24	11.8	14.6	12.3	7.4
25-34	22.2	18.3	22.2	26.6
35-44	19.4	20.1	18.4	20.9
45-65	34.7	31.3	34.5	39.1
65+	11.9	15.7	12.5	6.1
Education
Nontertiary education	48.1	54.9	51.1	33.5
Tertiary education	51.9	45.1	48.9	66.5
Household income
<AUD $50,000	28.5	34.0	30.4	17.9
AUD $50,001–100,000	36.7	39.2	35.4	36.5
AUD $100,001–200,000	29.5	23.7	29.6	36.1
>AUD $200,000	5.3	3.0	4.6	9.6
Consumption behavior
Consumption of alcoholic beverages
Beer		21.3^ab	21.4^a	l7.9^b
Wine		49.9^b	52.0^b	65.1^a
Spirits		14.1^a	13.5^a	8.8^b
Premixes		5.0^a	3.9^a	1.1^b
Cocktails		3.7	3.3	2.4
Cider		4.7	4.8	4.0
Other		1.2	1.1	0.5
Consumption of different wine styles
Sparkling wine		16.8^a	14.7^a	11.6^b
Rosé wine		5.2	6.2	5.0
Light-bodied white wine		27.4^a	23.7^b	20.3^b
Full-bodied white wine		12.1	10.8	11.5
Red wine		31.4^c	37.3^b	45.0^a
Dessert wine		3.4^ab	4.3^a	2.8^b
Fortified wine		3.7	3.1	3.8

Notes: Data are presented as percentages. Different superscript letters within a row indicate significant differences between knowledge segments (P≤0.05, one-way ANOVA, Fisher’s LSD).

Abbreviations: LSD, least significant difference; ANOVA, analysis of variance.

Table 2 Australian consumers’ opinions on the use of additives in wine production

Wine additive statements	Wine knowledge segments
	Low (n=27l, 26.3%)	Medium (n=528, 51.2%)	High (n=232, 22.5%)	P-value
A wine label that lists “blackcurrant aroma” indicates the wine contains blackcurrant fruit	3.5^a	3.5^a	1.8^b	0.0001
Wines are typically fermented with the addition of yeast*	5.3^a	5.6^a	6.8^b	0.0001
In Australia, you are permitted to add color (extracted from grapes) to wine to improve appearance*	5.9^b	5.8^b	6.3^a	0.0001
Wines are always made from grapes*	4.5	4.6	4.7	0.776
Winemakers are allowed to add oak chips to wines, instead of maturing the wine in oak barrels*	5.4^c	5.7^b	7.0^a	0.0001
During winemaking, products containing milk can be added to the wines*	5.1^b	5.3^b	6.6^a	0.0001
Pomegranate wine is a wine	5.7	5.6	5.7	0.710
During winemaking, products containing fish can be added to the wines*	4.3^c	4.7^b	5.8^a	0.0001
If a wine label states “the wine displays hints of vanilla”, this means vanilla has been added to the wine	3.9^a	3.8^a	1.9^b	0.0001
There is a difference between “wine” and “wine product”*	6.9^b	6.5^c	7.4^a	0.0001
During winemaking, products containing eggs can be added to the wines*	5.0^c	5.4^b	7.1^a	0.0001
Wines can be fermented with wild yeast (naturally found on grapes)*	6.1^b	6.3^b	7.7^a	0.0001
Organic wines are free of any food additives, including preservatives	4.9^a	5.0^a	4.2^b	0.0001

Notes: Data are means, where 1= strongly disagree, 5= neither agree nor disagree, and 9= strongly agree. Different superscript letters within a row indicate significant differences between knowledge segments (P≤0.05, one-way ANOVA, Fisher’s LSD, df =2); *indicates that the statement is true.

Abbreviations: LSD, least significant difference; ANOVA, analysis of variance.

Table 3 Australian consumers’ opinions on the use of additives in food production

Food additive statements	Wine knowledge segments
	Low (n=271, 26.3%)	Medium (n=528, 51.2%)	High (n=232, 22.5%)	P-value
Food additives are represented by a numbering system	6.9^a	6.5^b	6.7^ab	0.006
Natural food additives are less harmful than artificial additives	6.3^a	6.1^a	5.6^b	0.0001
Preservatives are added to food products to increase shelf-life	7.8^a	7.1^b	7.5^a	0.0001
Organic products do not have additives in them	5.8^a	5.6^a	5.1^b	0.001
Food additives are added to products to disguise poor quality	5.2^a	5.2^a	4.7^b	0.017
Preservatives are added to food to reduce spoilage	7.5^a	6.9^b	7.6^a	0.0001
Food additives are harmful to health	5.9^a	5.7^a	5.1^b	0.0001
Preservatives in food are harmful to health	5.8^a	5.7^a	5.1^b	0.0001

Notes: Data are means, where 1= strongly disagree, 5= neither agree nor disagree, and 9= strongly agree. Different superscript letters within a row indicate significant differences between knowledge segments (P≤0.05, one-way ANOVA, Fisher’s LSD, df =2).

Abbreviations: LSD, least significant difference; ANOVA, analysis of variance.

Table 4 Australian consumers’ acceptance of additives in wine

Wine additive	Wine knowledge segments
	Low (n=27l, 26.3%)	Medium (n=528, 51.2%)	High (n=232, 22.5%)	P-value
Natural flavoring	6.4^a	6.1^a	5.4^b	0.0001
Artificial flavoring	3.1^a	3.4^a	2.5^b	0.0001
Preservatives	4.3^b	4.6^b	5.3^a	0.0001
Acid	4.3^c	4.7^b	5.3^a	0.0001
Oak chips	4.5^c	5.0^b	5.6^a	0.0001
Tannins	4.9^b	5.1^b	5.9^a	0.0001
Natural color	6.4^a	6.0^b	5.6‘	0.0001
Artificial color	3.3^b	3.6^a	2.6‘	0.0001
Grape sugar extracts	5.9	5.7	5.8	0.148
Gelatin	4.2	4.4	4.2	0.225
Vitamins	6.0^a	5.7^ab	5.3^b	0.001

Notes: Data are means, where 1= highly unacceptable, 5= neither acceptable nor unacceptable, and 9= highly acceptable. Different superscript letters within a row indicate significant differences between knowledge segments (P≤0.05, one-way ANOVA, Fisher’s LSD, df =2).

Abbreviations: LSD, least significant difference; ANOVA, analysis of variance.

Table 5 Australian consumers’ acceptance of additives in food

Food additive	Wine knowledge segment
	Low (n=271, 26.3%)	Medium (n=528, 51.2%)	High (n=232, 22.5%)	P-value
Natural flavoring	6.7^a	6.4^b	6.3^b	0.024
Artificial flavoring	3.4^ab	3.6^a	3.1^b	0.015
Preservatives	4.4^b	4.5^b	4.9^a	0.004
Omega 3	7.3^a	7.0^b	7.1^b	0.004
Salt	4.7	4.9	4.8	0.389
Artificial sweeteners	3.8^ab	4.1^a	3.4^b	0.0001
Natural color	6.8^a	6.4^b	6.5^ab	0.007
Artificial color	3.6^ab	3.7^a	3.3^b	0.025
Monosodium glutamate	2.6	2.9	2.6	0.380
Minerals (eg, calcium, zinc)	6.9^a	6.4^b	6.4^b	0.0001
Thickeners	4.7	4.8	4.8	0.538
Folate	6.5^a	6.2^b	6.3^ab	0.047
Vitamins	7.5^a	7.0^b	7.1^b	0.0001

Notes: Data are means, where 1= highly unacceptable, 5= neither acceptable nor unacceptable, and 9= highly acceptable. Different superscript letters within a row indicate significant differences between knowledge segments (P≤0.05, one-way ANOVA, Fisher’s LSD, df =2).

Abbreviations: LSD, least significant difference; ANOVA, analysis of variance.

Table 6 Consumer preferences for flavors in white and red wines

Wine flavor	Wine knowledge segments
	Low (n=271, 26.3%)	Medium (n =528, 51.2%)	High (n=232, 22.5%)
White wine
Lemon	14.9	13.8	20.0
Citrus	10.3	17.9	17.5
Fruity	13.8	12.2	10.0
Apple	9.2	13.0	15.0
Mango	9.2	13.0	7.5
Lime	9.2	7.3	7.5
Passion fruit	10.3	4.9	10.0
Sweet fruit	11.5	4.9	0
Vanilla	4.6	8.1	5.0
Honey	6.9	4.9	7.5
Red wine
Vanilla	29.9	12.6	7.2
Blackcurrants	8.1	10.3	15.8
Chocolate	9.0	13.2	15.9
Raspberry	10.4	12.6	5.8
Mixed spice	9.0	10.1	10.1
Berry	4.5	9.4	11.6
Strawberry	14.9	7.5	5.8
Blackberry	11.9	13.8	21.7
Cherry	4.5	5.7	8.7
Fruity	4.5	6.9	5.8

Note: Data are presented as percentages for top ten flavors within wine knowledge segments.