Dr. Christelle Bou Mitri, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Nutrition and Health Sciences at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU), has contributed to a global project aimed at advancing food science. The Global Harmonization Initiative (GHI) organized a Consumer Perception Working Group to publish a book on the topic, with Dr. Bou Mitri playing a pivotal role as a leading researcher affiliated with the Lebanese Food Scientists and Technologists.
The GHI, an international non-profit network of scientists and organizations, works to promote global food safety regulations and the harmonization of legislation. Through this collaboration, Dr. Bou Mitri and her research team, consisting of NDU professors and alumni, co-authored five chapters in the book Consumer Perceptions and Food, published by Springer Nature, a leading global publisher advancing scientific discovery.
Alongside Dr. Bou Mitri, contributors included Dr. Jacqueline Doumit (Professor of Biochemistry), Romy Chammas (MSc in Human Nutrition and part-time faculty instructor), Mirna Raad (MSc in Food Safety and Quality and Management), Ghenwa Sarieddin (MSc student, Human Nutrition), and Tonia Chahine (MSc student, Food Safety and Quality and Management). Their work is now available through Springer Nature: Link to book.
Insights from 51 contributors across 24 countries and five continents helped make the research more global and relevant. This book is the first to address the complexity and issues driven by consumer perceptions related to food. It aims to help readers understand why and how they make eating choices—ranging from the role of their senses and beliefs to their experiences—while raising awareness about new food technologies, sustainable food, and responsible consumption. The book also explores how perceptions impact the future of food and the environment.
Moreover, Consumer Perceptions and Food is an essential guide for manufacturers who are constantly striving to understand consumer behavior, which is strongly influenced by packaging and the nutritional information printed on labels.
In an interview about this groundbreaking work, Dr. Bou Mitri highlighted the local situation: "In Lebanon, our diet is already highly plant-based, with staples like falafel, hummus, and lentils. However, we are lagging behind in food innovation, focusing instead on food security due to ongoing emergencies. Nonetheless, integrating new food technologies across the supply chain could be a great solution for food security. For example, a scrambled eggs or omelet breakfast might actually be a mung bean mix. An expensive 'Impossible Burger' could be made from hummus, beetroot for coloring, and meat spices, and even contain blood, thanks to the technological introduction of heme. Findings show that consumer perceptions are strongly impacted by what they see. If they don't notice the insect-based substance used in red food coloring—which is expected to become more common in future foods—they will happily consume it."
This breakthrough knowledge is actively integrated into Dr. Bou Mitri’s teaching, where she encourages students to explore consumer perceptions and their influence on food product development, food technologies, quality management, and regulatory practices. Through targeted questions and discussions on topics like risk assessment, uncertainty management, and labeling, she fosters curiosity and innovation among her students.
This research is part of Dr. Bou Mitri, Dr. Doumit, and their team's ongoing efforts to remain at the forefront of food technology and innovation. In collaboration with researchers and professors from international universities, the NDU working group is currently investigating consumer perceptions of plant-based foods, especially among Generation Z.
Congratulations to the NDU research team on this remarkable achievement, and we look forward to their future contributions to the field of food science!
Below are the five chapters co-authored by Dr. Bou Mitri and her team: