Can knowledge and product identity shift sensory perceptions and patronage intentions? The case of genetically modified wines

Abstract

This study examines the influence of GM identity on wine's sensory evaluations (i.e., appearance, aroma, taste) and consumer patronage using evaluative conditioning and halo effect as theoretical bases. We further inspect the role of knowledge in neutralizing these evaluation biases caused by the "negative halo" of involving gene technology in wine production. A sensory experiment involving 203 consumers suggests that wines primed as GM receive less desirable evaluations on appearance, aroma, and taste relative to conventional samples. Consumers educated with sufficient knowledge on GM wines, rate the wines more objectively such that sensory and overall quality evaluations of the two wine types are not significantly different. As such, educating consumers about the distinct nature of genetic modification technology used in wine making (using GM yeasts) seem to mitigate the negative halo caused by the GM identity.