Consumers will taste a precision-fermented product before forming an opinion, but unanswered questions about safety and production can turn that curiosity into suspicion, according to new research from the EIT Food Consumer Observatory.

The qualitative study, From Curiosity to Confidence: Developing effective messaging for products made with precision fermentation, was conducted with 45 participants through the Observatory's Citizen Participation Forum. Participants first explored their perceptions of the technology, then split into three groups to assess product concepts and communication narratives.

For food manufacturers and brands, the stakes are straightforward: one bad first impression. The report warns that initial curiosity places heavy pressure on the first consumer experience, and products must meet expectations from the outset.

What does the technology involve?

Precision fermentation uses microorganisms such as yeast or fungi to produce specific substances, including proteins and fats, which then serve as food ingredients. Participants generally viewed the technology as new and innovative. Many were not yet convinced by it, yet expressed enough curiosity to want to taste products made with it.

Their questions clustered around three concerns:

• how microorganisms are used during production;
• whether the resulting ingredients count as "real" foods or alternatives;
• the safety of the technology.

Some participants also questioned what precision fermentation could mean for farming and employment across the food production sector.

Klaus G. Grunert, professor of marketing at Aarhus University and lead of the EIT Food Consumer Observatory, said unanswered questions could cause consumers' initial curiosity to turn into suspicion.

Why vague messaging backfires

The research found that overly vague explanations could make precision fermentation appear almost "like magic", potentially leading consumers to believe information was being withheld. The report recommends companies make the science accessible while providing enough detail to demonstrate transparency.

One route is anchoring the technology in familiar territory. Consumers already know fermented foods such as bread, yogurt and cheese — although some participants did not immediately identify those products as fermented. Linking precision fermentation to this established production history made the technology feel less experimental to some participants.

The comparison has limits. It should come with a clear explanation of how precision fermentation works, not serve as the sole communication device.

Which messages drive purchase?

Tangible benefits beat technology talk. Taste, texture and nutritional value emerged as more compelling purchase drivers than messages centred on replacing existing ingredients for sustainability or ethical reasons. Animal welfare and sustainability stayed important to participants, but acted as supporting rather than decisive factors.

The report also advises against positioning precision-fermented products simply as replacements for familiar foods. Direct comparisons invite consumers to judge a new product against an established favourite — a punishing benchmark for an unfamiliar innovation. Manufacturers should instead develop products with their own clear consumer benefit and use the novelty itself to build on existing curiosity.

What happens next?

The Observatory's recommendations to manufacturers and brands are fourfold:

• make precision fermentation understandable without concealing its complexity;
• capitalise on consumers' willingness to try new products;
• communicate tangible benefits;
• avoid presenting products solely as substitutes for familiar favourites, and ensure the first trial delivers on expectations.

The findings form part of the Observatory's wider work on perceptions of emerging food technologies. They were published ahead of World Food Day on 16 October 2026, which this year carries the theme "Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow." Brands planning launches in this category should expect scrutiny of first-trial quality and prepare communication that explains the process plainly.