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Full Research Article

Evaluation of the Influence of Food Quality Attributes on the Behavior of Different Consumer Groups in Wasit Province, Iraq

M
Manal Hadi Ghaffoori Kanaan1,*
0000-0002-9409-4778
I
Iqbal Hanash Dhefer1
0000-0002-0652-1523
A
Ahmad M. Tarek2
0000-0001-8752-9043
S
Sura Saad Abdullah3
0000-0001-5730-9410
A
Abdullah Ahmed Hafez4
0009-0003-1849-7422
A
Alaa Ahmed Sami4
0009-0009-6915-3666
1Department of Food Industry Technologies, Technical Institute of Suwaria, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq.
2Department of Crime Evidence, Institute of Medical Technology Al-Mansour, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq.
3College of Pharmacy, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea.
4Department of Nursing, Technical Institute of Suwaria, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq.

ABSTRACT

Background: Marketers of healthy diets should understand customers’ psychological and behavioral eating patterns. Rating different foods by various consumers are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic food quality attributes across consumer categories to close this gap. We also evaluated food product consumption frequency and consumer segmentation.

Methods: From August 2025 to February 2026, 340 consumers in Wasit, Iraq, were tested to see how food quality affects behavior. A questionnaire gathered sociodemographic data and examined health attitudes and food quality behaviors. SPSS was used to analyze variable-influenced research parameters.

Result: Our study revealed significant demographic differences among consumer groups (P<0.01). Sensory and health aspects had the highest ratings (66.67%, p = 0.0001). Consumers valued health, taste, convenience and concern, with varying consumption patterns across groups. This study helps manufacturing businesses, government and consumers understand perceptions of intrinsic and extrinsic food features and improve responses to food products.

INTRODUCTION

Many factors influence consumer food choices (Gutjar et al., 2015; Vos et al., 2022). Comprehending the function of perceived food quality in dietary decision-making is important for promoting public health (Smeding et al., 2023; Raghuramapatruni et al., 2026). Consumer food preferences are influenced by complex interactions among intrinsic and extrinsic product features, psychological factors and contextual factors (Mehta et al., 2024). Price signals and sustainability labels are crucial exterior indicators in retail scenarios with significant quality uncertainty, although freshness and taste are decisive considerations for choosing (Hartmann et al., 2025). Thus, food producers and marketers need to understand how these evaluative cues affect consumers’ perceived value to satisfy market expectations and improve brand share (Chonpracha et al., 2020; Jordaan et al., 2025). Kokkoris and Stavrova (2021) found that consumers prioritize appearance, flavor and enjoyment over status, even for convenience foods.        
       
Research has largely demonstrated that customers are prepared to pay for healthy food qualities (Ghali, 2020; Kanaan et al., 2025). However, there are clear and increasing concerns over food safety, origin and health quality in recent regional studies in Iraq (Kanaan and Tarek, 2020; Kanaan, 2021; Ghaffoori et al., 2022; Kanaan, 2023; 2024). Product characteristics are always more important than consumer valuation; e.g., functional characteristics lead to utilitarian value and sensory characteristics lead to hedonic preference (Wang and Yu, 2016). Ultimately, demographic and psychographic differences among consumer groups significantly influence such choices (Caputo et al., 2018).
       
Choice trials have been widely used in numerous researches to examine consumer preferences for particular aspects (Lizin et al., 2022). However, the literature lacks studies that segment consumers according to the relative importance they assign to different food attributes (Verain et al., 2016). Some foods may be valued for their unique culinary qualities, but the underlying attributes require more empirical substantiation.
       
To fill this gap, the present study explores the varying importance of intrinsic and extrinsic food qualities among different customer segments in Wasit province, Iraq. The novel regional approach to consumer segmentation, incorporating demographic information and behavioral food choices, is proposed and it provides significant, practical knowledge for targeted public health interventions and food marketing tactics in transition economies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study evaluated the behavior of customers towards food quality in Wasit province between August 2025 and February 2026. Wasit has a population of 1.45 million and an area of 17,153 km2 (Kanaan et al., 2023). The municipality’s demographics altered in 2014 due to displaced families, which may have affected food preferences in relation to price, health, availability and poverty. The sample size was computed using Cochran’s formula with 50% response distribution, 5% margin of error and 95% confidence level (Khan et al., 2016). Systematic random sampling was used at large markets, supermarkets, restaurants and retail outlets. Of 385 people recruited through a random lottery, 15 withdrew due to lack of interest, 11 due to lack of relevance, 16 failed to complete the survey and 3 refused to participate. Valid responses were obtained from 340 participants (response rate = 88.31%). Collectors clarified all survey queries during administration. The questionnaire was constructed based on current frameworks (Brečić et al., 2017; Kovács et al., 2022; Proi et al., 2025). The importance of the item was assessed by seven experts. The content validity was confirmed by the scale content validity index (S-CVI/AVE = 0.90) and item content validity index (I-CVI range: 0.78-1.00). The questionnaire was internally consistent, with a cronbach’s alpha of 0.82.
       
To interpret consumer segments, factor analysis statements were used:
       
Tasty food lovers are concerned with the flavor of food rather than its availability or price. They choose vitamin-rich, tasty food. These customers also enjoy appealing dishes. 
       
Healthy food lovers are concerned about additives and artificial ingredients. These customers value food traits like ease of preparation and availability in nearby shops and supermarkets less than others do. Healthy food buyers’ value pricing less than others.
       
Convenience consumers are mostly concerned with the extrinsic quality characteristics of food. They pay special attention to food preparation, which must be quick and simple.
       
Concerned consumers are worry about intrinsic and extrinsic food qualities. These consumers value food without additions or artificial substances and high vitamin, mineral and protein content. They choose low-calorie, low-fat and high-fiber diets. Food texture matters most to worried consumers. In this industry, consumers prioritize food availability, nation of origin and appearance. However, many clients worry about food prices and value.
       
The survey studied demographics, consumer segment criteria and meal quality behaviors. Behaviors were assessed with 17 items on a five-point likert scale (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral, 4=agree and 5=strongly agree) and the total score ranged from 17 to 85. Scores > 50% of the maximum score were labeled as “good” and scores < 50% were labeled as “bad”. The questions were related to sensory/health qualities, pricing, availability, digestion and preparation. The final parts measured the percentage of food consumption. Data were analyzed using SPSS (2019). Demographic and consumer group segmentations are presented as frequencies and percentages. The chi-square (χ2) test at p<0.05 and p<0.01 was used to determine statistical significance.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Demographics of responses
 
Our results (Table 1) showed that about half of the respondents were male and over two-thirds of them was from the age group of 20-25. Most were well qualified and their BMI was in the normal range (18.5-25). Demographics significantly affected sample distribution (P<0.01) except gender (P=0.8283). Taste and health are two elements that are vital to consider. Trends are affected by eating habits (Konar et al., 2022; Smeding et al., 2023). Health claims offered for smoothies were more likely to be believed by younger consumers. Education is important for analyzing the health implications of two-ingredient claims and form. The highly educated respondents were more beneficial, which is consistent with previous results (Rasoli and Siddayya, 2021).

Table 1: Distribution of sample study according to demographic information.


 
Distribution of study samples based on consumers’ behavior
 
Table 2 shows consumer behavior groups, mostly concerned consumers, with healthy food lovers at 17.94%. Significant differences (P<0.01, p=0.0005) were found among groups. Our results (Table 3) show demographic differences (P<0.01). Taste-oriented consumers appreciated tasty and attractive meals, but health-conscious consumers were considerably more positive about quality and preferred food rich in vitamins and minerals over food heavy in additives (p<0.01). This corroborates the findings of Brečić et al. (2017) who found that premium on health and taste features is generally associated with higher demographic purchasing power. In future research, measures of income should be taken directly to test this pattern in Wasit province. Contrary to previous studies, our data reveals more males than females in these parts (57.33% vs. 60.66%). Customers are well educated, about 85.33% and 60.66% respectively, which suggests education has a role in health awareness. Up to 80% report good health, 97.33% have normal BMI. These groups account for 40% of respondents and demonstrate the impact of food on BMI and the prevention of chronic diseases (Platikanova et al., 2022).

Table 2: Distribution of sample study according to consumer groups behavior.



Table 3: Distribution of sample study according to demographic information in difference groups.


       
Convenient consumers prioritize food quality extrinsically, focusing on fast, easy preparation and exhibited preference to convenience meals. This is consistent with the findings of Keating (2024) and Halicka et al., (2025), who found that time and convenience drive choices, with rising concern about ultra-processed food and single loneliness.
       
The largest group, concerned consumers (33.24%), value foods that boost happiness and health and are familiar. Unlike previous findings (Brečić et al., 2017), over 90% are under the age of 25. Despite consuming many convenient meals, they are also most concerned about their health and the environment. The “convenience paradox” illustrates how they depend on certain foods due to time and budget constraints, while simultaneously worrying about the associated health and environmental impacts (Proi et al., 2025; Halicka et al., 2025).
 
Different consumer groups’ behavior to the food quality characteristics
 
The results (Table 4) showed that more than half of participants agreed that their daily diet should taste, smell and feel nice. Regarding health, (42.65% and 45.29%) firmly agreed that their daily food should have natural ingredients and lots of minerals and vitamins. Only 39.41% of customers strongly agreed that safe meat and its products are more valuable, which showed inadequate meat safety behavior. “Price and availability can impact customer behavior. 36.47% thought their diet pricing was fair, 38.24% should be reasonable. Our results showed that only 47.06% of the participants had a good impression on food quality (Fig 1). In addition, sensory and health attributes received a high degree of positive assessment (above mean) of 66.67% (Fig 2). There are significant differences (P<0.01) in the replies of samples to attitude questions (Table 4). Similar to Hungary and Romania (Januszewska et al., 2011), Croatia (Brečić et al., 2017) and Italy (Proi et al., 2025), Iraqi customers are driven by intrinsic factors such as sensory appeal and health. Our results suggested that sensory attributes are the most important factor in meal choice, supporting earlier findings (Marino et al., 2017; Polizer et al., 2018; Kovács et al., 2022). Furthermore, our findings indicated that price, availability and weight control ranked second on the list of major motivations for Iraqi consumers’ dietary choices. Price was important, but not the main factor in consumer decision (Iop et al., 2006).

Table 4: Consumers’ behavior in relation to food quality characteristics.



Fig 1: Overall contributor attitudes: M. s.= Mean score, assessment level: Negative (M. s. <4.09), Neutral (M. s.= 4.11-4.23), Positive (M. s. > 4.24).



Fig 2: Percentage of positive behaviors (above mean) among different food quality attributes.


 
Disparities across categories by the percentage of certain food consumption
 
The results (Table 5) reveal that fans of nutritious and tasty food prioritize flavor and composition over price and availability and choose traditional cuisine. A third plus: ate natural foods many times a week, with almost half of those being traditional cuisine. Convenience customers eat natural food multiple times a week (Unlike concerned customers). Convenience consumers ate less natural food this could be attributed to higher prices and limited availability. This implies that customers are more concerned about the price and availability of natural and traditional foods than about easy meals. Lower consumption of natural foods may indicate a lack of confidence in their safety. The proportion of consumed food differs significantly (P<0.01) between customer categories. Traditional food, according to food science and sociology, is defined not only by its age, but also by its geographic and cultural specificity, so it represents meals and ingredients passed down through generations and strongly rooted in local culture, history and agricultural habits (Balogh et al., 2016). Natural foods are often defined as whole, unrefined goods that are similar to their natural condition and free of synthetic additives, artificial flavors, colors and preservatives (Roman et al., 2017). Many health-conscious consumers prefer traditional meals, suggesting them as the “gold standard” for taste and nutrition (García-Salirrosas et al., 2025).

Table 5: Group differences based on the percentage of consumers’ consumption of different foods.


       
Unlike healthy food supporters, convenience consumers prioritize marketing, branding and logistics, favoring traditional over organic foods (Fotopoulos et al., 2009). The study connects consumers’ choices to healthy diets, public information, social marketing and behavior-change efforts, potentially influencing food regulations and improving communication and cost efficiency.

CONCLUSION

Food lovers perceive qualities differently across cultures, often favoring pleasant foods despite health risks, a pattern that may be attributed to cultural roots. Health-conscious consumers prefer external features as signals of suitable choices. Research on culinary approaches shows cultural background influences attribute choices, as seen in Iraqi consumers. This study emphasizes the importance of eating behavior in evaluating food attributes. Future research should explore more dietary traits and habits.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This study received no funding or grants.
 
Disclaimers
 
The views and conclusions are solely those of the authors and may not reflect their institutions’ views. The authors are responsible for accuracy but do not accept liability for losses from using this content.
 
Informed consent
 
In accordance with the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki, the Middle Technical University Ethics Committee authorized this study (MEC No. 197). Research participants were asked to formally confirm their involvement when all necessary information had been gathered.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflicts of interest or funding influenced any part of the study or publication.

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    Full Research Article

    Evaluation of the Influence of Food Quality Attributes on the Behavior of Different Consumer Groups in Wasit Province, Iraq

    M
    Manal Hadi Ghaffoori Kanaan1,*
    0000-0002-9409-4778
    I
    Iqbal Hanash Dhefer1
    0000-0002-0652-1523
    A
    Ahmad M. Tarek2
    0000-0001-8752-9043
    S
    Sura Saad Abdullah3
    0000-0001-5730-9410
    A
    Abdullah Ahmed Hafez4
    0009-0003-1849-7422
    A
    Alaa Ahmed Sami4
    0009-0009-6915-3666
    1Department of Food Industry Technologies, Technical Institute of Suwaria, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq.
    2Department of Crime Evidence, Institute of Medical Technology Al-Mansour, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq.
    3College of Pharmacy, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea.
    4Department of Nursing, Technical Institute of Suwaria, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq.

    ABSTRACT

    Background: Marketers of healthy diets should understand customers’ psychological and behavioral eating patterns. Rating different foods by various consumers are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic food quality attributes across consumer categories to close this gap. We also evaluated food product consumption frequency and consumer segmentation.

    Methods: From August 2025 to February 2026, 340 consumers in Wasit, Iraq, were tested to see how food quality affects behavior. A questionnaire gathered sociodemographic data and examined health attitudes and food quality behaviors. SPSS was used to analyze variable-influenced research parameters.

    Result: Our study revealed significant demographic differences among consumer groups (P<0.01). Sensory and health aspects had the highest ratings (66.67%, p = 0.0001). Consumers valued health, taste, convenience and concern, with varying consumption patterns across groups. This study helps manufacturing businesses, government and consumers understand perceptions of intrinsic and extrinsic food features and improve responses to food products.

    INTRODUCTION

    Many factors influence consumer food choices (Gutjar et al., 2015; Vos et al., 2022). Comprehending the function of perceived food quality in dietary decision-making is important for promoting public health (Smeding et al., 2023; Raghuramapatruni et al., 2026). Consumer food preferences are influenced by complex interactions among intrinsic and extrinsic product features, psychological factors and contextual factors (Mehta et al., 2024). Price signals and sustainability labels are crucial exterior indicators in retail scenarios with significant quality uncertainty, although freshness and taste are decisive considerations for choosing (Hartmann et al., 2025). Thus, food producers and marketers need to understand how these evaluative cues affect consumers’ perceived value to satisfy market expectations and improve brand share (Chonpracha et al., 2020; Jordaan et al., 2025). Kokkoris and Stavrova (2021) found that consumers prioritize appearance, flavor and enjoyment over status, even for convenience foods.        
           
    Research has largely demonstrated that customers are prepared to pay for healthy food qualities (Ghali, 2020; Kanaan et al., 2025). However, there are clear and increasing concerns over food safety, origin and health quality in recent regional studies in Iraq (Kanaan and Tarek, 2020; Kanaan, 2021; Ghaffoori et al., 2022; Kanaan, 2023; 2024). Product characteristics are always more important than consumer valuation; e.g., functional characteristics lead to utilitarian value and sensory characteristics lead to hedonic preference (Wang and Yu, 2016). Ultimately, demographic and psychographic differences among consumer groups significantly influence such choices (Caputo et al., 2018).
           
    Choice trials have been widely used in numerous researches to examine consumer preferences for particular aspects (Lizin et al., 2022). However, the literature lacks studies that segment consumers according to the relative importance they assign to different food attributes (Verain et al., 2016). Some foods may be valued for their unique culinary qualities, but the underlying attributes require more empirical substantiation.
           
    To fill this gap, the present study explores the varying importance of intrinsic and extrinsic food qualities among different customer segments in Wasit province, Iraq. The novel regional approach to consumer segmentation, incorporating demographic information and behavioral food choices, is proposed and it provides significant, practical knowledge for targeted public health interventions and food marketing tactics in transition economies.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS

    The study evaluated the behavior of customers towards food quality in Wasit province between August 2025 and February 2026. Wasit has a population of 1.45 million and an area of 17,153 km2 (Kanaan et al., 2023). The municipality’s demographics altered in 2014 due to displaced families, which may have affected food preferences in relation to price, health, availability and poverty. The sample size was computed using Cochran’s formula with 50% response distribution, 5% margin of error and 95% confidence level (Khan et al., 2016). Systematic random sampling was used at large markets, supermarkets, restaurants and retail outlets. Of 385 people recruited through a random lottery, 15 withdrew due to lack of interest, 11 due to lack of relevance, 16 failed to complete the survey and 3 refused to participate. Valid responses were obtained from 340 participants (response rate = 88.31%). Collectors clarified all survey queries during administration. The questionnaire was constructed based on current frameworks (Brečić et al., 2017; Kovács et al., 2022; Proi et al., 2025). The importance of the item was assessed by seven experts. The content validity was confirmed by the scale content validity index (S-CVI/AVE = 0.90) and item content validity index (I-CVI range: 0.78-1.00). The questionnaire was internally consistent, with a cronbach’s alpha of 0.82.
           
    To interpret consumer segments, factor analysis statements were used:
           
    Tasty food lovers are concerned with the flavor of food rather than its availability or price. They choose vitamin-rich, tasty food. These customers also enjoy appealing dishes. 
           
    Healthy food lovers are concerned about additives and artificial ingredients. These customers value food traits like ease of preparation and availability in nearby shops and supermarkets less than others do. Healthy food buyers’ value pricing less than others.
           
    Convenience consumers are mostly concerned with the extrinsic quality characteristics of food. They pay special attention to food preparation, which must be quick and simple.
           
    Concerned consumers are worry about intrinsic and extrinsic food qualities. These consumers value food without additions or artificial substances and high vitamin, mineral and protein content. They choose low-calorie, low-fat and high-fiber diets. Food texture matters most to worried consumers. In this industry, consumers prioritize food availability, nation of origin and appearance. However, many clients worry about food prices and value.
           
    The survey studied demographics, consumer segment criteria and meal quality behaviors. Behaviors were assessed with 17 items on a five-point likert scale (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral, 4=agree and 5=strongly agree) and the total score ranged from 17 to 85. Scores > 50% of the maximum score were labeled as “good” and scores < 50% were labeled as “bad”. The questions were related to sensory/health qualities, pricing, availability, digestion and preparation. The final parts measured the percentage of food consumption. Data were analyzed using SPSS (2019). Demographic and consumer group segmentations are presented as frequencies and percentages. The chi-square (χ2) test at p<0.05 and p<0.01 was used to determine statistical significance.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

    Demographics of responses
     
    Our results (Table 1) showed that about half of the respondents were male and over two-thirds of them was from the age group of 20-25. Most were well qualified and their BMI was in the normal range (18.5-25). Demographics significantly affected sample distribution (P<0.01) except gender (P=0.8283). Taste and health are two elements that are vital to consider. Trends are affected by eating habits (Konar et al., 2022; Smeding et al., 2023). Health claims offered for smoothies were more likely to be believed by younger consumers. Education is important for analyzing the health implications of two-ingredient claims and form. The highly educated respondents were more beneficial, which is consistent with previous results (Rasoli and Siddayya, 2021).

    Table 1: Distribution of sample study according to demographic information.


     
    Distribution of study samples based on consumers’ behavior
     
    Table 2 shows consumer behavior groups, mostly concerned consumers, with healthy food lovers at 17.94%. Significant differences (P<0.01, p=0.0005) were found among groups. Our results (Table 3) show demographic differences (P<0.01). Taste-oriented consumers appreciated tasty and attractive meals, but health-conscious consumers were considerably more positive about quality and preferred food rich in vitamins and minerals over food heavy in additives (p<0.01). This corroborates the findings of Brečić et al. (2017) who found that premium on health and taste features is generally associated with higher demographic purchasing power. In future research, measures of income should be taken directly to test this pattern in Wasit province. Contrary to previous studies, our data reveals more males than females in these parts (57.33% vs. 60.66%). Customers are well educated, about 85.33% and 60.66% respectively, which suggests education has a role in health awareness. Up to 80% report good health, 97.33% have normal BMI. These groups account for 40% of respondents and demonstrate the impact of food on BMI and the prevention of chronic diseases (Platikanova et al., 2022).

    Table 2: Distribution of sample study according to consumer groups behavior.



    Table 3: Distribution of sample study according to demographic information in difference groups.


           
    Convenient consumers prioritize food quality extrinsically, focusing on fast, easy preparation and exhibited preference to convenience meals. This is consistent with the findings of Keating (2024) and Halicka et al., (2025), who found that time and convenience drive choices, with rising concern about ultra-processed food and single loneliness.
           
    The largest group, concerned consumers (33.24%), value foods that boost happiness and health and are familiar. Unlike previous findings (Brečić et al., 2017), over 90% are under the age of 25. Despite consuming many convenient meals, they are also most concerned about their health and the environment. The “convenience paradox” illustrates how they depend on certain foods due to time and budget constraints, while simultaneously worrying about the associated health and environmental impacts (Proi et al., 2025; Halicka et al., 2025).
     
    Different consumer groups’ behavior to the food quality characteristics
     
    The results (Table 4) showed that more than half of participants agreed that their daily diet should taste, smell and feel nice. Regarding health, (42.65% and 45.29%) firmly agreed that their daily food should have natural ingredients and lots of minerals and vitamins. Only 39.41% of customers strongly agreed that safe meat and its products are more valuable, which showed inadequate meat safety behavior. “Price and availability can impact customer behavior. 36.47% thought their diet pricing was fair, 38.24% should be reasonable. Our results showed that only 47.06% of the participants had a good impression on food quality (Fig 1). In addition, sensory and health attributes received a high degree of positive assessment (above mean) of 66.67% (Fig 2). There are significant differences (P<0.01) in the replies of samples to attitude questions (Table 4). Similar to Hungary and Romania (Januszewska et al., 2011), Croatia (Brečić et al., 2017) and Italy (Proi et al., 2025), Iraqi customers are driven by intrinsic factors such as sensory appeal and health. Our results suggested that sensory attributes are the most important factor in meal choice, supporting earlier findings (Marino et al., 2017; Polizer et al., 2018; Kovács et al., 2022). Furthermore, our findings indicated that price, availability and weight control ranked second on the list of major motivations for Iraqi consumers’ dietary choices. Price was important, but not the main factor in consumer decision (Iop et al., 2006).

    Table 4: Consumers’ behavior in relation to food quality characteristics.



    Fig 1: Overall contributor attitudes: M. s.= Mean score, assessment level: Negative (M. s. <4.09), Neutral (M. s.= 4.11-4.23), Positive (M. s. > 4.24).



    Fig 2: Percentage of positive behaviors (above mean) among different food quality attributes.


     
    Disparities across categories by the percentage of certain food consumption
     
    The results (Table 5) reveal that fans of nutritious and tasty food prioritize flavor and composition over price and availability and choose traditional cuisine. A third plus: ate natural foods many times a week, with almost half of those being traditional cuisine. Convenience customers eat natural food multiple times a week (Unlike concerned customers). Convenience consumers ate less natural food this could be attributed to higher prices and limited availability. This implies that customers are more concerned about the price and availability of natural and traditional foods than about easy meals. Lower consumption of natural foods may indicate a lack of confidence in their safety. The proportion of consumed food differs significantly (P<0.01) between customer categories. Traditional food, according to food science and sociology, is defined not only by its age, but also by its geographic and cultural specificity, so it represents meals and ingredients passed down through generations and strongly rooted in local culture, history and agricultural habits (Balogh et al., 2016). Natural foods are often defined as whole, unrefined goods that are similar to their natural condition and free of synthetic additives, artificial flavors, colors and preservatives (Roman et al., 2017). Many health-conscious consumers prefer traditional meals, suggesting them as the “gold standard” for taste and nutrition (García-Salirrosas et al., 2025).

    Table 5: Group differences based on the percentage of consumers’ consumption of different foods.


           
    Unlike healthy food supporters, convenience consumers prioritize marketing, branding and logistics, favoring traditional over organic foods (Fotopoulos et al., 2009). The study connects consumers’ choices to healthy diets, public information, social marketing and behavior-change efforts, potentially influencing food regulations and improving communication and cost efficiency.

    CONCLUSION

    Food lovers perceive qualities differently across cultures, often favoring pleasant foods despite health risks, a pattern that may be attributed to cultural roots. Health-conscious consumers prefer external features as signals of suitable choices. Research on culinary approaches shows cultural background influences attribute choices, as seen in Iraqi consumers. This study emphasizes the importance of eating behavior in evaluating food attributes. Future research should explore more dietary traits and habits.

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

    This study received no funding or grants.
     
    Disclaimers
     
    The views and conclusions are solely those of the authors and may not reflect their institutions’ views. The authors are responsible for accuracy but do not accept liability for losses from using this content.
     
    Informed consent
     
    In accordance with the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki, the Middle Technical University Ethics Committee authorized this study (MEC No. 197). Research participants were asked to formally confirm their involvement when all necessary information had been gathered.

    CONFLICT OF INTEREST

    The authors declare no conflicts of interest or funding influenced any part of the study or publication.

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