Bridging Nutrition and Tradition: Co-Creating Innovative Senior-Appealing Foods for the Future

Aim The development of novel and nutritious food solutions for senior consumers often faces sensory and psychological resistance, especially in contexts like Italy, where strong culinary traditions determine food acceptance. To address the latter, this study explored collaborative innovation as a strategic method to enhance acceptance among senior consumers by directly involving them in co-designing new food products. The aim was to reduce sensory and psychological barriers to novelty, through participatory methods while addressing key nutritional needs - specifically supporting dietary protein bio accessibility and immune system function. Method 14 independently living Italian senior adults (75+) took part of the pre-formulation sensory phase. Eight fortified prototypes – belonging to five different food categories (pudding, breads, snack bars, sweets and tea) - were produced by local food processing industries, and tested through structured hedonic scales, associative tasks, and guided group discussions. Senior consumers stated their expectations concerning taste, texture, cultural fit, and usability. This phase aimed to align prototypes functionality with experiential relevance. Results Two products (i.e., bread and tea), and one traditional flavor (i.e., torrone-inspired pudding) generated the highest acceptance. Participants made targeted suggestions on format, size, and consumption context, helping to restructure novel food solutions to better meet their expectations. Their contribution was critical in converting technically functional prototypes into socially and culturally acceptable foods. Conclusion Engaging senior consumers and the food processing industry in collaborative innovation from the earliest stages of development is crucial to enhance the acceptance of innovative and nutritious food products. This inclusive and co-creative approach not only may promote positive health outcomes but also may ensure that product innovations meet both the nutritional demands and the cultural preferences of the target groups.