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on consumer view of fish In addition to answering questions about the overall liking of the fish products a survey was performed during the last session about consumer attitudes, behaviour and fish consumption motives and barriers.

In the consumer study huge amount of data were collected and the data analysis has just started. The first preliminary results based on simple averages indicate that the consumers in the four countries do not have the same liking preferences for the fish products. The Dutch consumers were most different from the other three consumer groups. Cod stored fresh for a longer period was least preferred by Icelandic consumers and cod after short frozen storage was most preferred by Icelandic consumers. This was reasonably in agreement with the Danish and Irish consumers. The Dutch consumers preferred the cod after long frozen storage, and farmed cod stored for a longer period was least preferred.

The consumers in the four countries all preferred least the wild salmon after long frozen storage. Other salmon products received a very different preference by the countries. Salmon in MA packs stored for a longer period received the highest average score by the Icelandic and Dutch consumers compared to consumers from Denmark and Ireland. Fresh salmon received the highest score by the Danish consumers compared to consumers from the other countries and salmon after short frozen storage received the highest average score by the Irish consumers.

The wild salmon products were less preferred compared to farmed salmon, but those two products had been stored frozen for relatively long time.

Based on simple average the Icelandic consumers scored all products higher compared to the consumers from the other three countries, and the Dutch consumers scored the lowest. This is directly related with the fish consumption frequency: Icelandic consumers having the highest fish consumption compared to the Dutch having the lowest. Cod was overall most preferred by Icelandic consumers and salmon by the Danish consumers.

Eating quality preference decisions are ultimately made during consumption. The structural and flavour active components of the seafood are perceived by the sensory systems, and this information is integrated together with the consumers recollection of previous seafood eating experiences, with the expectations created for the consumer by the retailer, and by the means of presenting the seafood as a product. Eating quality will vary from one species of seafood to another, and then again due to choice of storage, handling, packaging, transportation, etc. made at each point in the chain from seafood catch, or slaughter, to consumption. Consumers in different countries will have different experiences with seafood, related to availability and frequency of consumption that will determine individual preferences, and that are also likely to lead to between country differences in preferences.

The data from this unique consumer study where consumers tasted simultaneously the same fish products in four countries together with the sensory analytical data and consumer attitudes and behaviour data enables us to show in detail why consumers prefer the samples.