ABSTRACT
Health is one of the main reasons behind food choices, but still other factors are taken into consideration by the consumer. As pleasantness and sensory quality can be experienced directly, they are known to be the essential factors in repeated choices. Even with foods aimed for health, the taste has to be good for securing repeated choices. Probiotics modifying the gut microbiota have physiological effects that cannot be experienced directly. The credibility of the health-related messages is, therefore, the critical goal aiming to guarantee that the product has a reward value for the consumer. Consumers are selective in their attention so that messages that are relevant to us and which are congruent with our earlier beliefs are easily accepted. Therefore, foodrelated messages have to correspond with our existing beliefs and motivation to use a product. Preventing a possible stomach upset has little relevance to a healthy person, but can make a vast difference for someone suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) or someone who easily catches traveler's diarrhea.
