Baby boomers' acceptability of a tomato lentil pasta sauce

• Participants liked the color, aroma, flavour and texture of the TLPS.
• Participants would purchase the TLPS and pay a premium for it.
• The TLPS contains fibre and is made with locally grown food ingredients.

The baby boomer generation (individuals born between 1946 and 1965) are placing a demand on the food industry for products that not only promote longevity and well-being, but also contain functional ingredients for enhanced-nutritional and health benefits. Pasta sauce is a widely consumed tomato product. The objective of this study was to identify consumer acceptability of a pasta sauce with increased fibre content previously developed by our research group. One hundred and twenty three baby boomers (Female: 75%), mean age 56 ± 5.4 years, were recruited from four Farmers' Markets across southern Manitoba (Urban: 56%). Results showed that the majority of participants lived in two-person household and did not have children. Participants were likely to consume pasta sauce 4 ± 2.6 times a month. Eighty-six percent of the participants consumed six to seven home cooked meals in a week. Eighty-three percent were willing to purchase the pasta sauce prototype. The average price participants were willing to pay was $4.38, where men would pay $0.69 significantly more for a 750 ml jar than women. The pasta sauce with increased fibre content made with local food products may be a healthier option for baby boomers.