Consumers’ Perception and Purchase Behavior on Soy Sauce in the Northern Parts of Taiwan

在台灣醬油是食品烹調中不可缺少的調味醬，也是台灣人日常生活中的必需品。一般而言，台灣醬油依製成方式可分為「純釀造醬油」、「化學醬油」及「混合式醬油」。「純釀造醬油」是以麴菌酵素來分解豆類蛋白質，製程需4-6個月。在傳統上純釀造醬油依製造原料可分”黑豆”與”黃豆加小麥”。「化學醬油」是以鹽酸分解豆類中的蛋白質再以鹼中和並酌加醬色及甘味劑而成，製程僅需3-5天。「混合式醬油」則是以胺基酸分解液為原料，添加純釀醬油而成。 近年由於食安的問題頻傳，消費者的食品安全意識提升已影響消費者對醬油需求偏好，消費者在選購醬油商品時行為表現更為積極，亦更懂得運用消費者知的權利來瞭解食品的由來，這對醬油產業來說是個正面的壓力。在面對消費者求真求知的購買態度時，醬油產業唯有以去蕪存菁的產銷策略來因應，進而達到產業提升的功效。 由於台灣人口分佈比例以北部為重，而台北市、新北市、桃園市更占了台灣總人口數的37%，是台灣最重要的市場。此論文之研究地點為台北市、新北市、桃園市，此三市的消費者明顯表現出對醬油食材的重視。不僅對醬油產品的原料關心，對其生產方式也頗有研究，瞭解程度已勝過多年前，是台灣食安問題頻頻發生後的正面收穫。又因這三市的消費者平均月收入高於其他區域的市場，在選購優質及單價較高的純釀造醬油時，覺知與意願皆高。這對醬油製造商是正向的鼓勵，促使製造商不會因價格導向而生產劣質產品，消費者與製造商因之互信互存。In Taiwan, soy sauce is the important seasoning to daily life. General speaking, Taiwan soy sauce is classified by using different ingredients-Black soybean and Soybean with wheat, and varied producing methods-Natural brewing, Chemical (proteolysis), and Intermixed. Natural brewing Soy Sauce is naturally brewed and aged by ferment. A ferment to decompose vegetable protein from soybean; for 4-6 months producing time, we get the best material result in terms of aroma and nutrition. Chemical Soy Sauce is using hydrochloric acid to decompose protein from soybean and using alkali to neutralize, then adding artificial food color and flavor agent in. It is made in just 3-5 days. The kind of Soy Sauce is having worse taste and nose-irritated smell and too much amino-nitrogen as well, the 3-MCPD (3-monochloro-1, 2-propandiol) contained was proved as the harm of health. Intermixed Soy Sauce is combining amino-acid with naturally brewed soy sauce to enhance the components and to reduce the cost, but it''s not yet able to reach the top level as naturally brewed soy sauce does. However, it is the main stream of selling in the market. Due to food safety problems occurred in recent years, consumers’ awareness of food safety has been increased. It makes consumers more aggressive on choosing tasty and safe food products. Consumers are also aware of they have right to know about food products; they have right to know how the food products made and where the food products from. Thus, the only way that soy sauce manufacturers can go is producing products more upstanding and transparent, which will upgrade soy sauce industry as well. As Taipei, New Taipei, and Taoyuan city has taken 37% of Taiwan total population, it becomes the major maket of Taiwan; this thesis study sites for these three cities. In the result of this study, compare to few years ago, the consumers are more clearly show their concern on soy sauce ingredients. Not only care about the raw material of soy sauce, also its production method. The situation is a gain to both consumers and soy sauce manufacturers after experiencing Taiwan food safety problems these years. Moreover, the average monthly income of these three cities is higher than others, the consumers are more capable in purchasing better quality and more expensive naturally brewed soy sauce. Since the market demand changed, the soy sauce manufacturers are encouraged, price-oriented won’t be the only target of manufacturing, inferior products will no longer existed in the market; this brings a mutual trust and survival to consumers and the manufacturers