The salad is perceived as feminine and the meat as masculine, according to a study in Spain and Ecuador

Valencia (Spain).- Salad or fruits are associated with the feminine, while meat is perceived as masculine. That is the main conclusion of a study by the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) conducted in Spain and Ecuador that analyzes how gender and age stereotypes influence the way we perceive food. The research, published in the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, is a multicultural study between both countries that has been coordinated by the researcher from the University Institute of Food Engineering-FoodUPV Purificación García-Segovia, in a sample that included more than 330 people (161 in Spain and 172 in Ecuador). The study shows that gender stereotypes persist clearly in both countries, although with significant cultural differences. In Spain, salads, fruits, and desserts like chocolate cake were mostly identified with the feminine, while meat dishes were associated with the masculine. In Ecuador, this pattern is repeated, but with more intensity: meat products, in particular, were perceived as symbols of strength and virility, reinforcing the traditional association between meat and masculinity. Regarding age, the study detects that in Spain some foods are more linked to older people — such as sausages or meat dishes with vegetables —, while fruits or salads are associated with a younger population. To obtain these conclusions, the UPV team used a projective technique called Product Personality Profile (PPP): "We asked each of the participants to imagine the foods as if they were people and assign them gender, age, personality or lifestyle traits," explains Carmen Molina-Montero, author of the work.

Ingrained Stereotypes

"The results confirm that, although we increasingly talk about diversity and equality, in practice we continue to reproduce deeply rooted stereotypes when we think about food," explains García-Segovia.

You may be interested in: Study in China links whole wheat pasta and cream cheese consumption to a higher probability of autism

This doesn't mean that people choose food only for those reasons, but "they do unconsciously associate them with gender and age roles," point out the UPV researchers. The results obtained in this study are also relevant in the field of marketing and the development of new products, they point out from the Valencian university. "Knowing how these stereotypes influence helps to design more inclusive campaigns. In addition, this information can be used to promote more balanced diets and break down cultural barriers that hinder the adoption of healthy habits, especially among young people," concludes Purificación García Segovia.