Exploring consumer awareness of Curculigo Latifolia as a sugar substitute

Nolila Mohd Nawi, . and Nur Atika Suboh, . (2023) Exploring consumer awareness of Curculigo Latifolia as a sugar substitute. Malaysian Journal of Agricultural Economics (Malaysia), 30 (1). pp. 1-14. ISSN 2756-8288

Lemba or Pinang Puyuh, locally known as Curculigo Latifolia, is a prevalent plant species in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo Island. Belonging to the flowering plant genus Hypoxidaceae, this plant harbours a sweet protein called Curculin extracted from its fruit. Remarkably, Curculin is 500 times sweeter than sucrose, making C. latifolia a viable low-calorie sweetener for individuals with diabetes or obesity. Despite its potential, many remain unaware of this sweet herb. This paper explores consumer awareness regarding C. latifolia as a sugar substitute. Primary data was gathered through a self-administered survey by employing structured questionnaires. In the Klang Valley, Malaysia, 350 respondents were randomly selected. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive, chi-square, and factor analyses. Surprisingly, 80.9% of respondents had never encountered C. latifolia as a sugar substitute. Chi-square analysis disclosed associations between socio-demographic factors, such as gender, and awareness of C. latifolia. Further investigation via factor analysis identified four influencing factors determining consumer awareness: promotion, health concern, product, and price. Given the potential of natural sugar substitutes like C. latifolia in reducing the risk of diseases like diabetes, effective advertising and promotion are crucial. Increasing consumer awareness and knowledge about this herb will be essential for its future acceptance as a sugar substitute.

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Abstract

Lemba or Pinang Puyuh, locally known as Curculigo Latifolia, is a prevalent plant species in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo Island. Belonging to the flowering plant genus Hypoxidaceae, this plant harbours a sweet protein called Curculin extracted from its fruit. Remarkably, Curculin is 500 times sweeter than sucrose, making C. latifolia a viable low-calorie sweetener for individuals with diabetes or obesity. Despite its potential, many remain unaware of this sweet herb. This paper explores consumer awareness regarding C. latifolia as a sugar substitute. Primary data was gathered through a self-administered survey by employing structured questionnaires. In the Klang Valley, Malaysia, 350 respondents were randomly selected. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive, chi-square, and factor analyses. Surprisingly, 80.9% of respondents had never encountered C. latifolia as a sugar substitute. Chi-square analysis disclosed associations between socio-demographic factors, such as gender, and awareness of C. latifolia. Further investigation via factor analysis identified four influencing factors determining consumer awareness: promotion, health concern, product, and price. Given the potential of natural sugar substitutes like C. latifolia in reducing the risk of diseases like diabetes, effective advertising and promotion are crucial. Increasing consumer awareness and knowledge about this herb will be essential for its future acceptance as a sugar substitute.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	sweeteners
AGROVOC Term:	culinary herbs
AGROVOC Term:	data collection
AGROVOC Term:	data analysis
AGROVOC Term:	questionnaires
AGROVOC Term:	diabetes
AGROVOC Term:	obesity
AGROVOC Term:	sales promotion
Geographical Term:	Malaysia
Depositing User:	Mr. Khoirul Asrimi Md Nor
Date Deposited:	23 Feb 2026 02:26
Last Modified:	23 Feb 2026 02:26
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/3739

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