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Consumer perceptions of food‐related risks
Author(s) -
Tucker Mark,
Whaley Sherrie R.,
Sharp Jeff S.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
international journal of food science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.831
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1365-2621
pISSN - 0950-5423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2005.01010.x
Subject(s) - food safety , risk perception , environmental health , risk communication , perception , risk assessment , psychology , medicine , computer security , pathology , neuroscience , computer science
Summary Recent research indicates that the majority of respondents in nineteen of thirty‐four countries feel their food is less safe than 10 years ago. Concerns over food safety may result in elevated levels of perceived risk, particularly when fuelled by intense media coverage. The purpose of this study was to assess Ohioans’ perceptions of various food safety risks and to identify factors influencing risk judgments. Mail survey data are reported for 4014 respondents with a total response rate of 56%. Findings reveal moderate perceived levels of risk for the food safety items assessed. Pesticide residues in food and contamination of drinking water generated the highest levels of perceived risk, while mad cow disease and genetically modified foods generated the lowest levels of perceived risk. Regression results indicate that attitude toward biotechnology was the strongest predictor of perceived risk, followed by perceptions of media system dependency. Findings from this research can assist food safety specialists in developing more effective education and risk communication programmes for target audiences.