scholarly journals Consumer Preferences for Traceable Food with Different Functions of Safety Information Attributes: Evidence from a Menu-Based Choice Experiment in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Hou ◽  
Jing Hou ◽  
Linhai Wu
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Consumer Demand ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Pork Quality ◽  
Quality Inspection ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
Safety Risks ◽  
Safe Food ◽  
Wuxi City

It is of great value to study consumer demand for safe foods in promoting the development of a safe food market system and the reduction of food safety risks, as well as foodborne diseases in China. This paper takes traceable pork as an example and constructs food safety information attributes with ex ante quality verification and ex post traceability. Interactions between safety information attributes and the consumer’s response to cost-driven price changes were investigated for 345 consumers in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China, using a menu-based choice (MBC) experiment and multivariate probit (MVP) model as analysis tools. The results suggest that food safety information attributes are important to consumers, as the consumers preferred pork quality inspection attributes to pre-incident quality assurance functions. Therefore, it is beneficial to include pork quality inspection attributes in the traceable pork attribute systems during the initial construction of traceable pork markets in China. Attribute price was an important factor that affected consumers’ choice of information attributes. When customization cannot be achieved, a profile composed of elastic pork quality inspection attribute and supply chain–internal traceability attribute would be the most preferred traceable pork product in the market based on the need of building a fully functional traceable food system and reducing food safety risks. In addition, there was a strong substitution relationship between different information attributes, and there was heterogeneity in consumers’ choice of information attributes. Therefore, the government should support manufacturers in producing multi-level safe food to meet diverse consumer demand.

scholarly journals Market simulation of traceable food in China based on conjoint-value analysis: a traceable case of pork

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 735-746
Author(s):  
Bo Hou ◽  
Linhai Wu ◽  
Xiujuan Chen
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Demand ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Chinese Consumers ◽  
Value Analysis ◽  
Traceability System ◽  
Market Simulation ◽  
First Choice ◽  
Food Market ◽  
The Government

The food-traceability system is considered to be one of the main measures to fundamentally prevent food-safety problems. It is of great value to study consumer demand for traceable food and market simulations that can adjust the production and supply structure of traceable food and promote traceable market development. Having sampled and interviewed 2,121 consumers in China, consumer preferences for traceable pork with different levels of safety information, and the respective market share of traceable pork with different product profiles were investigated using conjoint value analysis and the randomized first choice method. Results showed that Chinese consumers prioritized the certification of a traceable-pork safety-information attribute. Furthermore, consumers were willing to pay extra costs in order to obtain traceable safety information. However, this additional expenditure should account for no more than 30% of the price of ordinary pork, or consumer demand for safe pork decreases. Results of a market simulation also identified a type of traceable pork that had an optimal combination of attributes and met the needs of Chinese consumers. Consequently, the government should gradually promote a multilevel traceable-food market system in China by developing a combination of a certification mechanism and traceability system, and increasing financial subsidies for the construction of the traceability system.

Exploring food safety perceptions and self-reported practices of pet owners, providing raw meat-based diets to pets.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronika Bulochova ◽  
Ellen W Evans
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Foodborne Illness ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Raw Meat ◽  
Pet Owners ◽  
Safety Risks ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Almost All

The growing popularity of raw meat-based diets for pets is accompanied by an increasing concern regarding possible health implications of this practice to pet owners, due to the storage and preparation of raw meat. This study aimed to explore pet owners’ knowledge and perceptions about safety of raw meat-based feeding and determine self-reported food safety practices during raw meat-based pet food preparation. An online questionnaire was distributed via social media platforms was completed by pet owners practicing raw meat-based feeding ( n =174). Almost all participants (95%) reported confidence that their pets’ raw meat-based food is safe. Two thirds of respondents (67%) reported to have researched food safety information, regarding raw meat-based feeding, however only 8% asked a veterinarian for food safety advice. Respondents were aware of pathogens that may be present in raw meat-based diets, and of food safety practices, however, they did not report implementation of appropriate food safety practices consistently. Malpractices, such as rinsing raw meat (27%) and lack of segregation (52%) were reported. The risk of foodborne illness to pet owners associated with raw meat-based feeding was perceived to be ‘low’ by 89% of pet owners. Participants perceived low susceptibility to foodborne illness, but high self-efficacy, which may be an indication of ‘optimistic bias’. This study has identified the need for increasing pet owners’ awareness of the possible risks associated with raw meat-based feeding to human health. The provision of comprehensive food safety information, intended to target the perceptions of pet owners identified in this study, is needed to improve pet owners’ food safety practices, to reduce the potential food safety risks associated with raw meat preparation and storage in the domestic environment.

scholarly journals Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Foods with Traceability Information: Ex-Ante Quality Assurance or Ex-Post Traceability?

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Hou ◽  
Linhai Wu ◽  
Xiujuan Chen ◽  
Dian Zhu ◽  
Ruiyao Ying ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Quality Inspection ◽  
Experimental Auction ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
Ex Ante ◽  
Measurement Deviation

In this study, traceability in pork profile information with ex-ante quality assurance and ex-post traceability are constructed. Consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for traceability information is investigated in Wuxi, China, by combining the Multiple Price Lists method and the Becker–DeGroot–Marschak (BDM) experimental auction. The main factors affecting consumers’ WTP are also analyzed using a Tobit model. The results demonstrate that consumers have higher WTP for ex-ante quality assurance than for ex-post traceability. The highest WTP is for the ex-ante quality assurance attribute of pork quality inspection. Consumers’ WTP for traceability information is influenced by their individual characteristics, including age, education and income, as well as their concern and satisfaction about food safety and confidence in food safety labeling. The contribution of this paper is that it improves the meaning of traceable food information attributes and measures the significance of attributes to consumers. Furthermore, this paper introduces a Becker–DeGroot–Marschak experimental auction method which amends the measurement deviation of hypothetical experiments.

scholarly journals Consumers' Preferences for Locally Produced Honey in Hungary

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 407-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Titanilla Oravecz ◽  
Laszlo Mucha ◽  
Robert Magda ◽  
Gedeon Totth ◽  
Csaba Bálint Illés
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Consumer Behaviour ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Consumer Survey ◽  
Region Of Origin ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
Consumer Decisions ◽  
Safety Risks ◽  
Origin Region

Sustainability is considered in relation to the consumption of local food. Consumers have recently become more concerned about food safety, including potential impurities in Asian honey. Some consumers believe that eating local honey products might be a way to avoid food safety risks. Food security is also guaranteed by certification marks that create confidence in consumers, and help their decisions in buying. The aim of the paper is to identify the main characteristics of Hungarian consumer preferences when buying honey. In this article we analyse the consumer behaviour of Hungarian hive products. This study was supported by the data from a nationwide consumer survey carried out in 2016. A total of 1584 subjects participated in this survey, the sample is representative for gender, age and highest level of education in Hungary. The results of our study show the actual potential consumers of the Hungarian honey products. Based on the results, the consumers we interviewed consider the consumption of honey of Hungarian origin very important, and they prefer to purchase these products directly or indirectly from the beekeepers. Well-informed consumers in terms of honey certification marks consider some features of honey (Hungarian origin; region of origin; brand, producer name; certification marks) significantly more important than uninformed consumers. Awareness of the certification marks helps consumer decisions which are confirmed by the fact that consumers who are informed about honey certification marks were not affected by honey counterfeits.

scholarly journals Over-confident and under-competent: exploring the importance of food safety education specific to high school students

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 65-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth J. Diplock ◽  
Andria Jones-Bitton ◽  
Scott T Leatherdale ◽  
Steven Rebellato ◽  
Joel A. Dubin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Safety Education ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
School Students ◽  
Food Safety Education ◽  
Food Literacy ◽  
Safe Food

The objective of this study was to explore age-specific reasons why food safety education might be important for high school students (in Ontario, Canada), from a variety of expert perspectives. In May 2014, semi-structured key informant interviews (n = 20) were conducted with food safety and youth education experts. A thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts of the interviews was conducted. Participants identified three major reasons why food safety is important for high school students: (i) they have current and personal needs for food safety information, (ii) high school is an ideal time and place to instill life-long good habits, and (iii) they are part of the foodborne illness risk landscape. Food safety education was deemed important for high school students, who were seen as a unique and captive audience in need of safe food handling skills, now and in the future, for a variety of reasons: potential employment advantages, improved food literacy, combating their sense of “invincibility,” and helping instill essential life skills that they may not get elsewhere. These results confirm the importance of food safety education for high school students and highlight the need to determine age-appropriate interventions and methods to engage high school students and improve their safe food handling practices.

Analysis of consumer demand for traceable pork in China based on a real choice experiment

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linhai Wu ◽  
Hongsha Wang ◽  
Dian Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Consumer Demand ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Chinese Consumers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Government ◽  
Safe Food

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal the actual consumer demand for traceable pork by investigating consumer preferences for pork with combined levels of traceability information based on differences in individual consumer preferences, in order to support the government in decision making regarding the gradual construction of safe food markets. Design/methodology/approach – Combinations of four types of traceability information, including farming, slaughter and processing, distribution and sales, and government certification, with price were randomly designed. To identify consumer preferences for these attribute combinations of traceable pork, 215 consumers in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province were investigated using a real choice experiment and the mixed logit model. Findings – Significant heterogeneity was observed in consumer preferences for traceable pork. The information of farming, slaughter and processing, distribution and marketing, and government certification could significantly improve consumer utility. Moreover, consumers had the highest preference for government certification information. Originality/value – Although numerous studies have been performed on consumer preferences for food safety attributes using a real choice experiment, almost none of them focus on Chinese consumers. Therefore, this study is an attempt to fill this gap. The conclusions of this study can serve as a reference for the Chinese government in developing safe food consumption policies. Although Chinese consumers have cried out for improvement of pork safety, they have different preferences for traceability information; thus, the government must promote traceable food step-by-step, using consumer preferences as a starting point.

Content analysis of food safety implications in online flour-handling recipes

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tressie Barrett ◽  
Yaohua Feng
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Shell Eggs ◽  
Safety Risks ◽  
Youtube Videos ◽  
Food Recalls

PurposeNumerous food recalls and outbreaks were associated with wheat flour in recent years. Few consumers are cognizant of food safety risks associated with raw flour. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the food safety information and flour-handling behaviors presented in popular food blog recipes and in YouTube videos using cookie, cookie dough and egg noodle recipes as examples.Design/methodology/approachEighty-five blog recipes and 146 videos were evaluated. Blog author and video host food-handling experience was classified as professional or nonprofessional. Food safety information and food-handling behaviors were evaluated for adherence to government and scientific recommendations.FindingsBlog authors and video hosts demonstrated higher awareness of food safety risks associated with raw eggs compared to raw flour, which only translated into better adherence with recommended food-handling behaviors during ingredient addition steps. Cross-contamination from adding raw flour to the product was observed in 25% of videos, whereas cross-contamination from hosts adding raw shell eggs was observed 3% of videos. Blog authors and video hosts did not recommend or demonstrate handwashing after handling raw shell eggs nor raw flour, and fewer than 5% provided recommendations for cleaning work surfaces. Heat treatment methods to convert raw flour into ready-to-eat products were mentioned by 24% of blog authors and 18% of video hosts; however, the recommendations were not scientifically validated.Originality/valueThis study demonstrates the need to develop educational interventions that increase blog authors' and video hosts' awareness of risks associated with raw flour and that translate this knowledge into practiced behaviors.

scholarly journals Comparison of whole genome sequences of three Bacillus cereus strains reveals the food safety risks of Apostichopus japonicus in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 100649
Author(s):  
Xiaoran Zhao ◽  
Ruijun Li ◽  
Huifeng Dang ◽  
Luo Wang ◽  
Songzhe Fu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Bacillus Cereus ◽  
Apostichopus Japonicus ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Genome Sequences ◽  
Safety Risks

Quantitative and qualitative analysis of nutrition and food safety information in school science textbooks of India

2011 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 725-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
GM Subba Rao ◽  
T Vijayapushapm ◽  
K Venkaiah ◽  
V Pavarala
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
School Science ◽  
Urban Bias ◽  
High Agreement ◽  
Science Textbooks ◽  
Nutritional Needs ◽  
Central Board

Objective: To assess quantity and quality of nutrition and food safety information in science textbooks prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India for grades I through X. Design: Content analysis. Methods: A coding scheme was developed for quantitative and qualitative analyses. Two investigators independently coded the data and inter-coder reliability was assessed using Cohen’s Kappa. The inferences were then reviewed by an expert group. Results: There was high agreement (Kappa = 0.89) between coders. Nutrition topics got > 10% pages in textbooks of grades I to VII, while they were omitted in subsequent grades. Food safety got a mere 1% of page allocation only in grades I to III books. Over 25% of biology illustrations related to nutrition in grades I, II and IV but not in others. Nutrition topics in textbooks beyond grade IV were repetitive and inconsistent. Some illustrations depicted uncommon foods and had urban bias. Conclusions: Nutrition and food safety content in science textbooks is low. Important topics such as nutritional needs during adolescence, obesity, unhealthy foods and food labelling are not covered. These findings provide direction for strengthening textbook content to promote nutrition education in schools.

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