Oskam, Judy Barnes (author / Extension specialist and video coordinator, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1992
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 95 Document Number: C07334
food safety, Consumer concerns about food safety span the issues of pesticide and herbicide residues on agricultural products, additives and preservatives used in food processing, and antibiotics and hormones used in livestock feed. Apprehension about food safety seems to be on the rise. Yet, consumer information has not kept pace. California's Proposition 65, passed in November 1986, requires food labels to note toxic chemicals and is one example of how consumers are seeking to ameliorate this situation. It may be time to permit individual consumers to decide how much toxins they want to consume, i.e., permit the marketing of food products containing a range of toxins so long as the foods are labeled to indicate the level of "health hazard" associated with the toxins the food contains. The "health hazard" displayed on food labels might be calculated like statisticians determine the health hazards associated with automobiles. (original)
22 pages., Online via UI electronic subscription, Researchers combined recent national survey data and media reports to quantitatively examine the effects of food scandals and media exposure on food safety risk. Findings suggesed hat media reported food scandals are not significantly related to public concern about food safety risk, suggesting that food risk perceptions may be nationwide rather than region specific. Findings also suggested that more educated citizens with more media exposure were more concerned about food safety risk.
