Poll Finds Slight Decrease in Consumer Concern Over Food Safety

By Mike Rozembajgier

A recent poll found that most Americans are less concerned about food safety now than they were a year ago. But even as fewer people claim to be worried about the safety of the food they eat, the survey also found that the public’s perception of the severity of food-borne illness has increased, with 22 percent of respondents claiming that they had become seriously ill from something they ate, up from 12 percent last year. With these disturbing numbers in mind, the food industry should be planning carefully for potential recalls and examining their recall management policies and recall communication procedures.

According to the survey conducted by National Public Radio and Thomson Reuters, 57 percent of respondents to this year’s survey are concerned about the safety of their food, compared with 61 percent last year. These latest results are somewhat surprising considering the European E. coli crisis and other high-profile food recalls that took place over the past year. Food companies should keep in mind that the downward trend may be only temporary, with consumers now worrying about the recent cantaloupe recall that followed the deadliest food-borne illness outbreak since contaminated peanut butter three years ago.

An NPR article discussing the survey offers more insight into the results, suggesting that “[i]ncome appears to bear on how concerned people are about the safety of the food they eat.” The article adds that “53 percent of respondents making less than $25,000 a year said they were very concerned with food safety, compared with 39 percent for those making more than $100,000 a year.”

The correlation between income and safety concern is interesting to keep in miond as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revamps its oversight of the food industry under the Food Safety Modernization Act. This type of statistical data provides insights into changes that may be needed in the way important recall and safety information is communicated.

Looking at what consumers worry about the most, 44 percent of respondents believe that meat products pose the greatest risk. While this represents a seven percent drop from last year, it comes as the USDA faces cuts to its annual budget, complicating the agency’s foods safety oversight and putting meat processors at an increased risk of consumer scrutiny and concern.

Fruits and vegetables saw an increase in perceived risk, with 30 percent of respondents citing fresh produce as the greatest risk, a seven percent increase from last year.

When asked about the best approach for reducing the risk of food-borne illness, respondents had a number of suggestions, including more inspections, an increase in FDA oversight, and better consumer education. In fact, a combination of all three would best serve the public. The FDA, together with food manufacturers and retailers, should carefully review these new data as they work to improve their food safety policies, recall planning, and recall management.

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