Food Irradiation: Consumers Want to Know More
When it comes to food irradiation, consumers want more information and they want it to come from health and medical professionals, according to a recent study conducted by the Food Marketing Institute.
The results from A Study of Consumer Attitudes Toward Irradiation were released at a conference titled "Food Irradiation: The Next Step in Food Safety," held yesterday in Washington D.C.
Sixty percent of the consumers surveyed said that they wanted to know more about the impact of irradiation on bacteria and nutrition. Taste, process and shelf life were less important but were also given as things that consumers would like to know more about.
- While nearly half of the respondents accepted the term irradiation, cold pasteurization and electronic pasteurization were better received, with around 55 percent preferring these terms.
- Poultry was cited as the number one product for irradiation (67 percent). Pork and ground beef were slightly lower.
- Consumers also stated that the number one reason for purchasing irradiated product is to kill disease-causing bacteria, which was followed by control insect infestation and reduction of pesticide use.
- Less than half of those surveyed listed longer shelf life for perishables or not having to cook ground beef until it's done as valid reasons for irradiation.
- Even though consumers trust the irradiation process, 91 percent realize that proper food handling is still important for food safety.
- Nearly four in 10 parents say they are very likely to buy irradiated products for their children; nearly one-third of all adults say they would buy the irradiation product for themselves.
The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) is a nonprofit association conducting programs in research, education, industry relations and public affairs on behalf of its 1,500 members including their subsidiaries-food retailers and wholesalers and their customers in the United States and around the world.
Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA) is the world's largest association of food, beverage and consumer brand companies.
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, representing 170,000 outlets and a work force of 10.2 million employees.
American Meat Institute (AMI) represents the interests of packers and processors of beef, pork, lamb, veal and turkey products and their suppliers throughout North America.
Edited by Pam Ahlberg