Sociodemorgraphic influences on consumer concern for food safety: the case of irradiation, antibiotic, hormones, and pesticides

Despite overwhelming scientific data and evidence, plus professional judgement attesting to the safety and effectiveness of production practices such as the use of irradiation, antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides at approved levels, many consumers remain concerned about their use in food production or processing. Consumer resistance might be diminished if the usefulness of the application of these production practices at approved levels is clearly explained. Past studies have examined food-safety issues and their relationship to consumer perception and food consumption behavior. However, information on the relationship of sociodemographic factors on consumer concern for the use of irradiation, antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides at approved levels is limited. Knowledge of the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and concern for these food production practices is useful for design and implementation of food-safety information programs related to the use of these production practices. This article examines how the belief of a household's main meal planner about the safety of the use of irradiation, antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides at approved levels in the production of foods is related to sociodemographic characteristics. Results from the four models developed, using the 1991 Diet and Health Knowledge Survey, generally indicate that main meal planners who are male and better educated, and those with higher income or residing in nonmetro areas are more likely to consider the use of these production processes to be safe. Main meal planners who are older or black expressed less confidence in the use of some of the production practices. The results have some important implications for government education and consumer information programs. The findings could also be used as a guide in directing food marketing programs toward specific population subgroups.