Truemors
Trust in the safety of ready-to-eat food products was severely damaged by the listeriosis outbreak this summer that originated with sliced meat, according to a survey by researchers at the University of Guelph.
The survey tracked changes in eating habits and measured consumer responses to the simmer 2008 outbreak, in which 20 people died after listeria bacteria contaminated food products made at a Maple Leaf Foods facility in Toronto.
Before the food recall, consumers did not consider the potential risks of ready-to-eat meats to be significant. After the outbreak, there was a sixfold increase in the percentage of people who reported that that never consume ready-to-eat meats at home, or in fast-food outlets or restaurants.
"Before the food recall, consumers did not consider the potential risks of ready-to-eat meats to be significant," Cranfield said.
Nearly everyone surveyed (96 per cent) knew about the recall and that it originated in Canada, and 92 per cent knew that listeria was the cause.
Following the outbreak and recall, the proportion of consumers who said they never consume ready-to-eat meats at home jumped from six to 39 per cent. The percentage of people who said they never consume ready-to-eat meat products in fast-food outlets or restaurants increased from nine to 56 per cent.
Other behaviour-related findings include:• 30 per cent have stopped buying ready-to-eat meats from Canada;
• 27 per cent now eat less often at restaurants and fast-food outlets;
• 52 per cent are paying more attention to food labels;
• 32 per cent are cooking more food at home; and
• 30 per cent are taking more time in food preparation.
Even though their reported buying and eating habits suggest otherwise, the survey found that most consumers remained confidentabout the safety of food in Canada, and 75 per cent considered eady-to-eat meats safe to eat.
"This suggests that consumers have not generalized the listeria food recall to their perception of food as a whole," Guelph researcher Prof. Spencer Henson noted of the survey findings.
The researchers also found that while confidence in food safety in Canada generally remains certain, consumers were less confident about who protects them from listeria. Farmers were judged to have the greatest ability to ensure the safety of food, whereas restaurants, grocery stores and the food-service sector were deemed to have the least ability.
The survey was produced as part of the Guelph Food Panel created by researchers at the University of Guelph. Made of up 2,000 people from the Guelph area, the panel provides a snapshot of a city that is representative of Canada, according to its creators.
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