RESUMO
At the end of 2022 and most notably during the first half of 2023, the number of invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS) notifications increased in Norway, largely affecting children younger than 10 years, as observed in several other countries. Following this atypical season, a new surge in the number of iGAS notifications began in December 2023 and peaked between January and February 2024, now particularly affecting both children younger than 10 years and older adults (70 years and above).
Assuntos
Infecções Estreptocócicas , Streptococcus pyogenes , Humanos , Noruega/epidemiologia , Infecções Estreptocócicas/epidemiologia , Infecções Estreptocócicas/microbiologia , Infecções Estreptocócicas/diagnóstico , Streptococcus pyogenes/isolamento & purificação , Idoso , Pré-Escolar , Criança , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Adolescente , Incidência , Estações do Ano , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Lactente , Adulto , Distribuição por Idade , Adulto Jovem , Notificação de Doenças/estatística & dados numéricos , Vigilância da PopulaçãoRESUMO
The aim of the present study was to explore Norwegian consumers' attitudes toward smoke-flavoring of cold smoked salmon (CSS), by conducting a digital survey and focus group discussions. Some of the smoke-flavoring techniques, like atomized purified condensed smoke, is considered healthier than conventional smoking. Manufacturers of CSS are, however, hesitant to use all kinds of smoke-flavoring due to expected consumer skepticism. In the digital survey, the expected skepticism was confirmed (n = 487). Only 15% of the respondents were positively oriented toward smoke-flavoring of CSS. The selection criterion for the focus group discussion was based on the results from the survey and resulted in three attitude-oriented focus groups (negative, neutral, and positive). The negative focus group considered smoke-flavored CSS to be unnatural and out of the question to buy or eat. Unlike the negative focus group, the neutral group was curious to learn more and open to potential smoke-flavor benefits. However, credible information or science was crucial to influence CSS choice. Future studies may investigate whether the existent of this large group of curious neutral consumers (47% of the respondents) influence manufacturers (of CSS) skepticism or how various types of product information could steer consumer acceptance of smoke-flavoring of CSS.