Impact of COVID-19 on Chinese urban consumers' food safety knowledge and behavior - A comparative study between pre and post pandemic eras.
Food Res Int
; 194: 114905, 2024 Oct.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39232531
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic caused notable changes to the food-related habits of consumers worldwide due to their concerns about the risk of infection and the requirement to follow government mandates. To investigate the impact of the pandemic on Chinese consumers' food safety knowledge, food safety behaviors, and their most recent food poisoning experiences, we compared the results from an online survey (n = 583, Dec 2019) conducted before the pandemic was officially announced with an identical survey (n = 599, Aug 2023) conducted seven months after the Chinese government downgraded restrictions related to COVID-19. Post-pandemic there was a significant decrease in consumers' food safety knowledge and self-reported food safety behaviors and a significant increase in their self-reported experiences of food poisoning. Despite respondents stating that their food safety knowledge and behaviors had improved since the start of the pandemic, the data obtained from the two surveys and the respondents self-reporting of foodborne illness suggest that in fact their safety knowledge and behaviors had decreased. These findings highlight the need to reinforce food safety education and behaviors during times when the food system is disrupted, and consumers are focusing on what they perceive to be more immediate issues.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud
/
Inocuidad de los Alimentos
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Enfermedades Transmitidas por los Alimentos
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COVID-19
Límite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Food Res Int
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
Pais de publicación:
Canadá