Brazilian Food Truck Consumers' Profile, Choices, Preferences, and Food Safety Importance Perception

The habit, choice, intention, and perception of raw beef consumers on raw beef-eating: the health risk management perspective

Apart from its nutritive value, meat is one of the substances for the transmission of pathogenic micro-organisms to consumers and the raw beef eating habit of Ethiopians can create a favourable condition for the transmission of pathogens from contaminated meat to raw beef consumers. The face-to-face interview of raw beef consumers was done using a structured questionnaire and 570 total samples were collected. A considerable number (74%) of raw beef consumers had favourable food choice; 85% of the raw beef consumers had favourable intentions to stop their raw beef eating habit, and 67% of them had an unfavourable perception of the safety of raw beef-eating. In conclusion, the study showed that raw beef consumers were not aware of the health risks of raw beef-eating. As a result, urgent sensitization intervention is required to shift the raw beef consumers from unhealthy eating habits to prudent (processed) eating practices.

Food Safety Issues Related to Eating In and Eating Out

Because of growing urbanization and lack of time to prepare meals at home, eating out or getting food delivered have become common trends for many people. The consumption of food from unknown sources may impose an increased chance of contamination with microbiological hazards, especially if sanitary conditions are not met. We evaluated data from health surveillance agencies and scientific articles on foodborne diseases (FBD) reported internationally according to the exposure sites. We observed that the data are influenced by cultural, political, and socioeconomic differences. For instance, in New Zealand, Australia, United States, Denmark and India, the occurrence of FBD outbreaks was greater from foods prepared in commercial establishments and street vendors than from households. Conversely, in China, countries of the European Union and Brazil, the results are the opposite. Additionally, the pandemic imposed new eating behavior patterns, increasing delivery services and foods prepared in so-called "Dark Kitchens". The underreporting and heterogeneity of data among countries prevented a precise conclusion to the question of whether homemade foods are inherently safer than foods prepared out. Nevertheless, a lower level of development in a country influences its sanitation conditions, as well as the number of street food vendors, the search for cheaper foods, and insufficient knowledge of the population on good hygiene practices, which can all increase the chances of FBD cases.

When technology leads social business: Food truck innovation

As restaurants and other non-essential businesses shut down to halt the spread of COVID-19, food-trucks adapted their business model, taking advantage of lower overheads and the ability to be mobile, to provide a response to the spike in demand for ready-made food. Set in France, this study identifies how food-trucks harnessed technology to support sustainable social business. We use triangulation to collect and analyse data from consumers and food-truck owners/managers on their perceptions of the value proposition and its limitations. Framed by the lockdown, we unpack the challenges faced by society and investigate ways in which food-trucks provide a sustainable alternative for eating out. We contribute to theory on social business and social innovation by acknowledging the socio-technical synergy existing in the specific context of food-trucks. The study acknowledges social equation as a key success element and validates the principles of social business in a new context.

Food safety-related perspectives and practices of consumers and vendors in Ethiopia: A scoping review

Despite being one of the first African countries to prioritize food safety, foodborne diseases are of acute concern in Ethiopia. This review aims to understand food safety-related perspectives and practices among consumers and food vendors in Ethiopia to identify motivations, beliefs, and values that shape and/or drive their practices. A well-defined search and review identified 116 relevant articles. These spanned eight of the ten regional states and two chartered cities, with most work focusing on urban areas and on a sample within one state or chartered city. Ninety-four studies focused on vendors or food handlers; fifteen articles examined both consumers and vendors, but only four assessed interactions between the groups. Meat, dairy products, and ready-to-eat (street) foods were the most studied food groups. Food service establishments were the most examined outlets. Forty-six studies examined generic food safety issues or concerns. Overall, 102 studies assessed food safety practices; 53 studies examined knowledge, and 19 studies assessed attitudes. A gap in vendors' observed practices versus knowledge and attitudes was noted. Consumer deductions of food safety were based on vendor practices. Both groups used physical attributes based on senses to assess quality and safety of animal-source foods, had their own 'coping' strategies to address food safety-related concerns, and had similar views on consumer choice motives. Analysis of food and the food handling environment revealed a high level of contamination. An additional study, included after the original search, identified training to be effective in influencing knowledge, attitudes, and practices - though results for attitudes and practices were not sustained in the long term. Future research should address consumers and consumer-vendor interactions and include the full triad of knowledge-attitudes-practices. It is also recommended to focus on nutrient-rich foods as well as on traditional markets and local eateries. Improving the quality of research will be critical to improve food safety in Ethiopia.

Food Safety Knowledge and Attitudes: A Cross-Sectional Study among Saudi Consumers from Food Trucks Owned by Productive Families

Food businesses, such as food trucks (FTs) and family producers have grown rapidly and become popular with people in Saudi Arabia. As foodborne diseases are still a public health concern in the country, consumers should be aware of the safety of foods sold by food trucks. Since there is a dearth of literature, this study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of consumers of food from FTs owned by family producers regarding food safety and foodborne disease. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 921 consumers of food from FTs from two cities in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using an online questionnaire from September to November 2021. Finally, multiple linear regression and a logistic regression model were used to identify the predictors of knowledge and attitude regarding food safety and foodborne illness, respectively. Overall, respondents had moderate knowledge and higher positive attitudes regarding food safety and foodborne illness. Respondents' knowledge about the potential harm and attitudes towards the safety of foods sold by FTs were significantly associated with marital status, education level, and monthly family income. The findings of this study highlight the need to improve the knowledge, awareness, and attitudes of Saudi consumers of food from FTs owned by family producers on food safety and foodborne illness through intervention programs, particularly targeting consumers with lower educational attainments and income status, to control foodborne diseases.

What Motivates Consumer Food Safety Perceptions and Beliefs? A Scoping Review in BRICS Countries

This scoping review aimed to map the main evidence in the existing literature regarding consumer perceptions and beliefs regarding food safety in the context of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) countries. Articles were searched in the Web of Science, Scopus, and SciELO databases. The last search was performed on November 2021. Only the studies conducted within BRICS countries were included. The synthesis aimed to group similarities in consumer beliefs and perceptions of food safety. After screening, 74 eligible articles were included in the study. Of the 74 studies analyzed, 49 (66.2%) were carried out in China, 14 (18.9%) in Brazil, 5 (6.8%) in India,4 (5.4%) in South Africa, and 2 (2.7%) in Russia. Thirty-three motivators of perceptions and beliefs regarding food safety were identified. Food safety motivators were grouped into three categories: (1) sociodemographic characteristics, (2) cognitive aspects, and (3) other. In the "sociodemographic characteristics" category, the motivator with the highest number of corresponding results was education level (results = 22), followed by income (results = 22), both positive drivers for food safety perceptions. The "cognitive aspects" category comprised the majority of the identified motivators. Concern for food safety (results = 32) and risk perception (results = 30) were the motivators with the highest number of results among all categories and motivators. Finally, the main motivator in the "other" category was place of consumption/purchase (results = 8), focusing on consumers underestimating the risk of having a foodborne disease when eating away from home. China and Brazil are leading the way in studies on this topic. Consumers' perceptions are influenced by socioeconomic characteristics (e.g., age, gender, education level, income), cognitive aspects (e.g., knowledge, risk perception, food concerns, previous experience with food safety incidents) and other situational factors (e.g., price, place of purchase, traceability).

Using Mobile Food Delivery Applications during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior to Examine Continuance Behavior

COVID-19 has opened up a significant market for food delivery services in Vietnam. Based on the theory of planned behavior, subjective norms and social isolation were hypothesized to have a positive impact on behavior intention and continuance behavior. The study also aimed to determine the positive impacts of perceived food safety, food delivery, and behavioral intention on continuance behavior, while the perception of food safety and food delivery were also proposed to have direct impacts on behavioral intention. Structured equation modeling was used to evaluate data obtained from 299 respondents who were experienced in using delivery apps for ordering food. As a result, this study contributes to prior findings regarding the positive effects of the subject norm—social isolation, food delivery hygiene, perceived food safety—on behavioral intention to use mobile apps. Additionally, customers’ continued usage behavior was found to be also influenced by behavioral intention, perceived food safety, and food delivery hygiene. It was concluded that these findings have significant theoretical and practical implications. This study adds to the existing debate on consumer behavior in the context of online food delivery in Vietnam and sheds light on the elements that could be used to forecast people’s willingness to buy food through food delivery apps, and for how long they would continue to use them.

Australian Consumers' Preferences for Food Attributes: A Latent Profile Analysis

Understanding consumer food preferences can provide agribusinesses with a competitive advantage through meeting consumers’ needs. Consumers’ preferences for food attributes have been extensively examined, focusing on specific aspects of attributes with specific food products. It is less clear how consumers evaluate the relative importance of the key food attributes in general. Applying the commonly adopted classification of food attributes into endogenous attributes (i.e., safety and freshness) and exogenous attributes (i.e., genetically modified (GM)-free and organic), the relative importance of these attributes for consumers was investigated. Furthermore, the heterogeneity of preferences was explored to identify distinct subgroups of consumers who may differ in valuing various food attributes. An online survey of 489 city dwellers in Australia revealed that the endogenous attributes were regarded as the most important in an order of safety and freshness. The exogenous attributes were rated as much less important. Three profiles with distinctive preferences for food attributes were identified: Not Fussy (12% of participants), Quality First (49%) and Choosy (39%). The findings suggest that consumers value the importance of various food attributes in a hierarchical order, and there is significant heterogeneity in consumers’ food preference. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of food policy and agribusiness decision-making.

The Multifaceted Dimensions of Food Choice and Nutrition

The Special Issue "Food Choice and Nutrition" deals with the relationship between the food choices of different population groups or consumer segments and its impact on the nutritional status, improvement of dietary quality, food and nutrition-related behaviour, food preferences, taste education, sensory characteristics of foods and their role in consumer choice, etc [...].

Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Brazilian Food Truck Food Handlers

This study aimed to (i) compare the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices (KAP) and observed food safety practices of food truck (FT) food handlers, (ii) evaluate the microbiological quality of food and water samples collected from these vehicles, and (iii) establish a score classification for the KAP instrument according to the food contamination probability assessment. This study was conducted in three stages with 40 food truck food handlers conveniently sampled in the Federal District, Brazil, through structured interviews, application of an observational checklist for the assessment of handlers’ practices and the collection of food and water samples for determination of microbiological quality. FTs that are likely to exhibit food contamination and are at a high risk of foodborne diseases if at least one of the following situations occur: (1) if a food handler scores ≤6 in the knowledge section; (2) if a food handler scores ≤5 in the attitudes section; or (3) if a food handler scores ≤6 in the self-reported practices section. On the other hand, FTs in which handlers score higher than the cutoff points in all the sections are unlikely to exhibit food contamination and are at a low risk of foodborne diseases. The findings of this study are the first step to understand food handlers’ point of view and the initial diagnosis to guide educational strategies in the FT sector.