Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
82% mostly or completely confi dent in 2006 to 66% in 2007 (Food Marketing Institute
2007 ). Confi dence in the safety of restaurant food was even lower, with only 42% of
respondents completely or mostly confi dent in safety.
The primary sources of food safety information (Food Marketing Institute 2007)
are television for 62% of consumers, followed by the Internet (47%), newspapers
(44%), and magazines (33%). A signifi cant number of people, 27%, get food safety
information from friends and family. The radio is an important source for 21%,
followed by supermarkets and the doctor, each cited by 17% of consumers.
Bacteria or germs are recognized as a serious health risk by 49% of consumers
(Food Marketing Institute 2007). This category has consistently been recognized as a
threat by more people than any other category. When potential food safety problems
were specifi cally identifi ed in the 2007 survey, 43% considered tampering a serious
risk, 38% considered avian infl uenza and terrorist tampering a serious threat, and 37%
considered residues such as pesticides and herbicides a serious hazard. Irradiation,
which could be used to control some bacterial contamination, was considered a serious
hazard by only 18% of consumers.
In 2001, The Packer's survey found 30% of consumers were concerned about resi-
dues on fresh fruits compared to 22% concerned about residues on fresh vegetables.
Disease and contamination were the primary food safety concerns associated with
vegetables, specifi ed by 36% of consumers. The concerns about pesticide residue were
highest in 1989 at the time of the controversy over use of the growth regulator, Alar,
on apples (Opinion Research 1990). Over time, confi dence in the safety of produce
and the belief in the health-enhancing value of produce increased due to concerted
efforts by the produce industry and health professionals to educate the public. Some
supermarkets advertise the use of a certifi cation system to verify that produce satisfi es
legal requirements for pesticide residue or contains no residues, as detected by sensi-
tive testing methods. Many supermarkets also offer organic produce that circumvents
the use of chemical pesticides.
Organic Food
The United States 1990 Farm Bill established the Organic Foods Production Act. The
goal of this legislation was to establish a system for marketing foods produced under
organic standards. By following specifi c production methods, organic production aims
to promote biodiversity and soil biological activity and enhance ecological harmony.
U.S. regulations, established by the Organic National Standards Board (USDA-AMS
1990 ), specifi ed that organic foods are produced and handled without the use of
synthetic chemicals. The Board prohibits the use of growth hormones, antibiotics,
and modern genetic engineering techniques (including genetically modifi ed crops),
irradiation, or sewage sludge, even if these approaches are shown to be sustainable or
environmentally benefi cial (USDA - AMS 1990 ).
The organic market grew from $2.3 billion in 1994, to 6.7 billion in 2000, to $10.38
billion in 2003 (Organic Trade Association 2005a,b). Organic foods are found in food-
service operations and are a mainstay in supermarkets and specialized markets. In
2003, 51% of U.S. women indicate they have seen the USDA organic seal where they
do most of their shopping (Burfi elds 2003). As an indicator of the growing availability
of organic foods, The Hartman Group's report in 2008 found that 69% of U.S.
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