Expectations and everyday opportunities for building trust in the food system

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Tonkin ◽  
Julie Henderson ◽  
Samantha B. Meyer ◽  
John Coveney ◽  
Paul R. Ward ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Consumer Trust ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Safety Incident ◽  
The Media ◽  
Business As Usual

PurposeConsumers’ trust in food systems is essential to their functioning and to consumers’ well-being. However, the literature exploring how food safety incidents impact consumer trust is theoretically underdeveloped. This study explores the relationship between consumers’ expectations of the food system and its actors (regulators, food industry and the media) and how these influence trust-related judgements that consumers make during a food safety incident.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, two groups of purposefully sampled Australian participants (n = 15) spent one day engaged in qualitative public deliberation to discuss unfolding food incident scenarios. Group discussion was audio recorded and transcribed for the analysis. Facilitated group discussion included participants' expected behaviour in response to the scenario and their perceptions of actors' actions described within the scenario, particularly their trust responses (an increase, decrease or no change in their trust in the food system) and justification for these.FindingsThe findings of the study indicated that food incident features and unique consumer characteristics, particularly their expectations of the food system, interacted to form each participant's individual trust response to the scenario. Consumer expectations were delineated into “fundamental” and “anticipatory” expectations. Whether fundamental and anticipatory expectations were in alignment was central to the trust response. Experiences with the food system and its actors during business as usual contributed to forming anticipatory expectations.Originality/valueTo ensure that food incidents do not undermine consumer trust in food systems, food system actors must not only demonstrate competent management of the incident but also prioritise trustworthiness during business as usual to ensure that anticipatory expectations held by consumers are positive.

scholarly journals The health implications of distrust in the food system: findings from the dimensions of trust in food systems scale (DOTIFS scale)

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Tonkin ◽  
Trevor Webb ◽  
Julie Henderson ◽  
Paul R. Ward ◽  
John Coveney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Content Validity ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Consumer Trust ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Consumer trust in food systems is essential for consumers, food industry, policy makers and regulators. Yet no comprehensive tool for measuring consumer trust in food systems exists. Similarly, the impact that trust in the food system has on health-related food behaviours is yet to be empirically examined. The aim of this research was to develop a comprehensive instrument to measure trust in the food system (the Dimensions of Trust in Food Systems Scale (DOTIFS scale) and use it to explore whether trust in the food system impacts consumers’ health-related behaviours. Methods The DOTIFS scale was developed using sociological theories of trust and pre-existing instruments measuring aspects of trust. It was pilot tested and content validity was assessed with 85 participants. A mixed-methods exploration of the health-related behaviours of 18 conveniently sampled Australian consumers with differing trust scores determined by the DOTIFS scale was then conducted. During March–July 2019 shopping- and home-observations were used to assess participants’ food safety practices and exposure to public health fortification programs, while the CSIRO Healthy Diet Score determined their adherence to national dietary guidelines. Results The DOTIFS scale was found to have high comprehension, ease of use and content validity. Statistical analysis showed scale scores significantly trended as predicted by participants’ stated level of trust. Differences were found in the way individuals with more or less trust in the food system comply with national dietary guidelines, are exposed to public health fortification programs, and adhere to recommended food safety practices. Conclusions The DOTIFS scale is a comprehensive, sociologically- and empirically- informed assessment of consumer trust in food systems that can be self-administered online to large populations and used to measure changes in consumer trust over time. The differences in health-related behaviours between individuals with varying levels of trust warrant further investigation.

scholarly journals Teaching an interdisciplinary course in sustainable food systems: science and history meet in “a world that works”

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Blodgett ◽  
Marjorie N. Feld
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Environmental Science ◽  
Food System ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Systems Science ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The sustainability of the global food system hinges on its environmental resiliency and safety, including the health and well-being of its labor force. Single disciplinary courses in liberal arts or science often fail to highlight the overlap between environmental and social vulnerabilities that lead to food insecurity and diminish the sustainability of food systems. This paper aims to present the design and delivery of a successfully co-taught, interdisciplinary module on agricultural labor and sustainable food systems as a case study. Design/methodology/approach The authors designed a co-taught module in which they joined each other’s respective history and science class sessions at the undergraduate business college where they teach. Innovating the cross-disciplinary content of food security, immigration status, labor exploitation and pesticide exposure, they approached sustainability from the disciplinary perspectives of labor history and environmental science to show how these elements had both unique and overlapping impacts across food systems levels. Comparisons between pre- and post-module survey responses, alongside assessments of a co-authored exam question, measured the effectiveness of this module is changing students’ perspectives as food consumers and as citizens. Findings This module altered students’ understanding and perspectives around issues of food systems sustainability. Assessments indicated that students increased their awareness of agricultural workers at the front end of the food system, during production; students also gained awareness beyond consumption as they came to see the connections between workforce invisibility and ecosystem degradation. Originality/value These insights are valuable to educators at all institutional levels who seek to collaborate on sustainability initiatives and teaching, both in the singular, robust modules and in building modules that will lead to the development of entire courses focused on sustainability. The module described here builds on previous demonstrations of the value, significance and effectiveness of cross-disciplinary collaborations; it pioneers the use of the food system as the link between social and environmental sustainability education.

The effects of different types of trust on consumer perceptions of food safety

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiping Chen
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Food System ◽  
Consumer Perceptions ◽  
Consumer Trust ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Safety ◽  
Industry Level ◽  
Safety Perceptions ◽  
General Trust ◽  
Different Types

PurposeThe aim of this research is to empirically investigate how different types of trust relate to consumer perceptions of food safety.Design/methodology/approachAfter a review of trust literature this study classifies trust into three distinct types: supplier‐level specific trust, industry‐level specific trust and general trust. The direct and indirect relationships between three types of trust and consumer perceptions of food safety were studied through a survey of 1165 consumers from Beijing municipality, China using structural equation model as an analytical tool.FindingsThe results indicate that trust in manufacturers and trust in retailers are directly positively related to food safety perceptions. Trust in farmers is not directly related to food safety perceptions. Industry‐level specific trust is not related to food safety perceptions directly, but it is positively related to supplier‐level specific trust, which in turn is positively related to food safety perceptions. Finally, general trust has only a weak indirect positive effect through its effect on trust in food manufacturers.Practical implicationsThe results imply that consumer perceived safety of food products might be enhanced by improving consumer trust in manufacturers and trust in retailers. The results also suggest that food suppliers are more difficult to build consumer trust when industry‐level specific trust is low and declining. In addition, food suppliers also get potential benefits through influencing and improving industry‐level specific trust. At last, the results suggest that some concerns about food safety are related to individuals' world reviews and maybe beyond the control of the food system.Originality/valueThis study is the first to investigate the relationship between different types of specific trust in the context of food safety. Accordingly, it complements existing trust models and helps predict and explain how trust relates to food safety perceptions directly and indirectly through interactions between different types of trust.

Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Safety and Nutritional Behaviors

2022 ◽  
pp. 444-462
Author(s):  
Ayse Saygun
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Direct Transmission ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Daily Routines ◽  
Novel Treatments ◽  
Global Events

Global events like pandemics or climatic changes have an important influence on food systems. Taking into account consumer requirements during the pandemic, nutrition and food safety are very significant for individuals' well-being. Lockdowns, quarantine, and social distancing changed daily routines as well as nutritional behaviors from shopping for food to eating habits. Direct transmission of coronavirus through food was not observed. Food safety and food sustainability are strongly affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the pandemic is still ongoing. For this reason, novel treatments of COVID-19 and immune-boosting food products will remain on-trend. Food loss and food waste should be avoided to achieve a sustainable food future. This chapter reveals a basis for the pandemic about the changes on nutritional behaviors, eating habits, and aimed to highlight the importance of food handling and food safety issues to create awareness. Future studies should investigate the sustainability, innovative technologies, mechanisms, and changes on nutritional behavior and food safety aspects during the pandemic.

Social enterprise, sustainability and community in post-earthquake Christchurch

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy Berno
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Community Resilience ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Food System ◽  
Building Community ◽  
Post Disaster

Purpose Since 4 September 2010, the greater Christchurch region has endured a series of destructive earthquakes. As a result, food resilience, as a component of community resilience, has become highly relevant. This paper aims to explore the role of social entrepreneurs and the local food system in building community resilience. Design/methodology/approach Using a quasi-case study method, four social enterprise food initiatives are presented to illustrate conceptually how these local food systems contribute to community resilience in the post-earthquake context in Christchurch. Findings The results suggest that a generation of social entrepreneurs have emerged, giving rise to networked local food system initiatives that share the common goals of building multiple and unique forms of capital (human, social, natural, financial and physical). In doing so, they have contributed to creating conditions that support community resilience as both a process and an outcome in post-earthquake Christchurch. Research limitations/implications This research included only four enterprises as the case study, all located in central Christchurch. As such, the results are indicative and may not represent those found in other contexts. Practical implications The research suggests that social entrepreneurs make a significant contribution to both enhancing food security and building community resilience post-disaster. How policy infrastructure can empower and enable entrepreneurs’ post-disaster warrants further consideration. Social implications Collectively, the four enterprises included in the research were found to have created local solutions in response to local problems. This embeddedness with and responsiveness to the community is a characteristic of resilient communities. Originality/value Post-earthquake Christchurch is a living laboratory in relation to understanding community resilience. The processes by which it is occurring, how it is sustained over time and the shapes it will take in the future in such a dynamic environment are not yet understood. This paper contributes to understanding local food systems as part of this process.

Convergence of food systems: Kosher, Christian and Halal

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (9) ◽  
pp. 2313-2327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Tieman ◽  
Faridah Hj Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Food System ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
World Population ◽  
Traffic Light ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Production Approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate if religious food laws can provide answers to current issues with the food systems. Design/methodology/approach – This paper provides a discussion of the dietary and food system principles from a Judaism, Christianity and Islamic perspective for the design of a more sustainable and healthy food system. Findings – The commercialisation of the natural resources, industrial food production approach and consumerism is endangering the food security, health and environment. Current industry practices are not sustainable and do not comply with Jewish, Christian and Islamic scriptures. Kosher, Christian and halal food laws share common principles in prohibition of certain animals (like pig), prohibition of blood, role of fasting and animal welfare. As a change in the diet is the solution, there is a key role for the food industry to comply and for religious leaders to radically reduce meat consumption and food waste of its followers. Research limitations/implications – This viewpoint paper shows that religious food laws provide answers to current problems with the industrialised food production approach and consumerism. Practical implications – New food industry directives should convert meat-based to plant-based ingredients and additives; replace porcine by bovine sources; and emphasise on animal welfare to better serve the Jewish, Christian and Muslim consumer. Religious logos (kosher and halal) should incorporate nutrient profiling through a traffic light system to promote healthy food choice. Originality/value – Religious food laws are important for a big part of the world population (Jews, Christians and Muslims), which share many common principles. This study contributes to a better understanding of the commonalities and differences in these religious food laws.

Food safety culture – the food inspectors’ perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 376-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rounaq Nayak ◽  
Joanne Zaida Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Safety Culture ◽  
Food System ◽  
Legal Compliance ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Standards ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Food Safety Culture

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges for food inspectors when attempting to assess the food safety culture of a business. It is the eighth article in this issue of Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, discussing the importance of measuring food safety and quality culture. Design/methodology/approach As part of a larger research project, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the current challenges faced by food inspectors in assessing food safety and the future prospects of measuring food safety culture in the UK food system. Findings Food inspectors face increasing challenges in their role of assessing not just the visible level of legal compliance but also potential risk within a food business; while aware of the importance of food safety culture, they are unsure how to formally assess it. The UK Food Standards Agency developed a toolkit to assist inspectors in assessing the food safety culture of a business; however, this has been found to be onerous and difficult to implement in practice. Originality/value This paper will be of value to practitioners, researchers and other stakeholders involved in the hospitality industry.

Food safety incidents’ influence on the food industry

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaisheng Zeng ◽  
Xiaohui Luo ◽  
Yinglin Liu
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Food Markets ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Media ◽  
Strategic Reactions

Purpose – The purposes of this paper are to find out the correlations between the changes of food companies’ environments and the strategic reactions of food companies after the media disclosed that there were food safety incidents out there in the food markets. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a randomly sampling survey of 139 food enterprises in China. After statistical significance and statistical power were examined, canonical correlation analysis was used as the main data analysis technique of this research. Findings – Based on the environment-strategy paradigm, the authors found that the changes of the competition environment, resource environment, and institution environment in the food industry have significant association with food companies’ strategic reactions such as public relations, networking with firms and futurity after food safety incidents in the food market were disclosed. Originality/value – The paper is the first to quantitatively examine the relationships between the changes of food companies’ environments and the strategic reactions of food companies after the media disclosed that there were food safety incidents in the food markets. The findings of this paper send novel and important messages to government decision makers and the public, evidencing how food companies strategically respond to external environmental changes, and suggesting that the institution-builder as well as the media have more work to do in the aftermath of food safety incidents.

scholarly journals The Importance of a Food Systems Approach to Low and Middle Income Countries and Emerging Economies: A Review of Theories and Its Relevance for Disease Control and Malnutrition

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Alarcon ◽  
Paula Dominguez-Salas ◽  
Eric M. Fèvre ◽  
Jonathan Rushton
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Systems Science ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Our review explores the changing food production, distribution and consumption environment in low and middle-income countries and emerging economies as a basis for framing how to study food systems in order to address public health issues of food safety and nutrition. It presents the state of knowledge on existing food systems science and its use in terms of sustainable actions for food safety and public health. The review identifies a knowledge gap in food system mapping and governance, with value chain mapping of key commodities often missing. Despite a number of initiatives, the application of food systems methods is highly variable in scope and quality. Most analyses concentrate on specific commodities, rarely taking into account the need for a whole diet approach when looking at nutrition or the assessment of a range of infectious agents and their interactions when looking at food safety. Of the studies included in the review there is a growing observation of “informal” food systems, a term used inconsistently and one that requires revision. “Informal” food systems link to the formal sector to provide food security, yet with trade-offs between economic efficiencies and food safety. Efforts to improve food safety are hampered by inadequate food safety capacities and a lack of policy coherence leading to: inadequate investment; fragmented food quality control systems; weak or non-existent traceability mechanisms; weak foodborne disease surveillance; obsolete food regulation; and weak regulatory enforcement. In-depth food systems assessments can complement risk analysis to identify risky behaviors and understand institutional settings in order to improve codes of practice and enforcement. Methods for looking at food safety from a food systems perspective are emerging, yet existing nutrition and food systems science are not advancing sufficiently in response to nutritional public health problems. There is an urgency for improved understanding of the structure and drivers of the food systems, for better planning of changes that leads to nutrients access and healthy levels of eating. It is proposed that countries and international institutions provide an atlas of food system maps for the key commodities based on an agreed common methodology and developed by multidisciplinary teams.

Mistrust in media will fuel US populism

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
News Media ◽  
Consumer Trust ◽  
Corporate Ownership ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Alternative Facts ◽  
National Media ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
The Media ◽  
Critical Coverage

Subject 'Fake news' and US politics. Significance Throughout his presidency and the campaign that preceded it, Donald Trump has attacked news media that broadcast or write critical coverage of him and his circle. His habitual denial of unfavourable reports has established ‘fake news’, ‘alternative facts’ and ‘post-truth’ in the political lexicon. In contrast to Trump’s shifting positions on policy questions, the president’s animus for the media has been one of the constant aspects of his presidency. Impacts Trump’s central focus on his personal legitimacy will see him increase attacks on the media as difficulties mount. Deregulation will concentrate corporate ownership of local and national media, exacerbating the polarisation of news. Increased regulation of social media platforms is unlikely to restore consumer trust. The traditional media will probably cater to concentrated pockets of affluent and educated consumers.

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