School of Business, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Food Safety Research Base of Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
Appetite. 2013 Nov;70:90-8. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.06.091. Epub 2013 Jul 4.
This study examined the factors affecting public risk perception of food additive safety and possible resulting food scares using a survey conducted in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. The model was proposed based on literature relating to the role of risk perception and information perception of public purchase intention under food scares. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used for data analysis. The results showed that attitude towards behavior, subjective norm and information perception exerted moderate to high effect on food scares, and the effects were also mediated by risk perceptions of additive safety. Significant covariance was observed between attitudes toward behavior, subjective norm and information perception. Establishing an effective mechanism of food safety risk communication, releasing information of government supervision on food safety in a timely manner, curbing misleading media reports on public food safety risk, and enhancing public knowledge of the food additives are key to the development and implementation of food safety risk management policies by the Chinese government.
本研究使用在中国江苏省苏州市进行的一项调查，考察了影响公众对食品添加剂安全风险感知的因素，以及可能由此引发的食品恐慌。该模型是基于与食品恐慌下公众购买意愿的风险感知和信息感知相关的文献提出的。采用结构方程模型（SEM）进行数据分析。结果表明，行为态度、主观规范和信息感知对食品恐慌的影响较大，风险感知对添加剂安全的影响也具有中介作用。行为态度、主观规范和信息感知之间存在显著的协方差。建立食品安全风险沟通的有效机制，及时发布政府对食品安全监管的信息，遏制媒体对公众食品安全风险的误导性报道，增强公众对食品添加剂的了解，是中国政府制定和实施食品安全风险管理政策的关键。
