A Survey of Food Safety Risk Perceptions Research and Progress in Western Countries
Consumer behavior is decided by the perception rather than the food safety risk itself. There are three underlying factors affecting perception of risk---familiarity, dread, and exposure. Consumer risk perception of food safety is determined not so much by the hazard itself as is by the social and psychological characteristics of the food hazard. Perceived risk of food safety can be measured by category of loss, namely physical, performance, financial, time, social and psychological loss. Where consumers perceive risk, they often develop strategies to reduce risk.