LIJIE SHAN¹,*, DAN YANG1, LING WANG¹, LINGLING XU¹, XIAOLI WANG
* Corresponding author
Jiangnan University, Food Safety Research Base, School of Business, Wuxi, 214122, China

Abstract

China has the biggest consumer market in the world. In the background of declining of public trust in food safety, it is important to know more about Chinese consumers. In this study, consumer purchasing patterns and safety perceptions of food additives were identified via survey questionnaire. A total of 218 consumers living in Jiangsu, China participated. The results showed that the most frequently purchased processed foods were in the order of bean products, dairy products, snacks, ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and processed meat. The vast majority of the respondents purchased processed foods in superstores The respondents were very concerned about food safety. 71.1% consumers think all of the food additives are not safe, and 67.4% respondents believed that food additives approved by the government are not safe. More than one third expressed that information on food additives was insufficient. Statistically significant differences (P < .011) were found in food additive safety perceptions by gender only. In conclusion, more multifaceted education programs are needed to meet consumer needs.

INTRODUCTION

There is evidence to suggest that recent food safety incidents have resulted in a decline of public trust in food safety regulation and management all over the world (1). Such as, the year 2008 witnessed two major food-safety incidents concerning chemical contaminants; melamine in Chinese milk products and dioxins in Irish pork (2). In recent years, consumers have become increasingly cautious about food safety of the various items associated with food safety, food additives are among the most controversial (3). Over the past three decades, there have been remarkable changes in food consumption patterns in China, and consumers are demanding and enjoying foods that are nutritious, safe, convenient, and affordable (4, 5). In an attempt to satisfy consumer desires for value, food additives have become indispensable in the production of processed food (6).The production of numerous food additives, including those of both natural and artificial origin, is rapidly increasing (7, 8). In 2013,China has become the first trading power. So, it is very important for the exporters to understand the preference of Chinese consumers.
Many studies hav ...