Ingredient-based food fears and avoidance.

QuietBloom
QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Highlights
• A survey of 1008 US mothers reveals patterns in ingredient food fears.
• Fears can be stronger with ingredients associated with less nutritious foods.
• Fears can be lessened if the history and function of ingredient are communicated.


Abstract
This study investigates food fears that are ingredient-based, focusing on the case of high-fructose corn syrup. The results of a national phone survey of 1008 U.S. mothers offer five preliminary sets of observations: first, consumers with a fear of a specific ingredient – such as high-fructose corn syrup – may exaggerate and overweigh perceived risks. Second, such consumers may often receive more information from the internet than from television. Third, they may be partly influenced by their reference group. Fourth, ingredients associated with less healthy foods mainly hurt evaluation of foods perceived as relatively healthy. Fifth, food fears may be offset when an ingredient’s history, background, and general usage are effectively communicated. These findings suggest new insights for understanding how public health, industry, and consumer groups can more effectively target and address ingredient fears.

Keywords
Ingredients food fears; Food safety; Risk; High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS); Stigma; Reference groups

The entire article can be found here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329314001128

And last, but not least, my absolute favorite gif of all time. :happy:

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Replies

  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    We have no prayer when "blogosphere", misinformation, and agenda based websites are the first to come up in searches for health information.

    There is so much garbage one has to wade through to get a decent picture of the "truth" to an issue/ingredient.

    And I say "we" as in people who just want good information; whether of not it jives with our own personal bias and opinions.
  • RabbitLost
    RabbitLost Posts: 333 Member
    We have no prayer when "blogosphere", misinformation, and agenda based websites are the first to come up in searches for health information.

    There is so much garbage one has to wade through to get a decent picture of the "truth" to an issue/ingredient.

    Ah, the blessings of the internet!

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