Browsing by Author "Smigic, Nada"
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- Consumer attitudes and perceptions towards chilled ready-to-eat foods: a multi-national studyPublication . Smigic, Nada; Ozilgen, Sibel; Gómez-López, Vicente M.; Osés, Sandra María; Miloradovic, Zorana; Aleksic, Biljana; Miocinovic, Jelena; Smole Možina, Sonja; Kunčič, Ajda; Guiné, Raquel; Goncalves, J. C.; Trafialek, Joanna; Czarniecka-Skubina, Ewa; Goel, Gunjan; Blazic, Marijana; Herljevic, Dora; Nikolić, Aleksandra; Mujčinović, Alen; Djekic, IlijaUnderstanding consumers’ behavior and their handling of high-risk foods at home is essential for reducing the number of foodborne illnesses. This study shows the results of a cross-national analysis of consumers’ perception from nine countries, and the identification of customers’ clusters and its characteristics in order to understand customers’ behavior, and to build safe chilled ready-to-eat (RTE) foods prevention strategies. The cluster analysis resulted in two clusters: (1) “Precautious consumers” characterized by the orientation towards pre-packed RTE foods, with consumers mainly coming from Bosnia and Herzegovina, India, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. Their attitudes and self-reported practices may be categorized as less risky in terms of food-borne illnesses connected with the consumption of RTE foods; (2) “Unconcerned consumers” preferred cutting and slicing RTE foods freshly at the point of purchase, usually sold at the delicatessen department in a supermarket or at open markets. Those consumers mostly came from Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia and their attitudes and self-reported practices were riskier. These results allow a better understating of what characterizes consumers of RTE foods in different countries.
- Consumers’ attitudes toward refrigerated ready-to-eat meat and dairy foodsPublication . C. Goncalves, J.; Guiné, Raquel; Djekic, Ilija; Smigic, NadaThe constant variation of people’s lifestyle has been linked to changes in people’s eating habits. The consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) food products, such as fresh vegetables, salads, dairy, pre-cooked meat, or pre-cooked meals, has increased in all western countries. This study aims at characterization of the Portuguese consumers’ attitude toward chilled RTE meat and dairy foods consumption. The study was performed using a questionnaire survey disclosed through an internet platform. The sample consisted of 350 individuals, who voluntarily answered the questionnaire. The survey included questions to characterize the Portuguese purchase and food safety attitudes related to dairy and meat RTE food products. The questionnaire also included questions for the sociodemographic characterization of the sample involved. According to the results, it is not clear to the customers as which is the safer refrigerated RTE food selling format, pre-packed or foods on request. The participants consider refrigerated RTE dairy and meat food products safer when purchased at the delicatessen department in the supermarket than those purchased at open markets or bazaars. With respect to the customers’ habits, they usually purchase RTE dairy or meat food products mainly from the supermarket, and in pre-packed format. Globally, the results reveal that Portuguese consumers are conscious and follow assertive attitudes toward food safety, contributing to maintain the refrigerated food chain, even when they take the product home.
- How do consumers perceive food safety risks? – Results from a multi-country surveyPublication . Djekic, Ilija; Nikolic, Aleksandra; Mujcinovic, Alen; Blazic, Marijana; Herljevic, Dora; Goel, Gunjan; Trafiałek, Joanna; Czarniecka-Skubina, Ewa; Guiné, Raquel; Gonçalves, João Carlos; Smole-Mozina, Sonja; Kunčič, Ajda; Miloradovic, Zorana; Miocinovic, Jelena; Aleksic, Biljana; Gómez-López, Vicente M.; Osés, Sandra Maria; Ozilgen, Sibel; Smigic, NadaAn online survey was distributed to consumers in nine countries in order to investigate their perceptions related to causers of food safety risks, types of food associated with food-borne illnesses and the role of actors in the food supply chain. A total of 2723 respondents have participated in the survey. Results indicated that food hygiene has been recognized as the most important issue associated with food safety risks. Consumers considered meat and meat products as well as egg and egg-based products, as types of food that pose the highest risks to consumer's health. Food processors and food inspection services play the most significant role in food supply chains. Results further revealed that country of origin has the highest influence on consumer perception, opposed to gender with the least influence. Overall, results obtained in this study confirmed the role of food hygiene as the predominant factor in ensuring food safety in the mind of consumers and that animal-originated food has been perceived as the type of food holding higher health risk opposed to food of plant origin. At the same time, these results challenge the trust in food processors and food inspection services.