How Argentinian Consumers Perceive the Safety of Irradiated Foods.

Food irradiation is a process used for various purposes, the main function of which is food safety. Although food irradiation has been used to ensure food safety, most consumers are unaware of the basic concepts of irradiation, misinterpreting information and showing a negative perception towards food treated with ionizing radiation. This research aimed to develop the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Awareness Scale on Consumption of Irradiated Foods (ASCIF) for the Argentine population and culture.

Construction and validation of a psychometric scale to measure awareness on consumption of irradiated foods.

Although food irradiation has been used to ensure food safety, most consumers are unaware of the basic concepts of irradiation, misinterpreting information and demonstrating a negative attitude toward food items treated with ionizing radiation. This research is aimed at developing a tool to assess the awareness on the consumption of irradiated food. The sample was composed by employees from different social classes and school levels of Brazilian universities, who reflect the end-users of the irradiated foods, representative of the views of lay consumers.