Consumer Knowledge and Perceptions of Food Irradiation: Ground Beef Study

This paper explores consumers' perception of irradiated ground beef products and the role of irradiation in consumer purchase decisions. Data was collected with a survey of ground beef consumers. The research objective was the identification of important attributes leading to consumer preference and selection of irradiated beef products. Results showed that a majority of consumers had heard of food irradiation and would be willing to purchase irradiated food products, but they were somewhat concerned about the impact of irradiation on safety, taste, and nutritional value with were listed as the three most important attributes in food purchases. Consumers trusted medical professionals and food scientists the most and government the least when it came to irradiation of food. The identification of the attributes should provide a useful guidance for the beef industry in terms of determining marketing strategies to increase the level of consumer preference for irradiated products