Consumers’ aversion to food safety risk associated with cowpea storage In Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

When consumers are averse to food risk, they take proactive steps that will eliminate or reduce their exposure to such risks, which in turn can contribute to reducing the global burden of disease. This study assessed consumers’ aversion to food safety risk associated with cowpea storage. The analysis used survey data from 120 consumers collected through interviews with the use of questionnaire. Consumers’ response to the food hazard information under consideration was analyzed descriptively and the predisposing factors for receiving information and being averse to food risks were analyzed using probit regression. About 22.50% of respondents were implicitly excluded from making informed decisions given that they did not receive the food hazard information. Most respondents (55.91%) who received the information are averse to the associated risks, but majority of those who are averse (92.31%) focused on reducing their risk exposure and the severity of possible health effects rather than eliminating the risk. Also, up to 86% of those who initially exhibited extreme risk avoidance behaviours switched to tolerant ones. These findings highlight the extent to which behaviours are sustained while food hazards at issue may still exist, the importance of ensuring non-exclusivity in disseminating food safety alerts and information, and the need to design consumer focused interventions to ensure safe food consumption pending the strengthening of relevant food safety institutions in developing regions.