Self-Reported Food Safety Perception Among Home and Consumer Studies Students in Relation to Knowledge and Trust

Introduction: Our behavior might be affected by our source of knowledge as well as our trust for that source. Confidence in an unreliable source can mean that a risk behavior in relation to food safety is developed which might imply an increased risk for foodborne infections for the individual consumer. High credibility for a source also means less chance that a behavior will change. Historically the home has been a place for food safety knowledge to be transferred through generations but due to lifestyle changes this has been reported to decrease. If true, what new sources have come instead and how does teaching of Home and Consumer Studies stand as a source of knowledge and trust?

Purpose: To investigate sources of knowledge and trust for different information sources in relation to food safety among students in school Year 9 in the Swedish Compulsory School.

Methods: A national questionnaire survey was conducted by using a Student Response System at the participating schools. A total of 529 students at 16 schools located at different parts of Sweden participated.

Results: Mother was reported to be the most common as well as the most trusted source for knowledge, especially among girls. Home and Consumer Studies teaching was however reported to be of importance in relation to food safety knowledge, especially among boys who seldom reported to cook at home. Boys reported to be more at risk in terms of food safety and to have higher confidence for other more uncertain sources.

Significance: The results indicate that food safety in Home and Consumer Studies teaching needs to be improved in order to be an extensive and reliable source for food safety knowledge communication. This is of importance for all students as future food consumers, but extra important for the boys.