Supporting ‘good habits’ through user-led design of food safety applications – findings from a survey of red meat consumers

Mitigating consumer health risks and reducing food wastage has stimulated research into mechanisms for improving consumers’ food safety knowledge and food management practice. Many studies report success, but differences in methodology and in the type and range of foods and consumers involved has made comparison and transferability of results challenging. While most studies advocate for the importance of information in consumer education, few provide detailed insight into what ‘good’ information means. Determining appropriate content, formats, and methods of delivery for different types of consumers as well as evaluating how different choices impact on consumers’ food safety knowledge and behaviour remains unclear. Within a larger research project on enhancing provenance, stability and traceability of red meat value chains, this paper presents findings from a survey of Australian red meat consumers (n=217). It identifies consumers’ food safety issues and reveals information and communication preferences that may support good safety habits with food.