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Consumers' perceived risk and worry about microbial food safety

Charlie Van Paepeghem (UGent) , Julie Hellin, Liesbeth Jacxsens (UGent) , Mieke Uyttendaele (UGent) , Peter Vlerick (UGent) and Wim Verbeke (UGent)
(2026) FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE. 144.
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Abstract
While addressing consumers' perceived risk and worry about foodborne pathogens is essential for effective risk management and communication, the determinants underlying these cognitive and affective dimensions of consumer concerns remain poorly understood. In this study, a comprehensive literature review and formal group discussions informed the identification of 50 potential determinants and the development of a questionnaire measuring these determinants. The questionnaire also assessed the intensity and interrelationship of consumers' perceived risk and worry about foodborne pathogens. As a case study, the instrument was administered online among 420 Dutch-speaking adults in Flanders (Belgium). This case study revealed high levels of perceived risk and worry, both yielding a median score of 6 on a 7-point Likert scale. Penalized multivariate variable selection followed by generalized ordinal logistic regression indicated that perceived risk was primarily associated with the importance consumers attach to the absence of foodborne pathogens and remembrance of foodborne outbreaks and recalls. In contrast, worry was primarily associated with the importance consumers attach to food healthiness, safety, and sustainability; distrusting the safety of unfamiliar foods; perceived dread regarding the health consequences of food poisoning; and zero-risk beliefs. A moderate positive correlation (r = 0.42, p < .001) and differences in generalized ordinal logistic regression determinants indicated that perceived risk and worry represent related yet distinct dimensions of consumer concerns about foodborne pathogens. Finally, hierarchical cluster analysis – based on perceived risk and worry – revealed three consumer segments which differed mainly in value orientations and food safety beliefs. The questionnaire and methods developed in this study can be applied cross-culturally, supporting academia, risk managers, and communicators in understanding and addressing consumer concerns about microbial food safety.
Keywords
Concern assessment, Foodborne pathogen, Food poisoning, Consumer survey, Questionnaire, Exploratory factor analysis, Confirmatory factor analysis, Regularized variable selection, Penalized ordinal logistic regression, Generalized ordinal logistic regression, Hierarchal cluster analysis, Eurobarometer, Food safety, Consumer concerns, Food infection, Risk analysis, Regression, Cluster analysis, PERCEPTION, KNOWLEDGE, INFORMATION, ATTITUDES, MODELS, SCALES

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Citation

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MLA
Van Paepeghem, Charlie, et al. “Consumers’ Perceived Risk and Worry about Microbial Food Safety.” FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE, vol. 144, 2026, doi:10.1016/j.foodqual.2026.105980.
APA
Van Paepeghem, C., Hellin, J., Jacxsens, L., Uyttendaele, M., Vlerick, P., & Verbeke, W. (2026). Consumers’ perceived risk and worry about microbial food safety. FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE, 144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2026.105980
Chicago author-date
Van Paepeghem, Charlie, Julie Hellin, Liesbeth Jacxsens, Mieke Uyttendaele, Peter Vlerick, and Wim Verbeke. 2026. “Consumers’ Perceived Risk and Worry about Microbial Food Safety.” FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE 144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2026.105980.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Van Paepeghem, Charlie, Julie Hellin, Liesbeth Jacxsens, Mieke Uyttendaele, Peter Vlerick, and Wim Verbeke. 2026. “Consumers’ Perceived Risk and Worry about Microbial Food Safety.” FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE 144. doi:10.1016/j.foodqual.2026.105980.
Vancouver
1.
Van Paepeghem C, Hellin J, Jacxsens L, Uyttendaele M, Vlerick P, Verbeke W. Consumers’ perceived risk and worry about microbial food safety. FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE. 2026;144.
IEEE
[1]
C. Van Paepeghem, J. Hellin, L. Jacxsens, M. Uyttendaele, P. Vlerick, and W. Verbeke, “Consumers’ perceived risk and worry about microbial food safety,” FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE, vol. 144, 2026.
@article{01KRRP9NFMKW7B4X43TVTT61JZ,
  abstract     = {{While addressing consumers' perceived risk and worry about foodborne pathogens is essential for effective risk management and communication, the determinants underlying these cognitive and affective dimensions of consumer concerns remain poorly understood. In this study, a comprehensive literature review and formal group discussions informed the identification of 50 potential determinants and the development of a questionnaire measuring these determinants. The questionnaire also assessed the intensity and interrelationship of consumers' perceived risk and worry about foodborne pathogens. As a case study, the instrument was administered online among 420 Dutch-speaking adults in Flanders (Belgium). This case study revealed high levels of perceived risk and worry, both yielding a median score of 6 on a 7-point Likert scale. Penalized multivariate variable selection followed by generalized ordinal logistic regression indicated that perceived risk was primarily associated with the importance consumers attach to the absence of foodborne pathogens and remembrance of foodborne outbreaks and recalls. In contrast, worry was primarily associated with the importance consumers attach to food healthiness, safety, and sustainability; distrusting the safety of unfamiliar foods; perceived dread regarding the health consequences of food poisoning; and zero-risk beliefs. A moderate positive correlation (r = 0.42, p < .001) and differences in generalized ordinal logistic regression determinants indicated that perceived risk and worry represent related yet distinct dimensions of consumer concerns about foodborne pathogens. Finally, hierarchical cluster analysis – based on perceived risk and worry – revealed three consumer segments which differed mainly in value orientations and food safety beliefs. The questionnaire and methods developed in this study can be applied cross-culturally, supporting academia, risk managers, and communicators in understanding and addressing consumer concerns about microbial food safety.}},
  articleno    = {{105980}},
  author       = {{Van Paepeghem, Charlie and Hellin, Julie and Jacxsens, Liesbeth and Uyttendaele, Mieke and Vlerick, Peter and Verbeke, Wim}},
  issn         = {{0950-3293}},
  journal      = {{FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE}},
  keywords     = {{Concern assessment,Foodborne pathogen,Food poisoning,Consumer survey,Questionnaire,Exploratory factor analysis,Confirmatory factor analysis,Regularized variable selection,Penalized ordinal logistic regression,Generalized ordinal logistic regression,Hierarchal cluster analysis,Eurobarometer,Food safety,Consumer concerns,Food infection,Risk analysis,Regression,Cluster analysis,PERCEPTION,KNOWLEDGE,INFORMATION,ATTITUDES,MODELS,SCALES}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{25}},
  title        = {{Consumers' perceived risk and worry about microbial food safety}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2026.105980}},
  volume       = {{144}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}
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