Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of the foodservice industry workers in regard to the use of seasonings and sweeteners in the restaurants. Questionnaires were distributed to 902 foodservice workers of various restaurants. Participants were questioned on their perceptions of both natural and artificial seasonings & sweeteners. Furthermore, they were asked to respond to questions regarding the need of public education and information about the use of seasonings and sweeteners, along with the demographic information. The results showed that 65.7% of respondents used both the artificial seasoning and artificial sweeteners, while 9.9% of respondents used only natural seasonings and sweeteners. The restaurant employees answered that they have tried to reduce the use of artificial seasonings and sweeteners(3.69/5 point). Some of the respondents reported that they have tried to increase the used of natural seasonings and sweeteners(3.54/5 point). There were significant differences in the respondents' perceptions and attitudes on the seasonings and sweeteners by the restaurant type(p<0.05). The respondents perceived the need for education on the safety of artificial seasonings and sweeteners(3.71/ 5point) and the production process of natural seasonings(3.75/5 point). There was no significant difference in the respondents' perceptions on the need for education of the seasonings and sweeteners by the restaurant type. The findings suggest that education regarding the use of artificial seasoning and artificial sweeteners, as well as cooking methods that use natural seasonings, is needed to reduce the use of artificial seasonings and sweeteners in restaurants.

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