Consumers’ Attitudes and Perceptions of Food Safety in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

This study analyzes consumers’ attitudes and perceptions of food safety in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study hypothesized that different ethnic groups perceive food safety differently for a number of reasons. A cross-section sample representing the country’s four ethnic groups was analyzed. A probit model was used to analyze factors affecting consumers’ perception and attitude toward major food safety concerns and practices. The results show that the most common food safety practice was reading expiration dates, food poisoning was the most frequent food safety concern, the family doctor was the most trusted source of information, and the householder himself was the most responsible entity regarding food safety. The respondents’ education levels and their ethnicity were the main determinants of their attitudes toward major food-safety concerns. The results indicated that it would be more effective for food-safety awareness campaigns to be disseminated through different sources of information targeting different ethnic groups.