Influence of school education and advice received at home in the past on current food safety perceptions

Abstract

The perception of food safety is one of the influencing factors for the decision-making process in food choice. Using binary logistic regression analysis, this study examines the association between current food safety perceptions (considering two topics: food additives and pesticide residues) among Japanese young adults and school education and advice received at home in the past along with consideration of other factors that may have influenced current food safety perceptions. The results of a large-scale survey (N = 1,200, representative of the population aged 18–39) suggest that what was taught at school and home in the past could influence the current perceptions of both genders. School education has contributed to positive and negative perceptions of the safety of additives and pesticides. Advice from the family seemed to foster more negative than positive perceptions. To develop sound food safety perceptions, it may be essential to provide adequate knowledge about food safety and eliminate misleading information in childhood education. Considering that everyone can become an instructor for the next generation, it is necessary to strengthen consumers’ scientific knowledge and information literacy.