Food Safety Top of Mind for the US, other Consumers

According to a new study from the Beijing-based Mars Global Food Safety Center that surveyed more than 1,750 people in the US, UK and China, more than half of respondents (52%) feel that food safety is a top-three global issue – and 77% think it’s a top 10 global issue. Food insecurity has only been exacerbated by COVID-19, and 73% of respondents believe the novel coronavirus will impact the viability of the global supply chain and 71% believe it will have an impact on global access to food.  These consumers think about food safety and security as much as climate change (39%) and pollution (38%). “New food safety threats, like those posed by COVID-19, are constantly emerging through a combination of factors including global warming, increased globalization of trade, as well as changes in agriculture practices and food production,” said David Crean, Mars’ chief science officer and vice president of corporate R&D. “We believe everyone has a right to safe food and it’s also our responsibility to share our knowledge — 82% of survey respondents expressed their desire to learn more — expertise and tools to enable safe food for all.”  — Source: Food Safety Monitor.