Food Safety Survey: Summary of Major Trends in Food Handling Practices and Consumption of Potentially Risky Foods

Author: Sara Fein, Ph.D.;Alan Levy, Ph.D.;Amy Lando, Consumer Studies Team

Source: U. S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Consumer Studies Branch

Published: August 27, 2002

Methodology: The Food Safety Survey (FSS) is a random digit-dial survey of a nationally representative sample of American consumers conducted by the Food and Drug Administration. Data were collected in 1988, 1993, 1998, and 2001, with sample sizes 3,200; 1,620; 2,001; and 4,482. The FSS obtains information that FDA uses for risk assessments, regulatory and policy matters, and consumer education purposes.

Summary: In all of the time periods, people have safer behaviors with respect to some foods, indicating a differing relative perceived risk for various foods. In particular, the pattern is that behaviors regarding fish have the safest levels, behaviors with meat and chicken are the next safest, and behaviors with eggs are the least safe.

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