Socioeconomic Constraints on Low-income Individuals' Perceptions Toward Food Safety

Authors

Uyen Thuy Xuan Phan, Chapman UniversityFollow
Cuc Thuy Thi Tran, Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City
Nguyet Minh Thi Nguyen, Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-8-2024

Abstract

Food safety has emerged as a critical concern in Vietnam, posing a significant threat to public health due to the prevalence of unsafe foods in the market. Among those most vulnerable to contaminated foods, low-income individuals are significantly affected. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of food safety among this demographic, utilizing qualitative and quantitative approaches, including focus groups, survey questionnaires, and behavioral experiments using steamed bun as a stimulus. Participants were generally from low-income classes with certain variations in household monthly income. Results from focus groups and the survey highlighted that the factors influencing food purchases included perception of safety, sensory properties, and acceptable pricing. The behavioral experiment revealed that participants with lower incomes were more inclined to select foods containing unsafe chemicals. In conclusion, the study underscored the heightened vulnerability of low-income individuals to unsafe foods, with their perception of food safety bounded by socioeconomic status.

Comments

This article was originally published in Journal of Sensory Studies, volume 39, issue 3, in 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/joss.12918

Recommended Citation

Phan, U. T. X., Tran, C. T. T., & Nguyen, N. M. T. (2024). Socioeconomic constraints on low-income individuals' perceptions toward food safety. Journal of Sensory Studies, 39(3), e12918. https://doi.org/10.1111/joss.12918

Peer Reviewed

1

Copyright

The authors

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.