GFSI Study: Food Safety and Sustainability Will Top Consumer Concerns

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April 27, 2010

Within the next 10 years, food safety, environmental protection and business sustainability will merge and become a primary concern among consumers, according to a new study conducted by The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and Diversey Inc.

The 37-question survey provided a framework for experts to share ideas on emerging issues in food safety and food production, according to GFSI.

The following are key findings of the study:

• 81 percent of respondents said they agreed (53 percent) or agreed strongly (28 percent) with the statement that food safety will become integral to sustainability.
• Respondents identified the three top food safety issues for 2020 as biological risks and microbial safety, supply chain risks, and chemical or physical contaminants.
• 64 percent of food safety problems will occur on farms and other agricultural sites (32 percent) and in food processing facilities (32 percent). Food service operations (14 percent) and food retail stores (7 percent) are expected to pose lower levels of risk. The remainder of the risk is expected to be in private homes (13 percent) and in the transportation of food (2 percent).
• Respondents were about evenly divided on the question of whether intentional contamination (such as bioterrorism) will pose a more substantial risk than accidental contamination of food by 2020.
• 69 percent of respondents said they believe availability and access to safe food will emerge as a major political and economic threat to international security within the next 10 years.

The findings of the study were presented at the at the 2010 Global Food Safety Conference in Washington, D.C. Over the course of this year, additional results will be featured in GFSI publications. The survey data and other information will form the basis of a book to be released at the 2011 Global Food Safety Conference in London.

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