title: Consumer acceptability of interventions to reduceCampylobacterin the poultry food chain.
abstract: Reducing humanCampylobactercases has become a priority for the UK Government. However the public's views on acceptability of interventions to reduceCampylobacterin poultry production are poorly understood in the UK and in other countries around the world. The objective of the study was to investigate how increasing awareness and knowledge changes consumer acceptability of interventions that reduce human campylobacteriosis in the poultry food chain. This approach is readily applicable to other risks and associated interventions. It involved a survey of the views of consumers in the Grampian region in North East Scotland. This found that better hygiene practices on farm, freezing chicken meat and vaccination of chickens were acceptable to the majority of participants (95%, 53% & 52% respectively) whilst irradiation and chemical wash of chicken meat were acceptable to <50%. Increasing consumer awareness by providing information on theCampylobacterdisease burden in humans increased the number of participants finding them acceptable. However, chemical wash and irradiation remained the least acceptable interventions, although highly effective at reducingCampylobacter, and were found to be never acceptable to >50% of respondents. It was found on average that food poisoning concern, previous awareness ofCampylobacterand living in rural or urban areas had either no or little effect effect on the acceptability of interventions. Further, previous awareness ofCampylobacterdid not influence consumer concern of harmful bacteria on chicken meat. Overall, findings indicate that increasing consumer acceptability of the most effective interventions is likely to be a difficult process.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cruickshank building, St Machar Drive, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, Scotland.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: MacRitchie
authors.affiliation: School of Geography & Geosciences, University of St Andrews, Irvine Building, North Street, St Andrews, KY16 9AL, Scotland.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cruickshank building, St Machar Drive, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, Scotland ; School of Geography & Geosciences, University of St Andrews, Irvine Building, North Street, St Andrews, KY16 9AL, Scotland.
authors.forename: N J C
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Strachan
keywords: Acceptability; Campylobacter; Chickens; Consumer; Food poisoning; Interventions