Slovenian consumer food safety study : knowledge, attitudes, and practices from shopping to preparation based on questionnaire analysis

Bensa, Maja (author), Jevšnik Podlesnik, Mojca (author), Pezo, Lato (author), Vovk, Irena (author)

Foodborne diseases remain a persistent public health problem. Most foodborne outbreaks in Europe occur in consumers’ homes, highlighting that improvements in consumer food safety are needed and that consumers have an important role in maintaining food safety. A better understanding of consumer food safety knowledge, attitudes, and food handling practices is required to prepare effective interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate consumer food safety knowledge, attitudes, and food handling practices in Slovenia as well as the interrelationships between knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Adult consumers in Slovenia (n = 1621) participated in a validated online questionnaire. The questionnaire included demographic characteristics and explored the aspects of knowledge, attitudes, and practices on the following topics: food related habits, food shopping and transportation, food refrigeration, food labeling, and food preparation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling (SEM). Overall, participants demonstrated good levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practice. However, some of the areas that require improvement include use of cooling bags, measuring and knowing the correct refrigerator temperature and not washing raw meat and poultry. SEM analysis revealed that knowledge affects attitudes and, in most cases, both knowledge and attitudes affect practices. Enhanced communication strategies targeting consumers are needed to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. Educational campaigns need to focus on all three aspects: knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Building a culture of consumer food safety is essential because consumer food safety truly is everyone’s business.

• Language: English
• Keywords: food safety, food safety culture, food safety knowledge, food safety attitudes, food safety practices, food labeling, use by date, refrigerator storage temperature, questionnaire, structural equation modeling
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 32 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss. 24, art. 4215
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177195
• UDC: 614.31
• ISSN on article: 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods14244215
• COBISS.SI-ID: 261850371
• Publication date in RUL: 17.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Foods
• Shortened title: Foods
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2304-8158
• COBISS.SI-ID: 512252472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.