April 19/Des Moines, Iowa/Des Moines Register-- Consumers are worrying more about their food. Nearly three of four Americans, 73%, say they are more concerned about their food than they were five years ago, according to a survey by the consulting firm Deloitte LLP. That is up from 65% in 2010.

The healthfulness of their food was the No. 1 concern of consumers at 54 percent, up from 49 percent in 2010. No. 2 among their concerns was  safety at 49 percent this year, up from 36 percent in 2010. Over-processed food was the third-biggest concern at 36 percent.

“We have seen a groundswell of consumer anxiety increase demands on political leaders, companies and regulatory agencies to more efficiently push out imp out important information about food and products that could compromise health and well-being,” Deloitte said.

The survey was based on responses online in early March from 1,050 people and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, according to Deloitte.

From the April 19, 2011,Prepared Foods' Daily News.