In light of numerous food recalls and a surge in alarming headlines about toxic ingredients in our food, it is no wonder that consumer confidence in the safety of the food supply is waning. In fact, the 2024 IFIC Food & Health Survey reveals that consumer confidence has reached an all-time low—the lowest it has been in a decade.
Given this stark decline, the latest International Food Information Council Spotlight Survey: American Consumer Perceptions of Food Ingredient Safety further examines how consumers make safety assessments when it comes to purchasing and consuming foods and beverages, specifically regarding ingredients.
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“Trust is at the heart of food choices for individuals and their families,” said IFIC president & CEO Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN. “By exploring how consumers assess food and ingredient safety, we can pinpoint where trust may be faltering and identify opportunities to rebuild it.”
Top Safety Concerns Include Foodborne Illness, Heavy Metals
The latest IFIC Spotlight Survey seeks to identify the most pressing food safety concerns for Americans. Survey takers selected microbial concerns, such as the presence of E. coli, and the presence of heavy metals in food as the primary issues of concern. Specifically, nearly 1 in 3 Americans (32%) are “extremely concerned” about E. coli in ground beef. Additionally, 29% of Americans are extremely concerned about lead, cadmium, and arsenic in baby food, while 27% voice extreme concern about mercury in seafood.
Less than 1 in 5 are extremely concerned about allergens in packaged foods (16%) and allergens in foods served at restaurants (15%).
Ultra-processed Foods, Dyes & Sugar Substitutes Ranked As The Most Avoided Foods & Ingredients
The latest Spotlight Survey uncovers a variety of factors that Americans consider when assessing the safety of food products, including foods and ingredients they avoid, as well as their views on the quantity and/or presence of certain ingredients, and their opinions on the total number of ingredients listed.
When provided a list of eleven ingredients, consumers indicate that dyes/colors are the most avoided, with 35% opting to actively steer clear of them. This was followed closely by sugar substitutes (34%), MSG (29%), bioengineered/GMO ingredients (27%), nanoplastics (26%), and preservatives (25%). Caffeine, flavors, allergens, and gluten were less frequently avoided.
When provided a list of thirteen types of foods and beverages, consumers rank ultra-processed foods as the foods they avoid the most, at 41%. Plant-based meat alternatives take the second slot (37%), followed by processed meats (29%), and plant-based dairy alternatives (27%). Only 10% avoid dairy, and 8% avoid meat and/or poultry.
Nearly 3 in 10 report they do not avoid any of the eleven listed ingredients (29%), while 25% said they do not avoid any of the thirteen listed foods.
“Interestingly, it’s not always a ‘glass half empty’ mentality. We find that Americans consider the health benefits of what they eat and drink (30%) more often than the health risks (8%),” said Tony Flood, senior director, food ingredient communications.
Presence Of Ingredient Outweighs Amount When It Comes To Concerns
When evaluating the potential health risks of packaged foods and beverages, one-third of consumers (31%) consider the mere presence of an ingredient to be the most significant factor. Notably, this concern regarding the presence of an ingredient surpasses considerations related to the quantity of an ingredient (21%) or the total number of ingredients listed (16%).
“While we weren’t surprised that certain ingredients or foods carry a less desirable reputation, we were surprised that 1 in 4 Americans simply do not think about either the health risks or the health benefits of what they eat or drink,” Flood said.
Examining Consumer Behaviors & Building Trust
“It’s evident that consumers hold strong opinions about the foods and ingredients they consider safe, as well as those they choose to avoid or seek out,” said Reinhardt Kapsak. “While science plays a crucial role in ensuring food safety, the data suggest that consumers prefer factual, practical, and actionable information that enables them to make more informed food choices.”
The survey also explores which sources of information consumers trust most regarding food ingredient safety. Among those who actively avoid certain ingredients, registered dietitians are the most trusted source, with 73% expressing confidence in their advice. They are followed by primary healthcare providers (62%), food and nutrition scientists/experts (69%), and health-focused websites (51%). In contrast, fewer than half of respondents express trust in family and friends (47%), government agencies (45%), and social media posts (20%).
Kapsak added, “Safety and trust go hand in hand. The survey shows that Americans are increasingly relying on credentialed professionals to guide their choices about which ingredients to eat and avoid. This presents a valuable opportunity. At the International Food Information Council, we are dedicated to equipping registered dietitians and other healthcare providers with the latest scientific information on ingredient safety, and providing them with the practical, actionable tips consumers crave.”
