Yaohua Feng

As foodborne illnesses pose a significant public health concern in the United States, the rise of streaming platforms broadens audiences’ exposure to food safety documentary films. This investigation examines how the documentary Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food shapes young adults’ perceptions, attitudes, and trust in the food supply chain among undergraduate students at one university in Indiana enrolled in food science ( Study 1, n = 19) and nonfood science programs ( Study 2 , n = 59). An explanatory mixed‐methods design combined surveys at three time points with a focus group discussion. Surveys assessed perceptions of food safety importance and confidence in food supply actors using Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests, while focus group transcripts were analyzed thematically. Participants reported strong emotional responses, including fear, frustration, and distrust toward the food industry and regulatory bodies, while describing the documentary as informative and effective in raising awareness about foodborne illness risks and the importance of food safety practices. Differences emerged by educational background, with food science majors demonstrating more critical engagement, whereas some nonfood science participants reported intentions to adopt risky food‐handling practices, such as washing raw poultry. Confidence in food supply chain actors declined significantly after viewing. At 9‐day follow‐up, food science students regained trust, while nonfood science students showed recovery only toward consumer‐facing actors and food they prepared themselves. These findings suggest that emotionally compelling documentaries can increase food safety awareness and engagement while reducing trust and unintentionally reinforcing unsafe practices. Rather than serving as educational tools, such documentaries offer valuable lessons for improving transparent, accurate, and balanced food safety communication. Practical Applications: This research offers food industry, government agencies, educators, and media creators with insight into how the documentary Poisoned can influence young adults' in college perceptions and responses to food safety issues. Since documentaries are widely available and can reach broad audiences, findings highlight the importance of proactive, transparent, and collaborative communication, helping audience understand how the food system works, how food safety hazards are addressed, and what can be done in the kitchen to reduce risks. Cross‐sector collaboration that combines engaging storytelling with reliable educational content may improve public understanding, strengthen confidence in the food system, and encourage safer food‐handling practices.

Raw milk remains popular among consumers despite recent outbreaks of foodborne illnesses and public health warnings. Raw milk consumption is not simply consumer rejection of food safety, but a reflection of how consumers interpret food safety. We examine how trust, beliefs, and values affect consumers' decisions about raw milk consumption and how to build trust with consumers through greater transparency and engagement. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Ensuring the safety of produce is essential for protecting consumers and preventing foodborne illnesses. Regulatory frameworks, such as the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule (FSMA PSR), contribute to the decision-making process of produce growers in ensuring the production of safe foods. However, little research has explored the role of growers’ perceptions of responsibility for produce-associated outbreaks, and how these may influence their decisions. Using a cross-sectional online survey of 500 US small- or medium-sized produce growers, this study examined perceptions of stakeholder responsibility for two produce-related outbreaks involving jalapeños and a spinach–spring mix blend. The implications of the PSR exemptions were also investigated. Responsibility attribution differed among stakeholder groups for each produce commodity. Packing houses were identified as a common denominator responsible for both produce commodities. Medium-sized produce growers agreed that the PSR exemptions provide direct market access and reduced time commitment to exempted farms (p < 0.001). However, small-sized produce growers expressed concerns about the potential limitations of the exemptions for qualifying farms. The results provide insights to policymakers, educators, and industry stakeholders to incorporate programs that foster shared responsibility for produce safety across the food system. It also informs future evaluations of the implications of the PSR exemptions.

The California almond industry underwent a remarkable transformation in food safety management and culture following outbreaks of salmonellosis associated with the consumption of raw almonds in 2000–2001 and 2003–2004. However, limited studies have examined these changes from a longitudinal perspective. This study documents the transformation of food safety management in the California almond industry over an 18‐year period, explores indicators of change in food safety culture, identifies the key factors driving these changes, and examines the determinants of industry‐wide technology adoption. A multifaceted approach was used, consisting of document analysis and semi‐structured interviews. This study provides a detailed review of the almond industry's responses to the outbreaks, highlighting the industry commodity board's proactive leadership in crisis management, collaborative research efforts, risk assessment, and the development of a mandatory Salmonella ‐control program to mitigate the risks associated with raw almonds. These measures significantly strengthened food safety management systems across the industry. The industry has also shown a shift in mentality toward food safety over time, evidenced by increased prioritization of food safety, stronger management commitment, and reduced resistance to change. A conceptual framework integrating institutional theory and diffusion of innovation theory is proposed to illustrate how external and internal institutional pressures, along with intervention characteristics, influenced the almond industry's adoption of Salmonella‐ control interventions. The study offers valuable lessons on proactive, industry‐driven food safety improvements and self‐regulation in enhancing food safety outcomes.

While the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) sets a regulatory framework to promote the production of safe pro­duce, the exemption criteria it provides exclude many very small and small-scale farms from full compliance. Regardless of exemptions, food safety remains a shared priority across the food system. For qualifying farms, exemption status provides some benefits but can also introduce limitations which farms might need to navigate. To examine the cognitive components that shape the food safety decision-making processes of FSMA-exempt produce growers, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was adapted as a framework in this study. Growers’ beliefs and perceptions that influenced their intent to implement safe practices were inves­tigated. Growers’ responses to the benefits and limitations of the exemptions from the FSMA Produce Safety Rule were also explored as part of the cognitive analysis. Through a series of focus group discussions, information was collected from thirty Indiana FSMA-exempt produce growers. Study participants expressed deep commitment to providing safe food to their consumers. It was determined that the importance of their own per­sonal values and relationships within the food sys­tem contributed to decisions that affect their cus­tomers. A recurring theme was the trade-off between the reduced regulatory burden of the PSR and the increased liability risks in the absence of regulatory safeguards. Findings also highlighted the intersection of perceived benefits and limitations, regulatory expectations, and how availability of resources collectively shapes approaches to food safety. The findings underscore the unique situa­tion of FSMA-exempt produce growers and the importance of tailoring food safety outreach pro­grams that offer support based on practical, trust-based approaches.

Food safety concerns associated with fresh produce have gained prominence due to recurring foodborne outbreaks and recalls. However, consumer awareness and perceptions regarding food safety in small and medium‐sized farm (SMF) operations remain underexplored. This study assessed consumer expectations and risk perceptions of produce from SMFs through a survey of 916 U.S. consumers. While 85% of respondents considered food safety a minimum quality standard, it was often viewed as secondary to attributes such as freshness, quality, and local production. Most higher‐income consumers (63%) opposed the exemption of SMFs from the Food Safety Modernization Act's Produce Safety Rule. Consumers identified farmers as key actors in ensuring produce safety, with 75% rating them as extremely influential in maintaining food safety. Additionally, 47% of respondents attributed responsibility to farmers when presented with a hypothetical foodborne outbreak scenario, while a majority believed all commercially sold food should be safe regardless of farm size. Structured equation modeling revealed the interrelationships among constructs, including demographic characteristics, produce handling practices, food safety knowledge, expectation of food safety as a minimum quality standard, perceptions of produce from SMFs, and perceptions of food safety standards for SMFs. These findings provide insight into consumer attitudes toward produce safety and regulatory expectations for SMFs. The results suggest that consumers expect food safety to be an inherent characteristic of fresh produce, yet their perceptions of risk and responsibility are shaped by broader considerations of food quality, sourcing, and trust in agricultural producers.

Purpose: Dried fruits, as low-moisture foods (aw < 0.85), are traditionally considered low-risk food commodities. However, recent foodborne outbreaks have challenged this perception, emphasizing the need for more in-depth research on food safety practices amongst individuals who dry fruits at home. This study explored factors influencing food safety behaviours of home apple dryers in order to guide development of more effective outreach materials. Design/methodology/approach: In May 2021, an online survey was conducted amongst a cohort of home apple dryers across the USA (n = 979) using Qualtrics XM. Findings: The results revealed that participants’ demographics, gender, age, income and education significantly influence their fruit drying practices. Females were nearly twice as likely (odds ratio = 1.92) as males to clean and sanitise utensils used for drying. Study participants predominantly believe that high-moisture foods such as raw meat (mean = 7.2) and raw milk (mean = 6.3) present greater risk of foodborne illness than do low-moisture foods like dried fruit (mean = 3.7). Participants’ perception of risk was shown to potentially influence their food safety behaviours. Paradoxically, participants with higher risk perception were more likely to clean apples using alternative methods rather than the US food and drug administration recommended method, rinsing the fruit under running water. Originality/value: The study demonstrates that formal training and targeted food safety information can significantly elevate individual risk perception, thereby fostering safer food handling practices. These findings underscore the need for tailored food safety education outreach materials for individuals who dry fruits at home.