Germany's consumers 'well informed' about acrylamide
right now, but to consumers inGermany it is one that has not led a
majority to change their behaviour, according to a new survey.
The Germany government's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) said its survey shows thatconsumers are aware of the health risks posed but are scarcely changing their behaviour at all. About30 per cent to 40 per cent of those surveyed said that they have altered their behaviour considerablyas a result of fears over acrylamide.
"Most consumers know that the substance can be formed during the preparation of certain foods or may be contained in some ready-to-eatproducts," the BfR stated. "Acrylamide in food is not, however, seen as a direct threat to their health.'
The BfR says the representative survey confirms regulators and industry has successfullycommunicated the risk posed by acrylamide formation in foods.
"The results confirm that risk communication can be successful if the players speak with onevoice," stated BfR president Andreas Hensel. "Consumers are entitled to and expect clear, comprehensible andcomprehensive information. But it will take more than information to get consumers to change their habits."
The survey found that German consumers are well informed about the occurrence of acrylamide in foods and the related healthrisk. They know that the substance may be found in starch-containing foods like crisps, fried potatoes or chips after roasting, frying and deep frying.
They also know that the acrylamide content in a food depends on how it is prepared. They alsoknow that acrylamide is harmful, the survey found. Despite all this, only a small proportion of consumers use this knowledge to reduce therisk, the BfR stated.
"Consumers tend to use this information for their own personal risk-benefit analysis,"the agency stated.
BfR commissioned the study as part of its statutory remit to inform the public at large about the healthrisks linked to foods, substances and products. The goal of the study was to determine whether the BfR riskcommunication on acrylamide has reached and influenced the behaviour of consumers.
Bonn business psychologists Vierboom & Härlen questioned 1,000 representative individuals and conducted 55interviews with consumers of various ages, to reach their conclusions. They also questioned 45 representatives of differentmedia who communicate health risks linked to foods.
The outcome showed that acrylamide in foods is not top of consumers' personal risk ranking at the present time.Instead consumers believe that microbial risks like Salmonella or pesticide residues in foods are more dangerous than acrylamide.
The BfR study's results will be posted soon on the agency's website.
