Peer-reviewed research has shown how safety fears may be a new barrier to increasing produce consumption.  Concerned with the potential impact of negative and confusing messaging carried by activist groups and others that promote these safety fears, the Alliance for Food and Farming (AFF) sought input from consumers.  In a series of research projects, we asked what information would help consumers make fact-based decisions about the produce they eat and serve their families and reassure them about their safety. The results can be found on a new web section of safefruitsandveggies.com:  Facts, Not Fears:  Reassuring Consumers About the Safety of Produce.

Through the Facts, Not Fears web section, the AFF strives to share the kind of science and information that removes fear as a barrier to consumption to help positively influence healthy eating.  With only 1 in 10 Americans eating enough produce each day, allowing misinformation about produce safety to stand unchallenged undermines public health initiatives that encourage increased consumption of fruits and vegetables.

The AFF research showed that after reviewing factual information from toxicologists, nutritionists and government officials, consumer confidence in produce safety increased significantly over baseline levels with 87% of consumers stating they had a favorable opinion of organic produce and 80% stating they had a favorable opinion of conventionally grown. The research results show that the information presented to consumers made a positive difference in their perception of the safety of all produce and helped alleviate their fears.

The AFF’s new Facts, Not Fears web section not only shares the consumer research results, it also provides links to peer-reviewed studies that illustrate how confusing and negative messages are impacting consumers, relevant articles from the Washington Post and U.S. News and World Report, Centers for Disease Control consumption data and more.

Through the creation of this new web section and by sharing what we have learned from consumers, the AFF hopes that others can use or review these facts and information when safety fears or concerns are raised or promoted.

We welcome input and perspectives on the new Facts, Not Fears web section, especially as we continue to add new content over the coming months.

Read, learn, choose but eat more organic and conventional fruits and veggies every day for better health and a longer life.