College Students’ Experience of a Food Safety Class and Their Responses to the MSG Issue
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods and Materials
2.1. Specification of Structural Equation Model
2.1.1. Consumer Knowledge
2.1.2. Social Trust
2.1.3. Attitude
2.1.4. Risk Perception
2.1.5. Experience of Food Safety Class
2.2. Test for Interaction with Message Frame
2.2.1. Message Frames
2.2.2. Estimation Model
2.3. Participants and Measures
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Results of SEM Estimation
3.2. Results of Ordered Logit Estimation
3.3. Discussion
4. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Frame A | Frame B |
---|---|
Is MSG truly detrimental for our health? The safety of the artificial flavor enhancer MSG has been a controversial issue for a long time. In 1987, according to the Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, the safety of MSG at normally consumed levels for the general population was proved, but like sodium and sugar, it should be used in as small an amount as possible in foods. | Is MSG truly detrimental for our health? The safety of the artificial flavor enhancer MSG has been a controversial issue for a long time. In 1987, according to the Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, the safety of MSG at normally consumed levels for the general population was proved, but like sodium and sugar, it should be used in as small an amount as possible in foods. The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) admitted that certain people may develop short-term reactions (chest pain, headache, nausea). |
Characteristics | No. | % | Characteristics | No. | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gender | Male | 121 | 42.8 | Discretionary income per month | 0–200 | 38 | 13.5 |
Female | 162 | 57.2 | 201–300 | 105 | 37.1 | ||
Age | Under 23 | 96 | 33.9 | 301–400 | 70 | 24.7 | |
23–25 | 145 | 51.2 | Over 400 | 70 | 24.7 | ||
26 and older | 42 | 14.9 | Proportion of discretionary income spent on food | Less than 20% | 10 | 3.5 | |
Disease status of household member | Yes | 87 | 30.7 | 20–39% | 67 | 23.7 | |
No | 196 | 69.3 | 40–59% | 119 | 42.1 | ||
Experience in class | Yes | 146 | 51.6 | 60–79% | 72 | 25.4 | |
No | 137 | 48.4 | More than 80% | 15 | 5.3 | ||
Monthly household income | Under 1000 | 4 | 1.4 | Year | Sophomore | 29 | 10.2 |
1000–2999 | 46 | 16.3 | Junior | 155 | 54.8 | ||
3000–4999 | 93 | 32.9 | Senior | 99 | 35.0 | ||
5000–6999 | 74 | 26.1 | Message frame | Type A | 141 | 49.8 | |
7000–8999 | 36 | 12.7 | Type B | 142 | 50.2 | ||
Over 9000 | 30 | 10.6 | Total | 283 |
Construct | Indicator |
---|---|
Knowledge regarding MSG issue | I know more about MSG than most other people. |
Among my neighbors and friends, I am a quasi “expert” on the MSG issue. | |
I can explain MSG and its risks pretty well using scientific facts. | |
Trust in overall food safety and food-related institutions and groups | I trust in the overall food safety of the domestic market. |
I trust in the government announcements and media reports regarding food safety issues. | |
I believe that the government policies regarding food safety are relevant. | |
I think that food manufacturers follow food safety procedures. | |
I believe in the opinions of civil groups regarding food safety issues. | |
Attitude toward food additives and foods in safety controversies | I look at food additives with suspicion. |
I suspect the safety of foods in safety controversies regardless of their authenticity. | |
I try not to consume food additives and foods in safety controversies. | |
Perceived risk of MSG | I think MSG has a negative effect on human health. |
I may feel anxious if I eat food containing MSG. | |
If I purchased food containing MSG, my family members would dislike it because it is related to a food safety problem. | |
MSG became a social issue because of its risks. | |
Intention to avoid MSG | If possible, I will make every effort to avoid MSG. |
Path | Coefficient | Standard Error | Critical Ratio (t-Value) |
---|---|---|---|
H1: Knowledge → Risk perception | −0.170 *** | 0.065 | −2.62 |
H2: Social trust → Risk perception | −0.068 | 0.062 | −1.09 |
H3: Attitude → Risk perception | 0.509 *** | 0.091 | 5.57 |
H4: Risk perception → Int-avoid | 0.074 *** | 0.018 | 4.17 |
H5: Class experience → Knowledge | 2.135 *** | 0.302 | 7.07 |
H6: Class experience → Social trust | 0.715 ** | 0.339 | 2.11 |
H7: Class experience → Attitude | 0.195 | 0.232 | 0.84 |
Path | Total Effect | Direct Effect | Indirect Effect |
---|---|---|---|
Class experience → Knowledge | 2.135 | 2.135 *** | - |
Class experience → Social trust | 0.715 | 0.715 ** | - |
Class experience → Attitude | 0.195 | 0.195 | - |
Class experience → Risk perception | −0.311 | - | −0.311 *** |
Class experience → Int-avoid | −0.023 | - | −0.023 *** |
Variable | (1) | (2) | (3) |
---|---|---|---|
Threshold 1 | −2.453 *** | −2.134 | −1.676 |
Threshold 2 | −0.556 ** | −0.211 | 0.419 |
Threshold 3 | 1.022 *** | 1.390 | 2.164 |
Threshold 4 | 3.640 *** | 4.012 * | 4.892 * |
Class experience | −0.578 * (0.304) | −0.784 ** (0.323) | −0.633 * (0.341) |
Message frame | 0.706 ** (0.316) | 0.627 ** (0.318) | 0.808 ** (0.326) |
Class experience × Message frame | −0.182 (0.434) | −0.060 (0.445) | −0.126 (0.453) |
Gender | 0.262 (0.287) | 0.126 (0.298) | |
Disease status of household member | −0.311 (0.242) | −0.276 (0.249) | |
Age | 0.002 (0.096) | −0.008 (0.099) | |
University year | 0.260 (0.218) | 0.155 (0.223) | |
Proportion of discretionary income spent on food | −0.125 (0.129) | −0.175 (0.134) | |
Social trust | −0.123 *** (0.041) | ||
Knowledge | −0.051 (0.046) | ||
Attitude | 0.179 *** (0.064) | ||
Perceived risk | 0.121 *** (0.040) | ||
Likelihood ratio χ2 (p-value) | 17.78 (0.000) | 22.76 (0.000) | 59.16 (0.000) |
Log likelihood | −31.93 | −327.53 | −360.94 |
Akaike information criterion (AIC) | 77.852 | 679.065 | 753.887 |
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Jin, H.J.; Han, D.H. College Students’ Experience of a Food Safety Class and Their Responses to the MSG Issue. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 2977. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162977
Jin HJ, Han DH. College Students’ Experience of a Food Safety Class and Their Responses to the MSG Issue. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16(16):2977. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162977
Chicago/Turabian StyleJin, Hyun Joung, and Dae Hee Han. 2019. "College Students’ Experience of a Food Safety Class and Their Responses to the MSG Issue" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 16: 2977. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162977
APA StyleJin, H. J., & Han, D. H. (2019). College Students’ Experience of a Food Safety Class and Their Responses to the MSG Issue. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(16), 2977. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162977