Consumer Behaviors & Perceptions of Food Waste

Food Waste: Does Location Make a Difference? Two in five people say they never think about food waste while eating out. Download the full report. Food waste is a pressing public health issue. The United Nations estimates about a third of food that is produced annually is wasted each year, which could mean that over one billion tons of food ends up in landfills. But some people may not understand how much food they waste, or know where they are most likely to create food waste, or be familiar with practical steps they can take to reduce their food waste. To better understand public perceptions and behaviors around food waste, the IFIC Foundation commissioned a consumer research study of 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18 years and older from August 13 to August 14, 2019. This research offers insight into how and where we might look to address this complex issue. Leftovers and fresh produce top the list of foods wasted at home When asked to choose the top three types of food that were most often wasted at home in the last month, 74 percent reported leftovers of foods prepared at home were most often wasted. A close second source of waste was produce (67 percent), while leftovers from restaurants ranked third (50 percent). Why does food get wasted at home? In a question that asked consumers to choose their top two reasons, 83 percent reported spoiled or stale food as the most common reason foods ended up in the trash. Forty-nine percent reported their top reason was cleaning out the pantry. Food waste is less of a concern when eating out In addition to assessing consumer actions, this study was also designed to gauge how often food waste was on people’s minds during three different occasions: while grocery shopping, […]

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Diversifying MyPlate: Latin American Cuisine

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and its associated MyPlate graphic are commonly referenced resources for learning about healthy and nutritious eating. The recently-updated 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans put a stronger focus on meeting dietary recommendations while keeping cultural preferences in mind, and resources highlighting culturally inclusive approaches are valuable tools for translating the general messages of MyPlate and the Dietary Guidelines to more Americans. This article is part of a series that shows how healthy eating can take on many different forms outside of the Western diet. While for many, meals might not exactly resemble MyPlate, the featured guest authors will demonstrate what healthy eating looks like in their culture, and how many of the food groups and principles can translate across cultures and cuisines. Each article in this series is written by a registered dietitian who is experienced in integrating culturally inclusive approaches into their work. About the Author My name is Krista Linares, and I’m a registered dietitian of Cuban and Mexican descent. In my private practice, I help Latina women navigate conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome and type 2 diabetes while centering and celebrating cultural foods. To share a little bit about my background, both of my parents immigrated to the U.S. from Latin American countries, but I grew up in the Midwest. Because of this, I often felt like food was the main way for me to understand and learn about my heritage. When I became a dietitian, this connection was at the front of my mind, and I wanted to provide space for other Latinas to bring our food culture along with them as they work to improve their health. What Is Latin American Food? Latin American food has many different influences, including indigenous, Spanish, and African foodways. Additionally, Latin American food has a […]

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World Food Safety Day: Remembering Those Microbes!

World Food Safety Day is today (June 7th), and IFIC celebrates each year by considering how our food-supply chain can improve its safety—a critical part of our everyday nutrition and wellness. Supporting safe food manufacturing and processing is a core value of supporting mankind’s nourishment—even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic, when virus-related roadblocks have impacted the food industry workforce, facility operations, and grocery-store inventories all over the country. Ensuring food safety in the U.S. is a tall order, but individual actions count—so what concerns should we prioritize this year? The U.S. has one of the safest food systems in the world, and IFIC’s 2022 Food and Health Survey uncovered that for the past five years, a majority (68%) of people have felt confident in the safety of our food supply. However, this number is down from where it was in 2012, when 78% of consumers were confident in the supply’s safety. The 2022 survey also uncovered that among the most important food-safety issues cited for consumers is foodborne illness from bacteria. Since we’ve seen this issue remain consistent, let’s highlight some common foodborne illness–causing microbes, as well as ways to handle food properly in case of a recall and, finally, what to do if you suspect you have a foodborne illness. Nasty Little Buggers Although researchers have identified more than 250 types of foodborne illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the top five bacteria that cause foodborne illness in the United States are Norovirus, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus (Staph). The CDC also estimates that, annually in the U.S., 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die. Beyond the U.S., foodborne illness from bacteria is a serious public health issue that impacts people globally. The […]

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New IFIC Study Reveals Over Half of Americans Are Impacted by Food Allergies, Intolerances, and Sensitivities: Trust and Clarity in Labeling Remain Key Challenges

 (Washington, D.C.) — With Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 11-17) on the horizon, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) is highlighting new data that underscores the widespread impact of food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities across the U.S.   According to the IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions of Food Allergens, Intolerances & Sensitivities, more than half of Americans (53%) either have, live with, or know someone affected by a food allergy, intolerance, and/or sensitivity.   Food allergies alone now impact 6.2% of adults and 5.8% of children in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When factoring in food intolerances and sensitivities—conditions that are more difficult to measure due to inconsistent definitions—the prevalence of Americans affected increases.   “Food allergies and intolerances are no longer niche health concerns—they affect a significant portion of the population,” said IFIC President and CEO Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN.  “While the prevalence of food allergy continues to rise, so does awareness. Serving the food allergic consumer has become a more visible part of everyday culture—from servers routinely asking about allergens at restaurants to expanded accommodations in schools and other public settings,” Reinhardt Kapsak added. “Still, there is more work to be done, especially when it comes to providing consistent, clear labeling and empowering people to make safe, informed food choices.”  One In Four Americans Report Having A Food Allergy, Intolerance, And/Or Sensitivity  According to the survey, one in four Americans (24%) say that they or someone in their household has a food allergy (13%), intolerance (8%), and/or sensitivity (9%). Nuts were the most reported allergen, while dairy ranked highest among both intolerances and sensitivities.  Looking at the broader landscape, the top nine food allergens—often referred to as the “Big Nine”—include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, and sesame. In 2023, […]

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Five Food Trends To Watch in 2019

Consumers Adopting an Origins-Focused Approach When Buying Food (Washington, D.C.) — While consumers cite broad aspects like taste, price and familiarity as the top reasons to purchase certain foods, they also crave a deeper understanding of what they are eating. Americans want to learn more about the origins of their food and its entire journey from farm to fork, according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation. “Americans have a growing appetite for more information about their food, and technology is enabling eaters like never before,” said Joseph Clayton, CEO of the IFIC Foundation. “It’s also driving transparency across the food supply chain.” IFIC Foundation predicts that 2019 will bring a larger focus on the food journey, greater attention to food safety and allergens, continued consumer concern about sugar and increased popularity of plant-based eating. Discovering Our Foods’ Origin Stories Consumer interest and awareness of the origins of their food used to start and stop at the grocery store or restaurant. Today that’s a thing of the past. Consumers want to know how their food is produced, where it came from and the quality of the ingredients. They also have broader questions about environmental sustainability and many seek brands that align with their broader social values. The 2018 Food and Health Survey revealed over half of respondents indicate recognizing the ingredients, understanding where food is from and the number of ingredients as key factors that impact purchasing decisions. Interestingly, women were more likely to rate these factors as more important when compared to men. In addition, compared to 2017, more Americans cited that understanding how the food is produced altered their decision to buy a food or beverage. From seeds planted to crops harvested to products sold and served, we seem to crave a 360-degree picture of what we’re eating. Tackling […]

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To Toss or Not To Toss: What You Should Do If Your Food Is Recalled

When it comes to feeding the U.S. population, it’s vital that our government prioritizes food safety and ensures that our food supply chain is safe. Documentaries such as “Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food,” media headlines about wood fragments in cookies and E. Coli in spinach, and stories of social media influencers getting sick from Tara flour have helped lead to public uproar and a push for stronger food safety standards. But it’s important to know that generally, the food supply in the United States is known as “one of the safest in the world”—an assessment you can trust. One of the reasons behind this low level of risk is the consistent, standard monitoring practices exercised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). These regular inspections quickly identify and correct violations in food safety standards that may lead to a food recall. Food recalls can incite confusion and fear, but a product can be taken off the shelf for a variety of reasons. Food can be recalled from the national supply chain when the U.S. government has identified possible contamination with disease-causing microorganisms, the presence of a foreign object, or a lack of proper labeling of a major allergen. Usually, food recalls are voluntarily initiated by a food company, but the FDA and USDA may also initiate the process. The FDA oversees this regulation for most food products—with the exception of meat, poultry, and processed egg products, which the USDA regulates. The purpose of these recalls is to help prevent possible illness or injury, especially for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, have weakened immune systems, are very young or elderly, or have other special health considerations that make them more vulnerable to foodborne illness. If you have consumed a product […]

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Consumer Confidence In Food Safety On The Decline: Unpacking Concerns Over Ingredients & Trust

(Washington, D.C.) — 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 (IFIC) 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.   “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%).   Ultraprocessed 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 […]

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What is the Flexitarian Diet?

Download the Flexitarian Diet Fact Sheet Here Highlights The Basics Most Americans do not consume the recommended amounts of dairy, fruits, legumes (e.g., chickpeas, lentils and beans, including soy), seafood, vegetables or whole grains.1,2,3 While a complete diet overhaul may seem daunting, one style of eating—the “flexitarian diet”—attempts to make it easier to shift dietary choices by focusing more on what can be added to the diet rather than what should be taken away. The flexitarian diet is a play on two words: flexible and vegetarian. While no single definition has been adopted, the flexitarian diet can be generally defined as a semi-vegetarian, plant-forward diet that incorporates dairy and eggs and allows room for meat from time to time. The emphasis on plant foods is thought to contribute to the health benefits associated with a vegetarian diet without requiring compliance to the dietary rules of 100%-vegetarian or vegan diets. There are no set calorie or macronutrient goals in a flexitarian diet. Instead, the goal is to increase the consumption of plant or plant-based foods over time, keeping in mind that meat is not off-limits but rather that it is eaten less frequently and/or in smaller portions. Calories in the flexitarian diet mostly come from nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, legumes, whole grains and vegetables. When it comes to protein, plant-based foods (e.g., soy foods, legumes, nuts and seeds) are the primary source. Protein also comes from eggs and dairy, with lesser amounts coming from meat, especially red and processed meats. Due to the emphasis on nutrient-dense foods, the flexitarian diet encourages limiting one’s intake of saturated fat, added sugars and sodium. The Flexitarian Diet and Your Health A flexitarian diet can have a positive impact on health,4,5 while being less strict than a 100%-vegetarian or vegan diet. The plant-forward philosophy […]

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