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The majority of consumers are worried about food safety in Kosovo, according to a survey. A study analyzed consumer behavior and food safety perceptions in the country. It involved a face-to-face survey of 300 people.

Results were published in the Italian Journal of Food Safety . Examples of problems in the Western Balkans, which includes Kosovo, are brucellosis, the presence of mycotoxins in maize for animal feed, and heavy metals in soils. The region has also been affected by corruption, weak law enforcement, and low producer awareness of food standards.



Food safety is a topic of concern Findings indicate that almost two-thirds of surveyed consumers are fairly or very concerned about food safety. Highly educated, young female consumers are more concerned about personal health risks, food safety-related content, and related diseases. Consumer perceptions towards food safety were assessed with seven constructs and 28 items measured on a 5-point scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).

More than 50 percent agree with the statement that standards of hygiene in food processing are higher than they used to be. The percentage of consumers who trust the government as the responsible authority to ensure the safety level of agrochemical residues was fairly low at 25 percent. Half of respondents agree that they are not provided with enough information to judge properly whether food is safe.

Less than 30 percent are satisfied with the level of safety of the food they con.

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