More Canadians want to eat after the expiration date: study | News

As food prices rise, more Canadians are willing to eat food on or after its expiration date, a newly conducted survey suggests.

The study, conducted by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab in partnership with Caddle, surveyed 9,109 Canadians in April.

When asked whether higher food prices affected their willingness to consume food close to or past its expiration date, 58 percent of respondents said they were more likely to do so.

“The findings from our research at the Agri-Food Analytics Lab highlight a worrying trend: as food prices rise, more Canadians are taking risks with their food safety,” Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, said in a news release. Edition.

“This behavior, driven by economic necessity, exposes a critical vulnerability in our food system where food security and food safety intersect. It is imperative that we address these issues collectively to ensure that no Canadian has to choose between economic hardship and their health.”

Other research findings include:

• Of the 58 percent willing to consume such foods, 23.1 percent say they always eat food that is past its expiration date or appears overripe, 38.6 percent often consume such food, 30.8 percent sometimes do so, and 7 .5 percent sometimes do this. percent rarely consume food under these conditions;
• 37 percent say higher prices have not changed their consumption habits; And
• 48 percent were unsure whether eating such food could lead to illness.

Become ill

The survey also asked participants if they had experienced any health problems or food poisoning that they suspected were related to consuming food that was near or past its expiration date.

A total of 20 percent claimed to have become ill after consuming such food.

The results per generation were as follows:

• Millennials (1980 to 1996): 41 percent
• Generation X (1965 to 1980): 24 percent
• Baby boomers (1946 to 1964): 20 percent
• The largest generation (before 1946): 10 percent
• Generation Z (1997 to 2005): 10 percent

Keep food longer

The survey asked whether Canadians have changed their food storage or preparation habits to extend food shelf life as a result of rising prices. 47 percent say this is the case.

Examples of extending the shelf life of food include freezing bread, storing vegetables in humidity-controlled drawers, and using vacuum-sealed containers to store leftovers.

“Through our research, we have observed a significant shift in the way Canadians manage their food at home, driven by the need to adapt to rising food costs. Many are extending the life of their food products through various storage techniques, which can be seen as a positive adaptive strategy,” said Janet Music, manager of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, in the release.

“However, the fact that almost half of participants are unsure about the safety of the food they consume underlines the need for better consumer education and support to safely meet these challenges.”

General view of food safety and inflation

The survey asked whether people think food security has been affected by food inflation over the past year.

Results suggest:

• 8.5 percent believe that food is safer than twelve months ago
• 26.9 percent think it is less safe
• 35.5 percent believe it has had no impact
• 50.1 percent believe that food inflation and higher food prices have forced them to take more risks with their food

The Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University is a research unit dedicated to providing insights into the food and agriculture sector.

The margin of error for the study, assuming a 95 percent confidence level, is about 1.92 percent, researchers said.