Consumer Interest and Preferred Formats for Disclosure of Restaurant Inspection Results, Minnesota 2019

In recent years, numerous state and local health departments have developed systems to disclose restaurant inspection results to consumers. Public disclosure of restaurant inspection results can reduce transmission of foodborne illness by driving improvements in sanitary conditions. In Minnesota, re...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of food protection 2020-04, Vol.83 (4), p.715-721
Main Authors: Firestone, Melanie J, Hedberg, Craig W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accessibility
Adolescent
Adult
Adults
Consumer behavior
Consumers
Decision making
Disclosure
Food Inspection
Food safety
Food service
Foodborne diseases
Foodborne Diseases - epidemiology
Foodborne Diseases - prevention & control
Humans
Illnesses
Informed consent
Inspection
Inspections
Internet
Medical personnel
Minnesota - epidemiology
Public access
Public health
Regulatory agencies
Restaurants
Risk management
Risk reduction
Studies
Volunteers
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Summary:In recent years, numerous state and local health departments have developed systems to disclose restaurant inspection results to consumers. Public disclosure of restaurant inspection results can reduce transmission of foodborne illness by driving improvements in sanitary conditions. In Minnesota, restaurant inspection results are not readily accessible for consumers to use to make decisions about where to eat. The objective of this study was to assess the consumer interest among Minnesota adults in having better access to restaurant inspection results and to identify preferred formats for disseminating this information. We conducted a survey among 1,188 Minnesota residents aged 18 years or older at the 2019 Minnesota State Fair. Overall, 94.4% of respondents wanted better access to restaurants' inspection information. More than three-quarters (77.1%) of respondents stated that they would use this information to decide where to eat. Respondents wanted to see inspection results online (71.6%) and at restaurants (62.1%). Increasing public access to inspection results could reinforce efforts by public health agencies and food service operators to improve the safety of foods prepared away from home.
ISSN:0362-028X
1944-9097
DOI:10.4315/JFP-19-517