Fear of food in Europe? Fear of foods in Europe through Hungarian experience

Nearly half of European consumers think that the food they eat damages their health. Consumers fear of the unknown the most. Therefore, accurate, reliable and well-timed information about risks is crucial from competent authorities to insure consumers' safety, measure their risk perception and there is a need to avoid overreaction or hysteria of consumers under real or possible food safety threats. The ever-emerging risks, the fear of the unknown, especially of new techniques and technologies and anything considered to be “unnatural” or artificial or hard to be understood make consumers worried despite the safety of their food declared by experts. Sensitising consumers might be important in the light of an emerging risk or in case of a worsening food safety situation or an emerging outbreak, but an exaggerated warning campaign could lead to lost sensitivity, especially upon repetition. The level of fear would increase furthermore if a well-trusted, valuable regional or national product affected.