Research on irradiated food status and consumer acceptance: A Chinese perspective

China is currently the world's largest producer of food irradiation. Despite the long-standing (about 100 years) evidence supporting the safety of food irradiation, consumers' acceptance of irradiated foods remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the development of food irradiation in China and identify the barriers that keep consumers away from irradiated foods. This was accomplished by exploring the relevant policies of food irradiation, the size and distribution of irradiation facilities in China, and analyzing their relationships between consumer characteristics and the acceptance of irradiated food. To achieve these objectives, we conducted an online survey of participants from Hubei, China (N = 264). The results reveal that irradiation facilities are mainly distributed in large coastal cities such as the Bohai Bay, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Greater Bay Area. Furthermore, the study identified that consumer' acceptance of irradiated food is directly related to their level of understanding. Approximately 22% of the sampled consumers reported that they would not accept that they have consumed irradiated food and most of them (41%) stated that they would not purchase irradiated food if they were aware of buying irradiated food. Specifically, consumers expressed discomfort with consuming irradiated food under unknown circumstances. This trend is more prevalent among female, low-educated, and older consumers, with 40% of the sampled population indicating that they would not buy irradiated food. Given the strong correlation between knowledge and acceptance of irradiated foods, the study suggests that policy reform should prioritize enhancing the understanding of irradiated food, particularly among female, low-educated, and older consumers.