How Argentinian Consumers Perceive the Safety of Irradiated Foods

Food irradiation is a process used for various purposes, the main function of which is food safety. Although food irradiation has been used to ensure food safety, most consumers are unaware of the basic concepts of irradiation, misinterpreting information and showing a negative perception towards food treated with ionizing radiation. This research aimed to develop the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Awareness Scale on Consumption of Irradiated Foods (ASCIF) for the Argentine population and culture. The scale included 31 items covering 4 factors: safety of irradiated foods (S), concepts (C), labeling (L), and awareness (A), which were able to assess the Argentine population's knowledge of irradiated foods. The total number of respondents was 500 and the data were collected by means of an electronic survey. Statistical tests were carried out which met the validity assumptions and confirmed the validity and consistency of the psychometric scale by means of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM). Analysis of the results showed that the majority of consumers are unaware of the benefits of irradiated foods. It was found that the scale met the criteria for evidence of validity and consistency, proving to be an efficient tool for assessing potential challenges and opportunities in the Argentinian market for irradiated foods. The process was approved by the Research Ethics Committees of Brazil and Argentina and followed the adaptation methodologies of the International Test Commission (ITC) with processes of translations and retranslations and application of the scale in Argentina.