LAUSR

Chinese consumers (n = 604) were asked three times to rate their acceptance of traditional thermal processing and a range of newer technologies (high-pressure processing, irradiation, bacteriophages, antimicrobial packaging, pulsed electric fields, and rinsing meat carcasses with antimicrobial solutions) designed to control foodborne bacteria in food. First, based on their existing knowledge, secondly after the provision of information about L. monocytogenes, and after further reading a brief description of the technology. Thermal processing (6.00/7) and high-pressure processing (5.73/7) were rated the most acceptable and rinsing with antimicrobial solutions (4.43/7) was rated the least acceptable technology. Information outlining the benefits of a technology had a larger positive effect on acceptance of every novel technology discussed (increases of 0.14-0.49 units depending on the technology) than information about L. monocytogenes and a brief description of the technology. This research has shown that providing information about foodborne bacteria and a technology designed to control them will improve consumer acceptance of the technology, with the provision of information being of most important for technologies that consumers are less familiar with. Chinese consumers accepted or rejected a food technology for a variety of reasons, however, consumers with a greater awareness of foodborne bacteria rated the acceptability of novel technologies designed to kill bacteria higher than those with a low awareness (0.56-1.71 units depending on the technology). The results of this research will be of benefit to food companies considering adopting novel technologies to control foodborne bacteria as it provides insights that will enable them to develop more effective communication and implementation strategies.