Pesticides as food contaminants: a pilot project for correct public information

Despite the fact that scientific statements coming from several toxicologic al studies provide a strong indication of the low risk of pesticides residu es [Bolognesi, C., Morasso, C. tin press) 'Genotoxicity of Pesticides: Pote ntial Risk for Consumers' Food Science & Technology, the general population does not seem to have the same assurances as experts: consumers' perceptio n may widely differ from the orientation offered by health authorities [Slo vic, P. (1987) 'Perception of Risk' in Science, 17 April, 236, 289-285; Seg al, M. (1990) 'Is it Worth the Worry! Determining Risk' US Food and Drug Ad ministration; Forsythe, R.H. (1993) 'Risk: Reality Versus Perception' in Po ult. Sci. 72, 1152-1156; Sparks, P. and Shephered, R. (1994) 'Public Percep tion of the Potential Hazards Associated with Food Product-ion and Food Con sumption: An Empirical Study' in Risk Analysis 14, 799-806; Knox, B. (2000) 'Consumer Perception and Understanding of Risk from Food' in Br. Med. Bull . 56, 97-109]. This cognitive-evaluative process may affect personal behavi our or lifestyle and may induce consumers to reduce or eliminate the use of certain foods which they feel contain pesticides [Fischhoff, B. and Dows, J.S. (1997) 'Communicating Foodborne Disease Risk' in Emerg. infect. Dis. 3 , 489-495; Still di vita e condizioni di salute. (1999) 'Sistema Statistico Nazionale', [stituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT)]. Therefore, authorit ies and educational experts should take objective assessment as well as sub jective risk perception into account to come to a higher awareness in the a ccomplishment of an appropriate food choice. Following this premise and owi ng to the lack and unsuitability of information on the way pesticides are u sed in Italy, a new information system on food, called NAFSA, was created t o increase consumers' awareness. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.