BSE still biggest food safety worry, says report

Consumers still rate BSE as their number one food safety worry, despite the current outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, according to new research in Britain.

Almost 60% say mad cow disease is their top concern, while the virus now ravaging Britain's livestock is sixth with 34%.

Despite their fears, almost two-thirds of people have no plans to cut back their meat-eating, the study for market analysts Mintel said.

Concerns over BSE have continued to rise, as two years ago just a third of adults believed it to be the greatest threat to their health.

Salmonella is now the second biggest issue (46%), followed by food poisoning in general and E-coli (both 37%).

GM foods, which were the number one source of anxiety for half of consumers in 1999, are now in fifth place on 36%.

Foot-and-mouth trails behind them on 34 per cent, tying at sixth with foods related to cancer-risk and pesticides in fruit and vegetables.

There were far greater concerns in the north west (47%), where there have been more foot-and-mouth outbreaks, compared to the south (27%), the poll of 1,010 people found.

"These latest results buck trends in attitude over recent food safety issues," said Mintel consumer goods consultant Elvira Doghem-Rashid.

"Research over the years shows the number one food safety issue is whatever is in the headlines at the time. In this case that is not the story, which suggests that consumers are not placing foot-and-mouth at the top of their minds."