Who reacts to food safety scares?: Examining the Alar crisis

The 1989 Alar crisis developed in the wake of television news reports on the dangers to children from consuming apples treated with Alar. These hazards received extensive media coverage over the following five months. This study investigated public reaction to the crisis. Awareness of the crisis was more common among older adults, those with more formal education, and those who reported more frequent television news viewing. Those who were aware of the crisis and reduced their use of apples and apple products had a different set of characteristics. Reduced use was more common among females, those 50 and under, and non-Whites. Reductions were not, however, more common among those who reported frequent television news viewing. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.