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INVESTIGATOR: Ortega, D. L.; Wang, H. H.; Olynk, N. J.; Shively, G. E.; Gale, F.; Zhang, H.; Linton, R. H.; Zhang, C.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA 47907

AN INTEGRATED ECONOMIC STUDY OF U.S. FOOD SAFETY ISSUES FROM IMPORTED FOOD PRODUCTS

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The globalization of the food industry has made food safety increasingly important to consumers, producers, and policymakers. In recent years, China has emerged as an important supplier of food to the U.S. Highly publicized incidents of food contamination and adulteration in both the Chinese domestic and export markets have focused concern on the safety of food from China. The goal of this project is to improve the safety of food products supplied to the U.S. from China by examining both U.S. demand as well as Chinese supply of food safety and quality attributes using a modern econometric approach based on choice experiments. Results from this study will help reduce food safety risks by bridging market asymmetries, suggest optimal food safety policy, and ultimately ensure a safe food supply for all American consumers. The goal of this project is also achieved through an integrated educational component aimed at improving the current curriculum by including food safety education in a globalization context, and training the doctoral student as a scholar and educator in food safety with international expertise. This project benefits greatly from a multidisciplinary and international team of mentors and collaborators which will advise the doctoral student throughout the execution of his research plan aimed at improving food safety for all Americans. Furthermore, the proposed integrated educational activities will assist in the development of the doctoral student as an educator and professional researcher which will strengthen the intellectual capacity needed to meet the challenges facing our nation's agriculture and food systems.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this project is to improve the safety of food products supplied to U.S. markets from international sources like China. This goal will be addressed by investigating key safety and quality attributes recognized by U.S. consumers and accepted by Chinese producers. This information will help reduce food safety risks by bridging market asymmetries, suggest optimal food safety policy, and ultimately ensure a safe food supply for all American consumers. This goal is also achieved by improving the current curriculum by including food safety education in a globalization context, and training the doctoral student as a scholar as well as an educator in food safety with international expertise. Specific supporting objectives of this study are to: (1) estimate U.S. consumers' willingness-to-pay for important food safety and quality informational attributes embedded in imported aquaculture products from China; (2) estimate Chinese producer's willingness-to-adopt corresponding safety and quality attributes that are being demanded by U.S. consumers; (3) identify potential market failures that exist when American consumers' willingness-to-pay for a safety or quality attribute does not exceed Chinese producers' willingness-to-adopt a particular attribute and inform policy to remedy these situations; and (4) to enhance the current curriculum with food safety education in a globalization context and train the doctoral student with teaching, advising, and mentoring skills.