Journal of Rural Development
Consumer Perceptions of Food Safety Risks in Contactless Food Services
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AuthorHong, Yeona
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Publication Date2026.06.21
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Original
Contactless food service environments inherently contain food safety blind spots, as consumers are unable to directly verify food safety conditions. This study examines the impact of the expansion of contactless food services on consumers’ perceptions of food safety in South Korea. Data were collected through an online survey of 1,000 consumers, and an ordered logit model was employed for analysis. These results indicate that the expansion of contactless food service has multifaceted effects on food safety perceptions. Specifically, experience with purchasing food through online platforms and meal kits positively influenced overall food safety perceptions, whereas more frequent use of food delivery applications negatively influenced these perceptions. Additionally, living with health-vulnerable individuals (i.e., children aged 12 years and under, the elderly, and patients) negatively affected the perceived safety of contactless food services. These findings suggest that consumers remain concerned about hygiene and food safety risks associated with contactless food services. Accordingly, the findings of this study provide a foundation for developing safety management standards and guidelines to address these vulnerabilities and enhancing consumer confidence in in contactless food service environments.
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