BSE is the top food safety concern of UK consumers despite the recent foot and mouth outbreak, according to a survey by consumer good analyst, Mintel.

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The research found that 58% of British adults were concerned about the BSE/mad cow issue – a rise of a third from a similar survey in 1999. Mintel interviewed over a 1000 adults on food safety issues following the recent foot and mouth outbreak.


Foot and mouth concerned only 34% of the adults questioned, while worries over GM food had dropped to 36% from 50% in the 1999 survey. Second on the list of food safety issues is salmonella and food poisoning. Mintel also found that levels of meat consumption had fallen amongst its interviewees since the foot and moth outbreak.

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