CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
Drivers of seafood consumption: Awareness and attitudes of dieticians towards seafood
 
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1
Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece
 
2
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
 
 
Publication date: 2022-05-27
 
 
Public Health Toxicol 2022;2(Supplement Supplement 1):A126
 
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
The seafood consumption is a large topic with many contradictory and confusing issues on processing technology and seafood safety and quality. Dieticians instruct consumers and lead their food preferences. Thus, their knowledge is of crucial importance to achieve a better informed consumer.

Objective:
The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of dieticians towards common processing/preservation technologies and seafood products consumption and also to compare with responses of other professionals.

Methods:
Participants (140 dieticians, 176 other professionals) completed an on line form of an electronic questionnaire. Data analysis (Pearson’s Chi-Square test, Z-test) was performed using SPSS.

Results:
Most dieticians were against or not recommending the consumption of food additives and monosodium glutamate (MSG) added seafood (63,6% of dieticians), irradiated (50%), canned (43,6%) salted (40,7%) and modified atmosphere packaged seafood (24,3%) and suggested the limited consumption of mussels (50%) and frozen seafood (39.3%). However, the dieticians recommended the consumption of seafood rich in ω3 fatty acids (95%), lean (90%), and fatty fish (84,3%), sushi (70%), aquaculture fish (62%), marinated (57,1%), and smoked seafood (43,6%), fish oils (35,7%), surimi (34,3%), Spirulina sp. (33,5%) and dried sea food (29,3%). Most dieticians declared no awareness of chitosan (43,6%) or they were not sure of its role (30,7%). Also, the dieticians had a significantly more positive attitude towards processing technology and seafood consumption issues compared to other professionals, especially for fish oils consumption, frozen sea food, mussels, Spirulina and sous-vide packaged seafood consumption.

Conclusions:
This study highlights the importance of educational interventions to improve dieticians’ knowledge on processing operations, preservation technologies and consumption of common seafood products.

 
REFERENCES (3)
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Hicks DT. Seafood Safety and Quality: The Consumer's Role. Foods. 2016;5(4):71. doi:10.3390/foods5040071
 
2.
Kayode OT, Rotimi DE, Kayode AAA, Olaolu TD, Adeyemi OS. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)-Induced Male Reproductive Dysfunction: A Mini Review. Toxics. 2020;8(1):7. doi:10.3390/toxics8010007
 
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Mol S , Eygi Erdogan B ,Ucok Alakavuk D , Varlık C. Knowledge and Attitudes of Dietitians Concerning Seafood Consumption and Processing/ Preservation Technologies. Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 2015;15(1):73-80. doi:10.4194/1303-2712-v15_1_08
 
ISSN:2732-8929
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