published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Foodbome disease outbreaks have a tremendous impact on society, including foodbome illnesses, hospitalizations, lost work time, and deaths. These food-safety events have a significant influence in shaping consumers' perception of risk. Outbreaks of foodbome illnesses also have an effect on the development of public health policy. Due to these safety-related uncertainties in the food supply chain, various regulatory, safety, and health policies are implemented to decrease harm to potential victims. The total effect of such food-safety policies looked at in terms of reduction of foodbome illness, mortality, and food-related diseases may possibly be smaller than the forecasted effect because of failure to consider offsetting behavior. Attenuation and possibly reversal of the direct policy effect on expected injuries may arise because of offsetting behavior. This study combines both theoretical and empirical models to test the presence of dominant or partial offsetting behavior (OB) in the preparation and consumption of vegetables if a food-safety policy such as the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (PR/HACCP) is mandated in the vegetable sector. Our findings indicate that food-safety information that has an effect on outrage and locus of control, both factors which have an effect on consumers' perception of risk, will lead consumers to become lax in response to this food-safety policy.

The aim of this thesis is to characterise the Food and Safety Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, the theoretical part characterise it's activity, mapping system of Food and Safety Control in the Czech Republic as such but also in the follow up to ensure food safety in the European Union, and create an overview how the whole system works. Practical part is to focus on website www.viscojis.cz and www.viscojis.cz/teens and evaluation of the questionnaire in order to determine use of this site and educational programs in practice with lessons in primary schools.