Thus, food safety messages often reach consumers indirectly through newspapers, magazines, and cookbooks rather than directly from consumer education materials such as labels and brochures. These results could also mean that more motivated consumers are more likely to seek information from magazines, television, and hotlines, while relatively less motivated consumers are limited to information available more universally, such as labels. If so, then labels provide an important benefit by reaching consumers who are not motivated to seek additional information. It is not clear why brochures would be cited by respondents with lower motivation, however. Respondents with personal characteristics that correlate with lower risk motivation may also be more likely to seek information from brochures, and this interaction has not been taken into account.
Further research is required to study the complex interaction of information and attitudes.
For more information, see Awareness of Risks Changing How Hamburgers Are Cooked . ERS also conducts research on how nutrition knowledge affects dietary choices. For more information, see nutrition information and education , and a recent ERS report on mothers' nutritional knowledge and children's diets .