Data_Sheet_1_Consumer attitudes toward bacteriophage applications to pet food.PDF

This study used a two-part questionnaire to investigate consumer knowledge and attitudes toward bacteriophage applications in pet food, pet food safety, and environmental sustainability. Part 1 included questions about pet food safety, sustainability, and knowledge and attitudes toward bacteriophages. Next, participants reviewed educational materials about each, and Part 2 assessed if this increased knowledge of, or changed attitudes toward, bacteriophage application. Participants (n = 80), were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MT) (n = 45) and Social Media (SM) (n = 35). Mean responses in Part 1 and Part 2 were compared by paired t-tests, and mean responses between MT and SM were compared by t-tests. Participants reported pet food safety was important to them (combined proportion strongly agree or agree, mean ± SD) (75/80, 94%, MT 4.66 ± 0.60, SM 4.71 ± 0.95) and were most concerned with raw pet food safety (51/80, 64%, MT 3.88 ± 0.80, SM 3.17 ± 1.40). Participants rated environmental sustainability as important (61/80, 76%, MT 3.86 ± 0.94, SM 3.97 ± 0.66); however, it was not a strong driver of pet food purchasing (26/80, 33%, MT 3.31 ± 1.25, SM 2.82 ± 0.82). Overall, data showed an increase in knowledge of bacteriophages following a review of educational material. However, in the SM group, no statistically significant difference was observed in the comfort eating food with bacteriophage additives (SM Part 1 3.37 ± 1.05, SM Part 2 3.48 ± 1.12, p = 0.279), whereas the MT group did show an increase (MT Part 1 3.57 ± 1.01, MT Part 2 4.08 ± 0.92, p < 0.001). In the SM group, no statistically significant difference was observed in comfort feeding their pet food with bacteriophage additives (SM Part 1 3.40 ± 1.03, SM Part 2 3.45 ± 1.14, p = 0.571), whereas the MT group did show an increase (MT Part 1 3.57 ± 0.98, MT Part 2 4.31 ± 0.84, p < 0.001). The strongest objections related to safety concerns (20/53, 38%, MT 2.83 ± 0.96, SM 3.27 ± 0.84). These results demonstrate that despite increasing knowledge, there is still hesitancy among some consumers toward bacteriophage applications in pet food.

本研究采用两部分式调查问卷，探究消费者对于宠物食品中噬菌体（bacteriophage）应用、宠物食品安全以及环境可持续性的认知与态度。第一部分包含关于宠物食品安全、可持续性，以及对噬菌体的认知与态度相关问题。随后，参与者将阅读针对上述各主题的教育材料，第二部分则用于评估此次学习是否提升了参与者对噬菌体应用的认知，或是改变了其相关态度。本研究共招募80名参与者，其中通过亚马逊机械Turk（Amazon Mechanical Turk，MT）招募45名，通过社交媒体（Social Media，SM）招募35名。研究采用配对t检验比较第一部分与第二部分的平均作答结果，采用t检验比较MT组与SM组的平均作答情况。参与者普遍认为宠物食品安全对自身十分重要：「完全同意」或「同意」的合并占比、平均值±标准差分别为总样本75/80（94%）、MT组4.66±0.60、SM组4.71±0.95，且参与者最为关注生制宠物食品的安全问题（51/80，64%，MT组3.88±0.80，SM组3.17±1.40）。参与者认为环境可持续性同样重要（61/80，76%，MT组3.86±0.94，SM组3.97±0.66）；但该因素并非驱动宠物食品购买的核心考量因素（26/80，33%，MT组3.31±1.25，SM组2.82±0.82）。总体而言，数据显示在阅读教育材料后，参与者对噬菌体的认知水平有所提升。不过，SM组在「对食用添加噬菌体添加剂的人类食品的接受度」上未观察到统计学显著差异（SM组第一部分3.37±1.05，第二部分3.48±1.12，p=0.279），而MT组则呈现显著提升（MT组第一部分3.57±1.01，第二部分4.08±0.92，p<0.001）。在「对喂食宠物添加噬菌体添加剂食品的接受度」上，SM组同样未出现统计学显著差异（SM组第一部分3.40±1.03，第二部分3.45±1.14，p=0.571），MT组则表现出显著提升（MT组第一部分3.57±0.98，第二部分4.31±0.84，p<0.001）。最主要的反对意见源于安全顾虑（20/53，38%，MT组2.83±0.96，SM组3.27±0.84）。上述结果表明，尽管消费者对噬菌体的认知有所提升，但仍有部分消费者对宠物食品中的噬菌体应用存在抵触情绪。