The topic of food safety cannot be ignored. As producers of a food product we must concern ourselves with the issues of 1) health of our livestock; 2) quality of the product; and 3) consumer demands. Without demand, there can be no sale. One must never forget that food consumption is directly related to perception. The food must be perceived as "good" or it will not be consumed. What is "good" will be different for each person and will be based upon a variety of qualia, real or imagined. 

* * *

In the present paper, I have tried to summarise some of the major issues
relating to how consumers perceive quality and safety in food, and how this
turns into consumer demand. I have attempted to show the complexities
involved, both with regard to how consumers form judgements on the quality
and safety of a product, and how these judgements are traded off against
price in consumer food choice. … Consumers want to get the best quality
at the lowest prices — but finding out what the best quality is may not
always be a straightforward task, and even providing consumers with more
information may not solve the problem, as the information may be ignored
or misinterpreted. Public policy is often based on the assumption that more
information is better, both to improve daily decision-making and in situations
of crisis, but the research summarised in this paper implies that more
information may not only be without effect, but may in some cases increase
confusion and consumer concerns.

Klaus G. Grunert Food quality and safety: consumer perception and demand
European Review of Agricultural Economics Vol 32 (3) (2005) pp. 369–391

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