Determination of awareness levels of consumers living in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on food safety

The most important factor for all living beings to sustain their lives is adequate and balanced nutrition. It is of great importance that the food products meeting people's nutritional needs are produced under the scope of food safety. Food safety encompasses all measures taken to prevent any physical, chemical, and microbiological contamination or proliferation that may pose health risks, from the initial stage of production to reaching the consumer. Although legislation and various management systems have been established to ensure food safety, it is also necessary to conduct regular inspections by experts in this field. Every effort made to produce safe food will provide conscious consumers with the right to healthy nutrition without hesitation. Conscious consumers are those who thoroughly examine products and choose the most suitable ones for themselves. Factors such as gender, age, education, and income level can influence a consumer's level of awareness. In this study, a two-part survey was conducted to determine the level of food safety awareness among food consumers in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The first part of the survey included questions aimed at identifying the social characteristics of the consumers, while the second part focused on measuring their food safety awareness. The survey was conducted with a total of 400 participants, including 50 male and 50 female students aged 18-25, 50 male and 50 female participants aged 26- 35, 50 male and 50 female participants aged 36-45, and 50 male and 50 female participants aged 46-55 living in Nicosia. This study has revealed the level of awareness regarding food safety among consumers residing in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). It was determined that 37,00% of survey participants have a high level of food safety awareness. When examining the impact of social characteristics on awareness levels, it was concluded that educational background significantly influences individuals' awareness of food safety. The internet emerged as the most influential medium in raising awareness of the concept of food safety, and ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System was found to be the most recognized standard, with an awareness rate of 89,00%. Reliability was identified as the most critical factor for consumers when choosing food products, while expiration dates were the primary consideration when purchasing packaged goods. Furthermore, it was noted that 38,75% of consumers were aware of cross-contamination, a significant factor in ensuring food safety.