A consumer study was performed in four EU countries to further clarify the acceptability of meat with boar taint. In Denmark, France, Italy and Poland, a total of 476 female consumers evaluated 8 meat patties from boars with varying levels of skatole (0.10–0.40 μg/g fat tissue) and androstenone (0.47–2.00 μg/g fat tissue), in a pair-wise comparison with patties from castrates. Boar meat patties were always less preferred than the castrate meat patties, regardless of the level of androstenone and skatole. Acceptability of the boar meat patties decreased with increasing skatole level. In samples with low skatole levels, higher levels of androstenone also reduced acceptability among androstenone sensitive consumers. No clear threshold levels for androstenone and skatole could be identified. Maps presenting the reduction in preference due to increasing levels of skatole and androstenone, and corrected for the general acceptance of the meat product were developed, taking into account androstenone sensitivity. Further work is needed, covering the whole range of androstenone and skatole levels found in entire male pigs and for a wider set of meat products.

The aim of this work was to study the sensitivity of Chinese and Russian female consumers to androstenone and skatole and to identify their preference for pork patties from entire male pigs compared with those from castrated pigs. One-hundred-twenty women in each country were enrolled. The sensitivity of the consumers to both compounds was tested using smell strips and triangular tests. Pairwise tests were performed comparing patties from castrated male pigs with patties from boars with different levels of androstenone and skatole. Approximately 70% of the Russian and 60% of the Chinese consumers were sensitive to skatole and 37% and 32% were sensitive to androstenone, respectively. Nevertheless, a higher percentage of sensitive Russian consumers compared to Chinese consumers disliked the smell of both compounds. In Russia, the consumers' preferences were higher for patties with low levels of both compounds, while no differences were found in China. In both countries, consumers who were sensitive to skatole also preferred patties with low levels of both compounds. Thus, the levels of androstenone and skatole affect boar patty preferences.

This paper presents the results of a research program that was aimed at evaluating: (1) sensory evaluation of meat from entire male pigs, (2) preventive measures to reduce boar taint prevalence, (3) accuracy of detection for boar taint, and (4) the relationship between farm management characteristics and levels of mounting and aggressive behaviour of boars. Using observational and experimental studies data were collected in various segments of the pork supply chain. Consumer acceptance of meat from entire male pigs was evaluated. The effectiveness of preventive measures to reduce boar taint prevalence was determined. The relationship of farm (management) characteristics with boar taint prevalence, animal behaviour, skin lesions and lameness respectively was analysed. The similarity of the rank order between consumer perception of odour and human nose scores, skatole and androstenone levels respectively was determined. Consumers evaluate meat that passed the boar taint detection test comparable to meat from gilts. Meat samples that did not pass this test were evaluated less favourable. Ranking AI boars on their genomic breeding values for low boar taint resulted in a reduction in boar taint prevalence of 40%. The skatole level is lower in boars fed via a long trough than in boars fed by a single space feeder. Few eating places, restricted feeding, a low level of amino acids in the diet, insufficient water supply of the drinking system, illness of the pigs, a suboptimal climate and fear for humans were associated with a higher level of sexual and aggressive behaviour and more skin lesions. A partly open pen wall, clean pens and pigs, wider gaps of the slats, feeding by a long trough, and feeding wet by-products were associated with less sexual and aggressive behaviour and less skin lesions. Having more than 30 animals per pen was associated with a higher probability of high boar taint prevalence levels. Hygienic conditions were associated with lower boar taint prevalence levels. Assessing similarity of the rank order comparison between consumer perception and three selected boar taint detection parameters for the consumer perception attribute odour of meat resulted in the highest Kendall's W values for the human nose scores. In conclusion, boar tainted meat was rated as less pleasant by consumers compared to meat of gilts and non-tainted boar meat, indicating the need of detection as a safety net at the slaughter line. Breeding was an effective preventive measure to reduce boar taint. Farms with appropriate management, feeding and housing conditions have reduced levels of mounting and aggressive behaviour. Human nose scores were a better predictor of the rank order of consumer perception, compared to skatole levels and to androstenone levels. (C) 2015 Royal Netherlands Society for Agricultural Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Het eerste algemene doel van dit essay is om inzicht te krijgen in de uitdagingen en dilemma's bij het ontwikkelen van duurzaamheidsstandaarden en om een overzicht te krijgen van de voor- en nadelen van standaarden die voor elk van deze doelen worden ontwikkeld. Het tweede doel van dit essay is het beschrijven van de kenmerken en functies van een multipurpose duurzaamheidsscorecard voor voedselsystemen.

For Dutch fattening pig farms, this study explored (1) farmers' perceptions towards animal disease risks and animal health risk management; (2) factors underlying farmers' adoption of the two risk management strategies, namely, biosecurity measures and animal health programs. The risks included endemic and epidemic diseases. Data were obtained through a questionnaire (n = 164). A behavioral model was developed using the Health Belief Model and tested using structural equation modeling. Endemic and epidemic diseases were regarded as an operational and catastrophic risk, respectively. Farmers considered severity of epidemics as slightly more important, compared to endemics. For both disease categories, farmers valued biosecurity measures as a more effective strategy than animal health programs. In the behavioral model, perceived benefits in terms of strategy efficacy was the strongest direct predictor of strategy adoption. Other behavioral components had a minor indirect effect, namely, via perceived benefits, and only in case of biosecurity measures. The indirect effect path did, however, vary per disease category. For endemics, such a path captured the effect of perceived susceptibility on perceived benefits mediated by perceived severity. For epidemics, it only captured the effect of perceived severity on perceived benefits. The results also revealed the importance of innate risk characteristics of farmers in their adoption decisions. In particular, general self-protection behavior directly contributed to decisions to adopt a certain strategy. The obtained knowledge highlights possible ways of improvement of programs aimed at promoting effective risk management strategies.

Purpose: To understand the economic motivations behind the private and public policy decisions regarding the new supervision of control principle in the EU. Methodology/approach: With Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 (General Food Law) the EU adopted a new legislation to control food safety. In this legislative framework Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 opens possibilities to change towards a more effectively and efficiently control of food safety making use of private approaches in public food safety control: the supervision of control principle. This chapter uses literature research, specifically on Incentive Theory, and the KB3-projects on incentives and control of control to analyze and understand these economic motivations. Special emphasis will be given towards the role of information and incentive mechanisms. This chapter provides decision support for policy makers on how to deal with private food safety control in food chains. Findings: Using a supervision of control system to guarantee public health is likely to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of food safety control. Supervision of control is defined as the use of private quality control systems by the government to reach a public goal, on the condition that these systems meet legal preconditions. As each control system, a supervision of control system for food safety must consider the role of asymmetric information and has to deal with the possible resulting agency problems. Incentive mechanisms for food safety control between companies in food chains and between food industry and governments are a promising solution. This chapter provides a list of concepts and aspects that need to be considered by private and public policy makers in analyzing and designing incentive mechanisms that result in effective and efficient systems for food safety control. Practical implications: Understanding the economic motivations behind the private and public policy decisions regarding the supervision of control principle is essential for it to increase effectiveness and efficiency of food safety control. In particular, policy-makers should consider the presence of information asymmetry and resulting agency problems between government and companies, and between companies in a supply chain. For effective and efficient food safety control, the costs and benefits for each involved party must be quantified to determine financial incentive mechanisms between companies in food chains and between food industry and governments. Further research is needed to design and implement more effective and efficient incentive mechanisms for food safety control in practice, which deal with the adverse selection and moral hazard problems.

Purpose: This paper presents a dynamic principal-agent analysis of incentive systems for Salmonella control. Methodology/approach: Based on the producer's performance history in controlling Salmonella, the incentive systems analysed determine quality premiums to the producer, testing frequencies for hogs delivered, as well as charges to the producer for testing and penalties. Using cost estimates and technical parameters, we evaluate two dynamic incentive systems. We also assess the impact of ownership structure on performance. Findings: The more efficient incentive system economises on testing costs by reducing the probability of testing in response to a favourable production history and is preferred under all ownership structures. Practical implications: The model used in this analysis was developed specifically for the case of Salmonella control in pork, but the framework presented here can be adapted for use in other settings where multiple producers interact repeatedly with a processing firm. For example, the model could be used in an analysis of performance history-based systems to determine audit frequency and intensity in certification systems like those used for organic producers and processors. Originality/value: This framework can be a valuable tool for analysing the costs and benefits of implementing dynamic, performance history-based incentive systems in settings where supply chain trading partners have longer term relationships with repeated transactions.