Consumer knowledge, attitudes, and food safety practices in livestock-based food systems: Evidence from buffalo meat consumption in Northern Thailand

Abstract

Although buffalo meat is an important component of livestock-based diets in tropical smallholder systems, there has been limited empirical research on consumer food safety-related behaviors associated with its consumption. Thus, we examined the behavioral determinants of buffalo meat consumer safety based on the Knowledge–Attitudes–Practices (KAP) framework. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to survey data from 250 buffalo meat consumers in Northern Thailand to assess the direct, indirect, and predictive relationships among the KAP constructs. There were significant correlations across all constructs, the strongest of which was between attitudes and practices (r = 0.52, p < 0.001). Knowledge had a positive effect on attitudes (β = 0.471, p < 0.001) and influenced practices directly (β = 0.312, p < 0.001) and indirectly through attitudes (β = 0.235, p < 0.001). Attitudes had the strongest direct effect on practices (β = 0.499, p < 0.001). The model demonstrated moderate explanatory power and high predictive relevance, and all Q² values were greater than zero. These findings indicate that the mechanisms underlying perception and attitude are the key predictors of safe buffalo meat consumption. On the other hand, demographic factors account for only a small portion of behavioral variance. This study is novel because it represents the first empirical investigation of buffalo meat consumption behavior in a tropical livestock context. The results can be used to design consumer-focused communication, education, and market interventions to improve food safety outcomes within buffalo meat supply chains.

Keywords

buffalo meat / consumer behavior / food safety / Knowledge–Attitudes–Practices (KAP) / meat consumption

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