Understanding perceived food safety in Brazil: an analysis using social practice theory, based on packaging[Comprendre la salubrité alimentaire perçue au Brésil : une analyse par la théorie des pratiques sociales, à partir du packaging]

This research examines how social practices shape the perception of the healthiness of processed and ultra-processed food products within the context of an increasingly transformed food supply. Using social practice theory and a five-dimensional framework, practices were observed through a qualitative interview study of 56 Brazilians who are experiencing a gradual erosion of their traditional food health standards. The findings indicate that perceived food healthiness is multifaceted, shaped by the search for characteristic traits, based on the food packaging, part of a broader quest for physical and mental balance, and rooted in commitments to health, the environment, and tradition. The results extend beyond individual rational approaches, capturing the complexity inherent in perceived food healthiness.