Health and safety officials are sometimes placed in an awkward position: knowing that a foodborne disease outbreak is occurring but not knowing which food is responsible. They have to advise consumers, but relying on ambiguous and evolving information raises the question, how do consumers...

This article investigates the trade impact of Japan's decision in 2005 to revise its phytosanitary protocol for fire blight for U.S. apple imports but retain its codling moth protocol. The analysis presents a participation model to measure the economic costs of phytosanitary barriers to trade....