Overview

With a multidisciplinary academic foundation in hospitality management and food sciences, my long-term research objective is to explore human behaviors through the lens of health and safety, employing theories of consumer behavior and social psychology.

Research Area 1: Food Safety Practices in Various Settings
This research focuses on improving safe food handling practices across a range of environments, including commercial restaurants, institutional foodservice operations, farms, and private homes. The aim is to address critical food safety needs from multiple perspectives, enhancing food safety standards and ultimately promoting individuals’ well-being.

Research Area 2: Consumers’ Ingestive Behaviors
This area seeks to gain a deeper understanding of consumers’ intentions and behaviors related to healthy food consumption in foodservice operations. By promoting healthier dietary choices, this research contributes to improving public health and individual well-being.

Research Area 3: Consumer Behaviors in Foodservice Establishments
The goal of this research is to advance the practice of foodservice management by helping hospitality professionals:

  1. Better understand consumer attitudes and behaviors,
  2. Position their establishments more effectively,
  3. Develop more productive foodservice management strategies, and
  4. Attract and retain potential and loyal customers in efficient and sustainable ways, all while enhancing individuals’ well-being through thoughtful, consumer-centered practices.

Recent Published Articles (* indicates graduate student ** indicates corresponding author)

  1. Su, Y., Grashuis, J., & Liu., P. (2024). Consumer preferences for commission rates in the online food delivery industry: a willingness-to-pay approach. British Food Journal, 126(6), 2548-2560.
  2. *Noh, Y., & Liu, P. (2024). Exploring how consumers’ perceptions of corporate social responsibility impact dining intentions in times of crisis: an application of the theory of perceived risk. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 17(2), 44-60.
  3. Liu, P., & Eaton., E. T. (2023). Barriers to training Hmong produce farmers in the United States: A qualitative study, Food Control, 143, 109560-109566.
  4. Liu, P., Tse, E. C. Y., & He, Z. (2022). Influence of customer satisfaction, trust, and brand awareness in health-related corporate social responsibility aspects of customers revisit intention: a comparison between US and China. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 1-27.
  5. Huang, Y. D., Kim., D. Y., & Liu, P.**(2022). Applying a hypocrite strategy to improve restaurant food safety practices in the U.S., Food Control, 143, 109280-109292.
  6. Liu, P., Segovia, M., Tse, E. C. Y., Nayga, R. M. (2022). Become an environmentally responsible customer by choosing low-carbon footprint products at restaurants: Integrating the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 52, 346-355.
  7. Liu, P., & Tse, E. C. (2021). The impact of perceived corporate social responsibility on dining intention in US restaurants: focusing on customers’ health. Journal of Culinary Science & Technology, 1-22.
  8. *Lee, S. J., & Liu, P. (2021). Examining customers’ perceptions of high-end ethnic restaurants in the United States: an importance-performance analysis. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, 24, 2, 222-239.
  9. Liu, P., & *Lee, S. (2021). Food safety knowledge and practice among campers in the U.S. Food Protection Trend, 41, 2, 216-231.
  10. *Lee, S., & Liu, P. (2021). Food intolerance or food allergy? exploring food safety practices among campus foodservice employees. Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 24, 6, 666-683.

Recent Funded Grants

  1. Liu., P., Zhu, J., & Lu, L. Enhancing restaurant consumers’ desire for sustainable meat: an experimental study. Foodservice Systems Management Education Council. 2024-2025. $2,000. Principal Investigator. [new!]
  2. Liu, P., Hultberg, A., & Eaton, T. Developing a collaborative education and training program to advance food safety for Hmong growers. USDA-NIFA Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grants Program. 2023-2026. $549,493. Principal Investigator. [new!]
  3. Kelly, D., Funkenbusch, K., Patillo, A., & Liu, P. Breaking down barriers to St. Louis metropolitan area new and beginning urban and small scale farms to grow success. USDA-NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. 2023-2026. $676,784. Co-Principal Investigator. [new!]
  4. McKelvey, B., Roach, A., Byers, P., & Liu, P. Midwest/Central plains (MCP) food business center. USDA Regional Food Business Center’s Program. 2023-2027. $750,899. Food Safety Specialist. [new!]
  5. Liu, P. Comprehending consumer decision-making in restaurants on sustainable food traceability through blockchain using the uncertainty reduction approach. CAFNR International Collaborations Grant Program. 2023-2024. $3,000. Principal Investigator. [new!]
  6. Youn, S. Y., Zhu, J., & Liu., P. Sustainable food traceability on blockchain: understanding consumer decisions in restaurants using the uncertainty reduction approach. Foodservice Systems Management Education Council. 2022-2023. $2,000. Co-Principal Investigator. [ongoing]
  7. Liu, P., Byers, P., & Nwadike, L. Establishing a food safety model farm as a training center to advance food safety for Hmong farmers in Missouri. USDA-NIFA Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grants Program. 2022-2024. $300,000. Principal Investigator. [ongoing]
  8. Liu, P., Eaton, T., & Rodriguez Alcala, M. Development and implementation of a customized and culturally-sensitive FSMA supplemental training program for Hmong farmers: A community outreach project. USDA-NIFA Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grants Program. 2020-2023. $274,670. Principal Investigator. [extended]
  9. Liu, P. Helping minority community: Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) training barriers among Hmong Farmers in the U.S. Richard Wallace Faculty Incentive Grant, The University of Missouri. 2021-2022. $2,738.19. Principal Investigator.
  10. Liu, P. Understanding the influence of consumers’ perceptions of corporate social responsibility on consumers’ dining intentions during crises: the mediating effects of perceived risk. CAFNR International Collaborations Grant Program. 2020-2021. $1,500. Principal Investigator.