Canadian Consumer Food Safety Practices and Knowledge: Foodbook Study

Evaluating levels of knowledge and food safety practices among food handlers in the Southern part of Italy

The purpose of the present study is to assess the extent of knowledge and food safety practices among food handlers (FHs) to prevent food risks. This cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2021 and February 2022 in a random sample of FHs working in three regions of the Southern part of Italy. A two-stage cluster random sampling strategy was used to select FHs working at food businesses in the Regions. Data were collected through an anonymous self-administered questionnaire that consisted of 33 questions grouped into five sections to gather sociodemographic and professional characteristics, knowledge about foodborne illnesses (FBIs) and food safety, adherence to proper food handling practices and sources of information. The overall median knowledge score was 8 (interquartile range 6-9), but only 2.2 % of the respondents answered all 12 statements correctly. Among the recruited FHs, 71.2 % and 65.4 % reported always keeping raw and cooked food separate and using different utensils while handling raw and cooked foods, respectively. With respect to the use of personal protective equipments, 79.3 % and 67.6 % stated always wear work clothing and hair restrain (e.g., hats, hairnets), respectively. Just 20.9 % of the FHs properly defrosted food (i.e., in the fridge) and 39.9 % used food warmers for keeping food at least at 65 °C while waiting for service. The findings highlighted poor knowledge concerning the ideal temperatures for cooking, holding and storing foods, exacerbated by poor personal and hand hygiene, certain factors associated with the spread of foodborne pathogens.

The Knowledge and Practices Toward Food Safety Measures at Home in the Lebanese Community

Hygienic measures practiced at home are highly related to the occurrence of food-borne diseases during food production, storage, and handling. Contaminated food remains a major cause of several diarrheal diseases, hospitalizations, and spikes in medical expenses. In our current study, we aimed to assess the knowledge of food safety and the food safety and hygiene practices at home among the Lebanese population. A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire including two sections. The first section included socio-demographic characteristics of participants, whereas the second section included questions related to practices and knowledge about food safety, divided into five parts; personal hygiene practices, dry and cold storage, sanitizing and cleaning and food intoxication. A total of 1101 Lebanese above 18 years participated and provided their responses to the questionnaire. Overall, the majority of participants had fair knowledge about food safety where 96.8% of the participants answered correctly about preventing microbial growth on food. 77.9% of those participants acquired their knowledge about food safety from articles, workshops, or the internet. Moreover, females, people with children and those who cook for themselves scored significantly higher than others (68.8, 70.6, and 70%, respectively). In comparison to younger participants (67.8%), older participants (50+ and 30-49) scored higher at 69.7% and 68.9%, respectively. Higher scores were obtained for questions related to storing dried foods/meat and poultry products with percentages 91.4 and 87.8%, respectively. However, lower scores were noticed on questions related to washing raw chicken before handling and storing eggs (9.7 and 12.3%, respectively). Altogether, our results revealed the need for directed food safety awareness campaigns at the national level to educate the Lebanese community about domestic food handling practices. We believe these campaigns can significantly reduce related diseases and hospitalizations.

Consumer attitudes and perceptions towards chilled ready-to-eat foods: a multi-national study

Understanding consumers' behavior and their handling of high-risk foods at home is essential for reducing the number of foodborne illnesses. This study shows the results of a cross-national analysis of consumers' perception from nine countries, and the identification of customers' clusters and its characteristics in order to understand customers' behavior, and to build safe chilled ready-to-eat (RTE) foods prevention strategies. The cluster analysis resulted in two clusters: (1) "Precautious consumers" characterized by the orientation towards pre-packed RTE foods, with consumers mainly coming from Bosnia and Herzegovina, India, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. Their attitudes and self-reported practices may be categorized as less risky in terms of food-borne illnesses connected with the consumption of RTE foods; (2) "Unconcerned consumers" preferred cutting and slicing RTE foods freshly at the point of purchase, usually sold at the delicatessen department in a supermarket or at open markets. Those consumers mostly came from Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia and their attitudes and self-reported practices were riskier. These results allow a better understating of what characterizes consumers of RTE foods in different countries.

Knowledge and self-reported food safety practices among meat consumers in Ilorin, Nigeria

As an imperative source of protein to man, meat could also serve as a source of infections when processed poorly. This research studied consumers' knowledge and self-reported food safety practices among 869 meat consumers of different socioeconomic statuses. We summarized the data obtained using descriptive and inferential statistics. Two outcome variables were developed to determine satisfactory knowledge and practices. The knowledge and practice scores were determined through a numeric scoring system based on the respondents' correct responses to knowledge and practices questions. These outcome variables were further categorized into binary variables based on a cut-off point (mean + 1 SD of the scores) with scores greater and lower than the cut-off points considered satisfactory (acceptable/appropriate) and unsatisfactory, respectively. The respondents are predominantly female (54.9%) within the age range of 19-25 years (54.2%) and were unmarried (71.1%). Less than half (46.4% and 40.0%) of the respondents have adequate knowledge and practice levels of food safety. Most meat consumers have identified various challenges to food safety and hazards related to unsafe food safety practices. Important socioeconomic variables of the meat consumers such as occupation, age, and marital status, were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with food safety knowledge. Meat consumers with higher age categories and educational levels were more likely to have good food safety knowledge than those of the 15-18 years age category and primary educational level, respectively. Respondents with higher levels of education were more likely to demonstrate satisfactory food safety practices than those of primary education status, while males (OR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.76; p = 0.043) were significantly more likely to report satisfactory food safety practices. In conclusion, this study emphasized the need for an improvement in consumers' food safety practices.

Estimated Reduction in the Burden of Nontyphoidal Salmonella Illness in Canada Circa 2019

Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a leading cause of acute gastrointestinal illness in Canada, and reported cases have been on the rise since the early 2000s. To address this trend, agri-food industry partners and government have worked to identify and implement interventions, guided by the enhanced information provided by whole-genome sequencing, to reduce the incidence of NTS. A substantial reduction in the number of NTS cases reported occurred in 2019. Due to underreporting and underdiagnosis factors, the observed decrease in the number of reported cases represents a fraction of the true number of illnesses averted in the community. The objective of this study was to: (1) use burden of illness estimation methodologies to estimate the true number of NTS illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths prevented, and (2) estimate the economic savings associated with the prevention of these cases. Compared with the previous 5 years, there were an estimated 25,821 fewer illnesses, 213 fewer hospitalizations, and 2 fewer deaths attributable to NTS in 2019. This corresponds to an estimated reduction of 26.9 million Canadian dollars in the economic burden of NTS. Although causality cannot be proven by this study, the findings are suggestive that the strategically implemented suite of public health actions, including genomic-based surveillance, policy changes, and interventions by the government and industry, were successful in reducing the economic and health burden of NTS infections in Canada.

Knowledge and Practices of Food Safety among Health Care Professionals and Handlers Working in the Kitchen of a Moroccan University Hospital

ABSTRACT

Food safety plays a key role in the prevention of foodborne illnesses. Mastery of the correct way of handling food is required especially in hospitals where meals are prepared for patients with low immune function. Food safety knowledge among doctors and dieticians is important because of the fundamental role these professionals play in transferring this knowledge to people who need it. The objective of this study was to assess food safety knowledge and practices among health care professionals and food handlers working in the kitchen of a Moroccan university hospital. This cross-sectional study included 72 doctors, dieticians, hygiene technicians, and hospital kitchen employees, who completed a questionnaire to assess their knowledge on hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) systems, food poisoning, cross-contamination, and food storage and their practices in terms of food safety. Of the participants in this study, 56% said they had received food safety training, and 74% knew the correct definition of HACCP. The overall food safety knowledge mean score was 0.54 ± 0.15, which corresponds to 54% of questions answered correctly. The food safety knowledge areas with the highest mean scores were cross-contamination and food storage, with 0.58 ± 0.20 (58%) and 0.55 ± 0.20 (55%), respectively. The food safety knowledge scores for dieticians and hygiene technicians were higher than those for hospital kitchen workers and doctors. Knowledge about food storage was significantly associated with gender, age, occupation, and level of education (P < 0.05). Correct food practices were observed among 93% of the hospital kitchen staff and 50% of the health care professionals. These results indicate the need for preventive and corrective actions such as training and education about food safety to improve the knowledge and food safety practices of hospital professionals.

HIGHLIGHTS

Consumption of High-Risk Foods in the Canadian Population, Foodbook Study, 2014 to 2015

ABSTRACT

Many foods have the potential to cause foodborne illness; however, some pose a higher risk. Data were collected through the Foodbook study, a population-based telephone survey conducted between 2014 and 2015 that assessed 10,942 Canadians' food exposures using a 7-day recall period. The 19 foods included in the survey were identified as high risk for common foodborne pathogens in Canada. Results were analyzed by age group, gender, region of residence, income, and education. Consumption proportions of high-risk foods ranged from 0.4% (raw oysters) to 49.3% (deli meats). Roughly 94% of the population reported consuming one or more high-risk food in the past week. Certain high-risk food behaviors were associated with demographic characteristics. High-risk adults such as those 65 years or older still report consuming high-risk foods of concern, including deli meats (41.8%), soft cheeses (13.7%), and smoked fish (6.3%). Consumption of certain foods differed between genders, with males consuming significantly more deli meats, hot dogs, and raw or undercooked eggs and females consuming significantly more prebagged mixed salad greens. The overall number of high-risk foods consumed was similar, with both genders most frequently consuming three to five high-risk foods. High-risk food consumption was seen to increase with increasing household income, with 14.2% of the highest income level consuming six-plus high-risk foods in the past week, compared with 7.1% of the lowest income level. If a respondent had heard of a risk of foodborne illness associated with a food, it did not affect whether it was consumed. Additional consumer food safety efforts put in place alongside current messaging may improve high-risk food consumption behaviors. Enhancing current messaging by using multifaceted communications (e.g., social media and information pamphlets) and highlighting the large incidence and severity of foodborne illnesses in Canada are important strategies to improve behavior change.

HIGHLIGHTS

Awareness and Attitudes of Student Dietitians in Lebanon, UK and USA towards Food Safety

Allied health professionals such as dietitians can play a critical role in providing food safety advice to vulnerable consumers. To maximize food-related health and wellbeing, food needs to be safe and nutritious; consequently, food safety is referred to in international curricula for the training of dietitians. The purpose of this study was to explore the awareness and attitudes of student dietitians from three international institutions towards food safety. A total of 207 student dietitians participated in the study from Columbus, OH, USA (n = 99), Cardiff, Wales, UK (n = 78) and Beirut, Lebanon (n = 30). Completion of the study established that the students in three dietetic training programs lacked awareness of key food safety concepts. Close to half (43%) were not familiar with Campylobacter, with the USA students being significantly less knowledgeable (p < 0.001) with 58% being unaware of the pathogen. Understanding of safe handling of leftovers was the lowest for the students in all institutions; only 46% described appropriate reheating practices, with significantly lower (p < 0.001) understanding in Lebanon (28%). The students reported a good understanding of vulnerable populations and perceived food safety to be important for these groups. However, the knowledge of certain high-risk foods was lacking. For instance, 69% of students thought that fresh squeezed juices and smoothies made with raw fruits and vegetables were safe for vulnerable patients, with the UK students being the least familiar with this risk (16%). This is the first study of its kind to take an international perspective of student dietitian food safety awareness and attitudes; the findings are important to dietetic food safety educators and recommendations are made to further explore the interpretation of food safety requirements in international dietetic curricula. Future studies should extend student dietetic research to address attitudes, self-efficacy and the overall readiness to deliver food safety advice to the patients and the community.

Food Handling Practices in the Era of COVID-19: A Mixed-Method Longitudinal Needs Assessment of Consumers in the United States

ABSTRACT

At present, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has not been shown to be transmitted through food. Even so, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed how consumers view food and food safety. This study assessed consumer food safety practices during the COVID-19 pandemic using (i) surveys and (ii) online focus group discussions. From April to August 2020, five waves of surveys were distributed to an online U.S. consumer panel and screened to include only primary food preparers and grocery shoppers. The online focus groups were conducted via WebEx from May to July 2020. Focus group participants were recruited from the first wave of survey respondents. Both survey respondents and focus group participants reported higher levels of hand washing in response to the pandemic. However, survey participants' anticipated levels of hand washing after the pandemic decreased; some focus group participants noted that human nature "kicking in" could lead to lower levels of hand hygiene practice. For each of the 5 months, the surveys reported increased produce washing, both with water only and with water plus soap. Most focus group participants mentioned using water to wash their produce, but some reported using soap and even vinegar to "kill" the virus. Since consumers were worried that SARS-CoV-2 could survive on food, they started to mishandle food to address these concerns. However, this study also reported an increase in food thermometer use during the pandemic. Social determinants like gender, income, education, and age may have also influenced changes in levels of practice throughout the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic drove consumers to practice proper and improper food safety practices, which may or may not continue after the pandemic. This study's findings provide timely information to guide future food safety education and communication during health crises and pandemics.

HIGHLIGHTS

Salmonella in eggs: From shopping to consumption-A review providing an evidence-based analysis of risk factors

Nontyphoidal salmonellae are among the most prevalent foodborne pathogens causing gastrointestinal infections worldwide. A high number of cases and outbreaks of salmonellosis are associated with the consumption of eggs and egg products, and several of these occur at the household level. The aim of the current study is to critically evaluate the current status of knowledge on Salmonella in eggs from a consumer's perspective, analyzing the hazard occurrence and the good practices that should be applied to reduce salmonellosis risk. Following a HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) based approach, some steps along the food journey were identified as Critical Consumer Handling (CCH)-steps in which consumers, through their behavior or choice, can significantly reduce the level of Salmonella in eggs and egg products. From shopping/collecting to consumption, each of these steps is discussed in this review to provide an evidence-based overview of risk factors of human salmonellosis related to egg consumption. The main message to consumers is to choose Salmonella-free eggs (those that some official entity or producer guarantees that does not contain Salmonella), when available, especially for dishes that are not fully heat treated. Second, as guaranteed Salmonella-free eggs are only available in a few countries, refrigerated storage from the point of collection and proper cooking will significantly reduce the risk of salmonellosis. This will require a revision of the actual recommendations/regulations, as not all ensure that eggs are maintained at temperatures that prevent growth of Salmonella from collection until the time of purchasing.

Food safety knowledge, attitude, and hygiene practices of street-cooked food handlers in North Dayi District, Ghana

BACKGROUND

Food safety and hygiene are currently a global health apprehension especially in unindustrialized countries as a result of increasing food-borne diseases (FBDs) and accompanying deaths. This study aimed at assessing knowledge, attitude, and hygiene practices (KAP) of food safety among street-cooked food handlers (SCFHs) in North Dayi District, Ghana.

METHODS

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on 407 SCFHs in North Dayi District, Ghana. The World Health Organization's Five Keys to Safer Food for food handlers and a pretested structured questionnaire were adapted for data collection among stationary SCFHs along principal streets. Significant parameters such as educational status, average monthly income, registered SCFHs, and food safety training course were used in bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models to calculate the power of the relationships observed.

RESULTS

The majority 84.3% of SCFHs were female and 56.0% had not attended a food safety training course. This study showed that 67.3%, 58.2%, and 62.9% of SCFHs had good levels of KAP of food safety, respectively. About 87.2% showed a good attitude of separating uncooked and prepared meal before storage. Good knowledge of food safety was 2 times higher among registered SCFHs compared to unregistered [cOR=1.64, p=0.032]. SCFHs with secondary education were 4 times good at hygiene practices of food safety likened to no education [aOR=4.06, p=0.003]. Above GHc1500 average monthly income earners were 5 times good at hygiene practices of food safety compared to below GHc500 [aOR=4.89, p=0.006]. Registered SCFHs were 8 times good at hygiene practice of food safety compared to unregistered [aOR=7.50, p<0.001]. The odd for good hygiene practice of food safety was 6 times found among SCFHs who had training on food safety courses likened to those who had not [aOR=5.97, p<0.001].

CONCLUSIONS

Over half of the SCFHs had good levels of KAP of food safety. Registering as SCFH was significantly associated with good knowledge and hygiene practices of food safety. Therefore, our results may present an imperative foundation for design to increase food safety and hygiene practice in the district, region, and beyond.

Management Strategies for Prevention of Campylobacter Infections Through the Poultry Food Chain: A European Perspective

Numerous studies point out that at present, a complete elimination of Campylobacter species in the poultry food chain is not feasible. Thus, the current aim should be to establish control measures and intervention strategies to minimize the occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in livestock (esp. poultry flocks) and to reduce the quantitative Campylobacter burden along the food chain in animals and subsequently in foods. The most effective measures to mitigate Campylobacter focus on the primary production stage. Nevertheless, measures applied during slaughter and processing complement the general meat hygiene approaches by reducing fecal contamination during slaughtering and processing and as a consequence help to reduce Campylobacter in poultry meat. Such intervention measures at slaughter and processing level would include general hygienic improvements, technological innovations and/or decontamination measures that are applied at single slaughter or processing steps. In particular, approaches that do not focus on a single intervention measure would need to be based on a thorough process of evaluation, and potential combinatory effects have to be modeled and tested. Finally, the education of all stakeholders (including retailers, food handlers and consumers) is required and will help to increase awareness for the presence of foodborne pathogens in raw meat and meat products and can thus aid in the development of the required good kitchen hygiene.

Exposure to Toxoplasma gondii Through Consumption of Raw or Undercooked Meat: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed protozoan that mainly causes health issues in the fetuses of pregnant women who have never been exposed to this parasite and patients with deficient immune systems. Except in these vulnerable populations, the primary infection generally goes unnoticed in most healthy individuals. Apart from transplant/transfusion, congenital transmission, direct contact with infected cats or their feces, and environmental contamination (i.e., oocysts in food, water, and soil) pathways, humans can acquire the parasite through consumption of animal tissues infected by T. gondii. This meta-analysis estimated the risk of acquiring T. gondii by consuming raw or undercooked meat, regardless of which animal species are eaten. Using a random-effect model, crude and adjusted pooled measures of association (risk and odds ratio) were estimated according to study design (cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies). The meta-analysis included measures of heterogeneity as well as quality rating scales for each study design. Our results suggest that individuals who eat raw or undercooked meat have, respectively, 1.2-1.3 times the risk and 1.7-3.0 times the odds of T. gondii infection compared to those who thoroughly cook meat, regardless of the animal species they consume. These results align with the current understanding that adequately cooking meat inactivates the parasite and decreases the risk of transmission. Seroprevalence ranged from 1.3% to 88.6%, while the proportion of individuals eating raw or undercooked meat fluctuated from 0.7% to 98.3% across the studies in the meta-analysis. These numbers reflect various preferences with regard to eating meat (i.e., eating tartar, sausages, or salamis) as well as individual, cultural and religious food habits, and personal awareness.

Determinants of Food Thermometer Use and Poultry Washing among Canadian Consumers

ABSTRACT

Previous surveys have found that few Canadians report using a food thermometer to check cooking doneness, and many report rinsing or washing poultry prior to cooking. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted to investigate the sociodemographic and psychosocial determinants of the reported use of these behaviors among Canadians. A questionnaire was developed, guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework, and pretested through 10 cognitive interviews. The questionnaire was administered in English and French on 18 November 2019, to an online panel of 524 Canadian consumers. Logistic and ordinal regression models were constructed to evaluate determinants of consumers' reported thermometer ownership (yes or no) and thermometer use and poultry washing frequencies (each measured on a 5-point Likert scale). Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%; n = 333) reported owning a food thermometer. Thermometer ownership was more common among males (odds ratio [OR] = 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02, 2.15) and those with higher income categories. Nearly 45% of these respondents (n = 147) reported often or always using their thermometer to check cooking doneness. The frequency of engaging in this behavior was best determined by four psychosocial constructs: behavioral intentions, beliefs about consequences, self-efficacy, and habits. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%; n = 333) reported often or always washing their poultry before cooking it. This behavior was more frequently reported by males (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.002, 2.28). It was also predicted by six psychosocial constructs: behavioral intentions, beliefs about consequences, self-efficacy, social influences, social responsibility, and habits. Habits had the largest influence on both behaviors. The study results can inform the development of more targeted food safety education and outreach initiatives to improve these behaviors among Canadians.

HIGHLIGHTS

A Closer Look at Changes in High-Risk Food-Handling Behaviors and Perceptions of Primary Food Handlers at Home in South Korea across Time

Food-handling behaviors and risk perceptions among primary food handlers were investigated by consumer surveys from different subjects in 2010 (N = 609; 1st survey will be called here “Year 2010”) and 2019 (N = 605; 2nd survey will be called here “Year 2019”). Year 2010 was characterized by consumers’ risk perception-behavior gap (i.e., consumers knew safe methods for food-handling, but responses regarding the behaviors did not support their confidence in food safety): they (1) did not wash/trim foods before storage, (2) thawed frozen foods at room temperature, and (3) exposed leftovers to danger zone temperatures. These trends were not improved and the gaps in Year 2010 remained in Year 2019. Year 2010 was also characterized by other common high-risk behaviors improved during 8 years for the following aspects: (1) 70.0% of consumers divided a large portion of food into smaller pieces for storage, but few consumers (12.5%) labeled divided foods with relevant information, and (2) they excessively reused kitchen utensils. Whereas in Year 2019, more consumers (25.7%) labeled food and usage periods for kitchen utensils were shortened. Consumers usually conformed to food safety rules in both Year 2010 and 2019: (1) separate storage of foods, (2) storage of foods in the proper places/periods, (3) washing fruits/vegetables before eating, (4) washing hands after handling potentially hazardous foods, and (5) cooking foods and reheating leftovers to eat. Our findings provided resources for understanding consumers’ high-risk behaviors/perceptions at home, highlighting the importance of behavioral control.

Structural equation modelling of food safety knowledge, attitude and practices among consumers in Malaysia

Factors contributing to foodborne illnesses in Malaysia were identified as insanitary food handling procedures and lack of hygiene in food preparation area. Food safety at home is a critical point as consumers represent the final step in food preparation and prevention of foodborne diseases. This study aims to investigate the food safety knowledge, attitude and self-reported practices among consumers in Malaysia. An online survey was conducted, and data were analysed using descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis. A model linking food safety knowledge and attitude and their direct effects on practices were confirmed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The proposed model fulfilled the goodness of fit indices and is deemed acceptable. Respondents demonstrate good level of food safety knowledge and positive attitudes and self-reported practices. Food safety knowledge has a negative and insignificant relationship with food safety practices (β1 = -0.284, p>0.05) while attitude significantly affects food safety practices (β1 = 0.534, p<0.05). The findings clearly indicate that food safety knowledge does not directly affect food safety practices This is also the first study to provide new empirical findings on thermometer usage among consumers in Malaysia. This study establishes an important point of reference where consumers use visual appearances to determine if food is thoroughly cooked and practice washing raw chicken prior to cooking. Food safety practices at home play a critical role in protecting consumers in reducing risks of foodborne illnesses.

Safe Food Handling Advice Provided on Question-and-Answer Web Sites Is Inconsistent

OBJECTIVE

To determine the accuracy of information about safe food handling posted on online question-and-answer (Q&A) Web sites and forums.

DESIGN

A retrospective study was conducted to analyze answers to questions posted on 4 Q&A platforms (Reddit, Yahoo! Answers, Quora, and Stack Exchange) employing a structured coding form. Questions were identified from November 2018 to May 2019 using an iterative search.

PARTICIPANTS

Users of online Q&A platforms.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Answer accuracy (incorrect, partially correct, or correct in relation to government guidelines).

ANALYSIS

A multivariable ordinal regression model was developed to identify factors associated (at the P < .01 level) with answer accuracy.

RESULTS

Questions (n = 160) were posted from 2006 to 2019. Of 625 answers to these questions, 41% were classified as correct, and 20% as partially correct. Answer accuracy differed among the 4 platforms. Answers to questions about adequate cooking (odds ratio [OR] = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17-0.49, P < .001) and time-temperature control (OR = 0.33, 95% CI, 0.21-0.51, P < .001) constructs were less likely to be correct than answers to other questions. Top-rated answers were more likely to be correct than other answers (OR = 2.01, 95% CI, 1.40-2.90, P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The accuracy of food safety information exchanged on online Q&A platforms is inconsistent. Enhanced food safety promotion and education interventions on these platforms are warranted.

Comparison of consumer knowledge about Campylobacter, Salmonella and Toxoplasma and their transmissibility via meat: results of a consumer study in Germany

BACKGROUND

Campylobacter is the most commonly reported causative agent of foodborne bacterial infection in Germany, and contaminated chicken meat is an important source of this zoonotic agent. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge of consumers in Germany about Campylobacter, Salmonella and Toxoplasma and their transmissibility via meat. In addition, we investigated the level of knowledge between selected consumer groups and whether the results coincided with those of international studies.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1008 consumers in Germany via an online panel to record, analyse and evaluate the state of knowledge about Campylobacter, Salmonella and Toxoplasma. The participants were selected according to age, gender and federal states to be representative of the German population.

RESULTS

Overall, 68.3% of the respondents had never heard of Campylobacter, 20.2% had heard of Campylobacter but did not know how to protect themselves, and only 11.5% knew how to protect themselves from Campylobacter infections. Slightly more than half (52.2%) of the respondents who had at least heard of Campylobacter knew that Campylobacter was transmissible via meat. Knowledge increased significantly with age. Participants over 60 years old knew about Campylobacter almost three times as often as the 16- to 19-year-old comparison group (OR = 2.982). Consumers who had at least a secondary school certificate were almost twice as likely to know about Campylobacter as those who had no school certificate or a lower secondary school certificate (OR = 1.899). Participants who were not actors in the food chain were significantly less frequently informed about Campylobacter than were those who were actors in the food chain. Consumer knowledge of Toxoplasma was better than that of Campylobacter. Consumers have the most knowledge about Salmonella.

CONCLUSIONS

Consumers in Germany are predominantly poorly informed about Campylobacter and the transmission route via meat. General knowledge of Toxoplasma is better than that of Campylobacter. Among the three pathogens, consumers are best informed about Salmonella. This finding highlights the importance of making existing information materials more accessible to consumers in the future to increase their knowledge, with the objective of reducing the incidence of Campylobacter infections.

Food Consumer Behavior and Salmonella Exposure Self-Perception in the Central Region of Mexico

In Mexico, there is limited information regarding food consumer behaviors at home. The knowledge of food consumption and food handling practices can help to determine more realistically the exposure to different hazards, such as Salmonella spp. on the population. The main goal of this study was to characterize the food consumption habits of five food groups (fruits and vegetables, fresh meat, dairy products, processed meat products, and seafood), food handling practices, and Salmonella exposure self-perception of the population of the central region of Mexico using an online survey. A total of 1,199 surveys were analyzed. The group of fruits and vegetables is the most consumed and one of the most related to the consumer self-perception of suffering from salmonellosis. Mexican consumers regularly use refrigeration as the principal food storage method for the five food groups (42.2% to 90.8%), and generally, they store the products between 2 and 3 days (26.5% to 38.1%). A total of 86.4% of consumers reported that they always wash their hands prior to food preparation. A total of 16.9% and 13.0% use the same cutting board and knife, respectively, to cut more than one product without applying sanitization. Men, people between 20 and 24 years, and people between 60 and 64 years, had the highest risk food handling practices at home. Finally, age (P < 0.0001), education level (P = 0.0004), and suffering from gastrointestinal diseases (P = 0.0005) showed significant effects with self-perception of having salmonellosis. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Data presented in this study could be used in future risk and exposure assessment research to evaluate the public health risk from the consumption of contaminated food. In addition, it could be used by government agencies to design education campaigns in food safety area.

Motivators and Barriers to Cooking and Refrigerator Thermometer Use among Consumers and Food Workers: A Review

Temperature control prevents the rapid growth of foodborne pathogens during food storage and assures adequate heating to destroy pathogens prior to consumption. The use of thermometers is a recognized best practice among consumer and food worker guidelines; however, compliance with this recommendation is quite low. Eighty-five studies from the past 21 years were reviewed and an analyzed for the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors associated with thermometer use and the motivators and barriers to cooking and refrigerator thermometer use among consumers and food workers. Barriers to thermometer were categorized into two major groups: "the belief that a thermometer is not necessary" and "the difficulty of selecting and using a thermometer." Each group has its unique aspects. Four barriers were recognized in the "not necessary" group: (i) preference for alternative techniques, (ii) mainstream media and food professionals seldom serve as role models and often negate the need for food thermometers, (iii) limited awareness of potential health issues associated with current practices, and (iv) limited knowledge and awareness related to thermometer usage for specific food groups. Six barriers were recognized in the "difficult to select and use" group: (i) difficulties in selecting the type of food thermometers, (ii) availability of food thermometers, (iii) lack of skills related to the usage of food thermometers, (iv) limited knowledge related to endpoint temperatures, (v) inability to calibrate food thermometers, and (vi) lack of knowledge about food thermometer cleaning and sanitation. These findings will facilitate the development and adoption of effective strategies to increase thermometer use and increase food safety education efficacy with a positive impact on public health.

Recipes for Determining Doneness in Poultry Do Not Provide Appropriate Information Based on US Government Guidelines

Research has shown that consumers use unsafe food handling practices when preparing poultry, which can increase the risk of foodborne illness such as salmonellosis or campylobacteriosis. Recipes from cookbooks, magazines, and the internet commonly are used as sources for consumers to prepare food in homes and the expectation is that food will be safe when prepared. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), using a thermometer properly is the only way to accurately check for doneness of poultry. The objective of this study was to assess poultry recipes, including recipes for whole birds and poultry parts, to determine if food safety information concerning thermometer use was included within the recipe. Poultry recipes (n = 474) were collected from 217 cookbooks, 28 magazines, 59 websites, and seven blogs. Approximately 33.5% of the recipes contained a specific temperature for doneness, with 73% of those cooked to ≥165 °F/74 °C, as recommended by USDA. Ninety-four percent of recipes used cooking time and about half of the recipes used visual measurements, such as color or juices running clear, to determine doneness. This study showed that most recipes do not contain appropriate information to assure safe cooking of poultry by consumers. Modifying recipes by adding food safety information, such as thermometer use and proper temperatures, could increase the use of proper food preparation behaviors by consumers.