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

Food handlers' lack of knowledge, and misunderstanding of safe food temperatures: An analysis using the theory of social representations

Comprehension is the ability to understand and be familiar with situations and facts. A critical factor causing foodborne diseases is the inadequate temperature during food storage and handling; food handlers often fail to understand this. Therefore, in this study, we investigated how technical language and everyday knowledge operate in the comprehension of safe food temperatures among food handlers in food services. To achieve this, data collection was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, a survey was conducted to 206 food handlers from 14 food service working in the city of São Paulo. Through this survey, we gathered information to characterize the socio-demographic profile of the sample, details about participation in training, and knowledge of technical terms related to safe food temperatures. In the second stage, individuais interviews were conducted on the same day following the questionnaire administration in each food service. A total of 29 interviews were carried out An interview script was developed containing two storylines based on the Fourth Key: "Keep food at safe temperatures," which is part of the WHO's "Five Keys to Safer Food" manual. Further, the collective subject discourse technique, which is based on the theory of social representations, was employed to analyze each interview and construct a representative collective discourse. Analysis of the results indicated that lack of knowledge about safe food temperatures is mainly a result of the misunderstanding of technical terms. The collective discourses obtained results reinforced that food handlers had diverse and erroneous information about food defrosting, and they exhibited low confidence and clarity about safe food temperatures. Overall, psychological, social, and cultural factors affect the formation of social representations that guide food handlers' decision-making.

Assessing Existing Food Safety Resources with United Kingdom-Based Chemotherapy Patients and Family Caregivers for Future Learning Purposes

ABSTRACT

Because the incidence of foodborne infection is more prevalent among cancer patients and the domestic kitchen is a contributor to foodborne infection, appropriate domestic food safety practices are needed to safeguard this at-risk population. Although patients are aware of the increased risk of infection, previous self-reported data indicate potential food safety malpractices among patients and family caregivers, thus suggesting the need for targeted food safety information. However, existing United Kingdom resources provide inconsistent and insufficient food safety information. Involvement of intended end users in the cocreation of interventions increases potential effectiveness. Qualitative data were collated from in-depth interviews and a focus group with United Kingdom chemotherapy patients and family caregivers (n = 35) to determine perceptions and preferences for food safety information by evaluating existing food safety resources from international providers (n = 12). Although participants liked digital interventions (e.g., Web sites and videos), traditional paper-based leaflets were perceived as the most beneficial because they could be referred to on repeated occasions. Despite the drawbacks associated with some resources, combining approaches in a multiresource intervention was favored by patients and family caregivers. Ensuring patients are not overwhelmed with excessive information was important. Short, logical, engaging, educational, and entertaining information to evoke an interest in the topic was preferred. Utilization of graphics to supplement descriptive information may enhance comprehensibility. Interventions need to be appropriate for patients and caregivers, and delivery by trusted health care professionals may enhance the credibility of the message. Preferred approaches to facilitate targeted food safety communication were identified, and these findings can be utilized to cocreate targeted food safety interventions for chemotherapy patients and family caregivers.

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An Evaluation of a Virtual Food Safety Program for Low-Income Families: Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior

Low-income families are reported to have a limited knowledge of food safety and resources to follow food safety practices compared with the rest of the population. This paper evaluated a virtual food safety educational program targeting food handlers in low-income families. Trained native speakers of English and Spanish delivered course materials in both languages. A total of 60 individuals participated in the program, with 30 participants in each language group. Most were female, and most had fewer than three children. After the program, participants’ food safety knowledge and self-reported safe food practice behavior scores increased significantly from 5.32 to 7.43 (out of 8.00) and from 24.78 to 29.30 (out of 35.00), respectively. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used to understand individuals’ behavior change intention of food safety practices. All the TPB constructs’ scores, including attitudes toward the behavior, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and behavior change intentions, were improved significantly; however, only the subjective norms and perceived behavioral control were significantly correlated with the behavior change intentions. This virtual educational program improved low-income individuals’ food safety knowledge and changed their food safety attitudes and behaviors, giving a path to develop and evaluate more virtual food safety educational programs in the future.

Food Traceability Systems, Consumers' Risk Perception, and Purchase Intention: Evidence from the "4-label-1-Q" Approach in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

Many food safety issues have arisen in Taiwan during the past decade. Therefore, in 2016, the Taiwan government proposed the "five rings of food safety" policy to comprehensively protect consumer food supply. Among these policies, the "4-labels-1-Q" approach was adopted to ensure the selection of foods with traceable labels for retrospective study. Hence, this study investigated the association between the degree of familiarity with the 4-labels-1-Q food traceability system and risk perceptions and also investigated whether a consumer's purchase intention toward fresh foods with food labels changed after viewing an educational film on food labels. This study defined subjects as the main food purchasers for their families; 290 valid questionnaire interviews were administered and educational films shown in Tainan markets and stores. Results showed that knowledge about labels significantly affected risk perception for labeling. Age, educational level, and degree of risk perception influenced purchase intention. Results also showed that after viewing the video, subjects' label knowledge and purchase intention increased significantly. However, after adjustment for age, educational level, income, and purchase places, the effect of film education on risk perception was insignificant, especially for those who had lower educational levels, including those older than 65 years. Public trust can be boosted through label education among age groups using different channels and methods, and encouraging the sale of labeled foods in traditional markets would be a useful strategy. Age, educational level, income, and risk perception of participants significantly affected purchase intention. This study can be a reference for designing risk communication strategies and promoting traceable agricultural products.

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Consumer risk perception and trusted sources of food safety information during the COVID-19 pandemic

Risk perceptions and trusted sources of information may have influenced consumer food handling practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a mixed-method qualitative-quantitative approach to assess consumer risk perception and trusted sources of food safety information during the pandemic. From April to August of 2020, five waves of online surveys (N = 3,584, with a minimum of 700 per month) were distributed to a U.S. consumer panel, which included only primary food preparers and grocery shoppers. The online focus groups recruited participants (N = 43) from the first wave of survey respondents and were conducted via Webex from May to July 2020. Topics covered in both studies focused on food safety risk perceptions and trusted sources of information during the pandemic. Trusted sources of information included government agencies, healthcare professionals, scientists, and social media. Throughout the longitudinal study, survey respondents and focus group participants perceived a higher risk of getting COVID-19 from people than from food. Survey respondents believed that handwashing could protect them more from COVID-19 than from foodborne illnesses. Many focus group participants practiced handwashing to prevent them from contracting COVID-19 from food items. Both survey respondents and focus group participants trusted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and healthcare professionals for COVID-19 and food safety information. Focus group participants trusted these entities because they provide information that is "scientifically proven." Survey data for all five months reported social media to be the least-trusted source of both COVID-19 and food safety information. Focus group participants agreed that social media has "misinformation." The findings suggest that increased risk perception may have caused consumers to adopt good hand hygiene. However, consumers may not be connecting such practices to food safety. Food safety educators can use this time of heightened risk perception to connect COVID-19 and food safety practices. Trusted entities of information also need to be aware of their impact on consumer behavior and provide consumers with proper food safety information.

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.

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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.

Critical Food Safety Issues Facing the Food Industry: A Delphi Analysis

ABSTRACT

The topic of food safety continues to receive increased attention and has ramifications on various human, environmental, policy, and economic levels worldwide. By garnering feedback from 30 food industry experts, this study was undertaken to identify the most critical issues facing the food industry in relation to food safety. According to expert opinion and after three rounds of Delphi inquiry, food contamination detection, outbreaks, and prevention along with governmental oversight, education for and communication with consumers and employees, and globalization were identified as the main areas at the forefront of food safety. Delphi and constant comparative research methods are explained, and suggestions on how to make meaning from the results to progress in this area are discussed.

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Consumer Knowledge and Behaviors Regarding Food Safety Risks Associated with Wheat Flour

ABSTRACT

Consumers do not consider flour, a low-moisture food product, a high risk for microbial contamination. In the past 10 years, however, flour has been identified as a source of pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella and Escherichia coli. Online surveys were conducted to study consumers' flour handling practices and knowledge about food safety risks related to flour. The survey also evaluated message impact on three food safety messages in communicating information and convincing consumers to adopt safe flour handling practices. Flour-using consumers (n = 1,045) from the United States reported they used flour to make cakes, cookies, and bread. Most consumers stored flour in sealed containers. Less than 1% kept a record of product identification numbers, such as lot numbers, and less than 11% kept brand and use-by date information. Many consumers (85%) were unaware of flour recalls, or outbreaks, and few (17%) believed they would be affected by flour recalls or outbreaks. If the recall affected the flour they bought, nearly half of the consumers (47%) would buy the same product from a different brand for a few months before they returned to the recalled brand. Among consumers who use flour to bake, 66% said they ate raw cookie dough or batter. Raw dough "eaters" were more difficult to convince to avoid eating and playing with raw flour than "noneaters." Food safety messages were less impactful on those raw dough eaters than noneaters. Compared with the food safety message with only recommendations, those messages with recommendations and an explanation as to the benefits of the practice were more effective in convincing consumers to change their practices. These findings provide insight into effective consumer education about safe flour handling practices and could assist in the accurate development of risk assessment models related to flour handling.

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Moving Forward to the Future: A Review of Microbial Food Safety Education in China

Millions of foodborne illness cases occur in China annually, causing significant social and economic burdens. Improper food handling has been observed not only among commercial food handlers but also among residential food handlers. It is critical to conduct a comprehensive scoping review of previous efforts to identify food safety knowledge gaps, explore the factors impacting knowledge levels, and synthesize the effectiveness of all types of food safety educational interventions for commercial and residential food handlers in China. This review aims to analyze food safety education studies published over the past 20 years and provide foundations for developing more effective food safety educational interventions in China. A total of 35 studies were included in this review. Most studies reported that Chinese commercial and residential food handlers had insufficient food safety knowledge, especially in the areas of foodborne pathogens and safe food-handling practices. The factors impacting food handlers' knowledge levels included education level, gender, income level, residency (rural vs. urban), the use of WeMedia, college students' major, and food safety training experiences. Food handlers in the following demographic groups tend to have lower levels of food safety knowledge: lower education levels, the elderly, males, lower-income levels, rural residents, those who do not use WeMedia, those without food safety training experience, or college students in nonbiology-focused majors. Many food handlers did not always follow recommended food safety practices, such as proper meat handling practices, handwashing practices, and cleaning and sanitation practices. Thirteen studies evaluated the effectiveness of educational interventions, and knowledge increases were reported after all interventions. The findings of this review provide guidance to researchers, educators, and government agencies in their future efforts to develop education programs emphasizing the importance of microbial food-safety content and behavior change regarding food safety and hygiene practices.

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.

Effect of Observational Evaluation of Food Safety Curricula on High School Students' Behavior Change

ABSTRACT

High school students have limited food safety knowledge and lack safe food handling skills. However, youth of high school age are frequently employed in food service and will prepare food for themselves. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a food safety educational intervention for changing students' food handling behaviors, and the theory of planned behavior was used to construct factors that contribute to behavior change. A combination of stationary and wearable (GoPro) cameras was used to observe the food handling practices of high school students in key areas, including food thermometer use, hand washing and hand drying, glove changing, and environmental cleaning. The percentage of correct food handling techniques was measured categorically, and the number of groups who complied with thermometer use and environmental cleaning guidelines was recorded. The percentage of students using correct hand washing, hand drying, and glove changing techniques significantly increased in the postobservation cooking session. However, the percentage of correct hand washing and glove changing events remained <50% for certain subcategories: hand washing time (38%), hand washing after handling raw produce (36%) and touching skin (20%), changing gloves after gloves became contaminated or torn (47%), and washing hands between glove changes (15%). Students modified their behaviors to comply with subjective norms related to the study, including instructor expectations, but some students did not plan to change the behaviors they practiced at home. Students cited food handling behaviors they observed their parents using when making decisions about how to prepare food. This study highlights the need for the development of food safety educational interventions that encourage safe food handling skills and address influences from key subjective norm groups.

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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.

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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.

An Observational Study of Thermometer Use by Consumers When Preparing Ground Turkey Patties

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of an intervention for consumer thermometer use by using a randomized experimental design and direct observation of meal preparation. The study was conducted in test kitchen facilities in two locations in North Carolina (one urban and one rural). Cameras recorded participants' actions at various locations throughout the kitchen and recorded the meal preparation from beginning to end. Before preparing the meal, a randomized treatment group watched a 3-min U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food safety video "The Importance of Cooking to a Safe Internal Temperature and How to Use a Food Thermometer." Participants in the control and treatment groups were observed while cooking turkey burgers and preparing a salad to determine whether a thermometer was used to check the doneness of the turkey patties. Following meal preparation, all participants responded to a postobservation interview about food handling behaviors. Treatment group participants were also asked about the intervention. A total of 383 people participated in the study (201 in the control group and 182 in the treatment group). Participants who viewed the video were twice as likely to use a thermometer to check the doneness of the turkey patties compared with the participants who were not exposed to the video (75 versus 34%) and twice as likely to place the thermometer in the correct location (52 versus 23%). Sixty-seven percent of participants who watched the video reported that it influenced their behavior in the kitchen. This study demonstrates the importance of timing and framing of a behavioral intervention for thermometer use and highlights considerations for the development of additional messages (e.g., proper insertion).

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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.

Cooking chicken at home: Common or recommended approaches to judge doneness may not assure sufficient inactivation of pathogens

About one third of foodborne illness outbreaks in Europe are acquired in the home and eating undercooked poultry is among consumption practices associated with illness. The aim of this study was to investigate whether actual and recommended practices for monitoring chicken doneness are safe. Seventy-five European households from five European countries were interviewed and videoed while cooking chicken in their private kitchens, including young single men, families with infants/in pregnancy and elderly over seventy years. A cross-national web-survey collected cooking practices for chicken from 3969 households. In a laboratory kitchen, chicken breast fillets were injected with cocktails of Salmonella and Campylobacter and cooked to core temperatures between 55 and 70°C. Microbial survival in the core and surface of the meat were determined. In a parallel experiment, core colour, colour of juice and texture were recorded. Finally, a range of cooking thermometers from the consumer market were evaluated. The field study identified nine practical approaches for deciding if the chicken was properly cooked. Among these, checking the colour of the meat was commonly used and perceived as a way of mitigating risks among the consumers. Meanwhile, chicken was perceived as hedonically vulnerable to long cooking time. The quantitative survey revealed that households prevalently check cooking status from the inside colour (49.6%) and/or inside texture (39.2%) of the meat. Young men rely more often on the outside colour of the meat (34.7%) and less often on the juices (16.5%) than the elderly (>65 years old; 25.8% and 24.6%, respectively). The lab study showed that colour change of chicken meat happened below 60°C, corresponding to less than 3 log reduction of Salmonella and Campylobacter. At a core temperature of 70°C, pathogens survived on the fillet surface not in contact with the frying pan. No correlation between meat texture and microbial inactivation was found. A minority of respondents used a food thermometer, and a challenge with cooking thermometers for home use was long response time. In conclusion, the recommendations from the authorities on monitoring doneness of chicken and current consumer practices do not ensure reduction of pathogens to safe levels. For the domestic cook, determining doneness is both a question of avoiding potential harm and achieving a pleasurable meal. It is discussed how lack of an easy "rule-of-thumb" or tools to check safe cooking at consumer level, as well as national differences in contamination levels, food culture and economy make it difficult to develop international recommendations that are both safe and easily implemented.

Evaluation of the Fight BAC! The Story of Your Dinner Campaign Video: A Multistate Study

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the holiday food safety campaign, "The Story of Your Dinner," launched in 2016 by the Partnership for Food Safety Education. The campaign was designed to change knowledge, risk perception, and perceived behavioral control ideas among U.S. consumers. Results from the study, conducted from 2016 through 2018, were analyzed overall and among specific demographic groups. For respondents from all 3 years, overall knowledge significantly increased from presurvey to postsurvey. Survey findings indicated that after viewing the educational intervention, adult respondents were significantly more confident in their ability to use a food thermometer while cooking small cuts of meat and poultry and developed a significantly higher perception of the risk of suffering from foodborne illness. The educational intervention was more effective for changing risk perception and perceived behavioral control among some demographic groups. Respondent risk perception and perceived behavioral control significantly increased in more categories for adolescents than for adults. Consumers tended to overestimate their safe food handling practices. Prior to the educational intervention, adult respondents rated themselves highly (5.49 ± 1.64 of 7.00) on their confidence in cooking meat and poultry that is safe to eat. However, these respondents were less comfortable complying with the safe food handling practice of using a thermometer on small (4.47 ± 1.98) and large (4.61 ± 2.02) cuts of meat and poultry. More educational interventions are needed to improve compliance with safe food handling in home kitchens. Future studies will be conducted to identify and address barriers to food safety behavioral change among various population groups.

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