Checking on changes: consumer research. (Update).

How have consumers--and their food safety knowledge and behavior--changed over the past several years?

Looking to answer that question, researchers working for USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) made a compilation of consumer research conducted by a wide variety of sources from 1993 through 2000. Research methodologies included surveys, focus groups, and observational studies looking at how people actually handle food in the kitchen. The result was a thought-provoking conclusion: Consumers are more food safety savvy than ever before, but they may still be making some significant mistakes when it comes to handling food.

Consumers are now much more knowledgeable about the risks associated with microbes and foods like meat and poultry--and they understand that steps like thorough cooking can destroy harmful pathogens:

* Awareness of specific pathogens is increasing. Ninety-three percent of consumers are aware of Salmonella and 85 percent are aware of E. coli.

* People are confident in the safety of meat and poultry and attribute their confidence to increased awareness of safe-handling practices, improved labeling (the "Safe Handling Instructions"), and prepackaging of meat and poultry.

* Most consumers (85 percent) follow the safe-handling practice of regularly checking expiration dates and seals on product packaging when deciding whether to purchase or use a product.

Observational studies, however, show that despite good intentions, people are making some key mistakes. Room for improvement is apparent in the following areas:

* Many consumers may not be following some key safe-handling practices: properly defrosting meat and poultry; safely reheating leftovers; and following the "when in doubt, throw it out" rule.

* Many consumers are more thoroughly cooking hamburgers because of safety concerns, but only 3 percent check their burgers with a food thermometer.

* Overall use of food thermometers is low. Only 22 percent of consumers report using thermometers to check roasts or other large cuts of meat. In an observational study, only 5 percent of participants used a food thermometer, and most of them "did not know how to interpret the reading." As a result, this study reports that 46 percent of the study participants undercooked meatloaf and 82 percent undercooked a chicken entree.

* Most consumers report that they wash their hands and properly clean cutting boards. In an observational study, however, only 45 percent of the participants always washed their hands before cooking, and "nearly all participants cross-contaminated ready-to-eat food with raw meat during meal preparation."

Educators might also address the following topics in educational campaigns:

* People don't recognize "risk" groups: When asked who might face "high risk" from foodborne illness, less than 6 percent of consumers correctly identified infants, young children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems.

* Main-meal cooks in households with young children are less likely to properly clean cutting boards, properly defrost meat and poultry, safely reheat leftovers, and own a food thermometer. This observation contradicts findings from focus groups in which parents report themselves as more cautious about food preparation because they have children. It is also significant for food safety educators because CDC data indicate that nearly one-third of all foodborne illnesses occur in children under 10 years of age.

The report notes that checking expiration dates on perishable foods is particularly important in prevention of listeriosis because Listeria monocytogenes can grow at refrigerator temperatures. Listeriosis is rare, but it is among the most serious foodborne illnesses in terms of deaths and hospitalizations.

The summary of consumer research was part of a larger research project conducted by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) for USDA. The report, titled Changes in Consumer Knowledge, Behavior, and Confidence, can be found at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/research/research.htm.