Progress 09/01/04 to 08/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: For Phase I of this project, a nationally representative web-enhanced survey was conducted of 2060 consumers across the United States, with special emphasis on pregnant women and seniors. The survey collected information on storage times and conditions for selected ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. Subsequently, as part of Phase II, in person interviews were conducted with 214 shoppers in four states. In depth questions were asked about selected RTE foods, including kinds and amounts purchased of selected foods, transportation, usage and storage practices, and knowledge of packaging and label information. During the second part of Phase II of this project, extensive diaries were kept by a subset of those consumers who completed the in person interviews. Participants were asked to purchase three ready-to-eat (RTE) products from a list of choices, and to keep a detailed record of the transportation, storage and usage of those products. In order to assess the potential for
cross-contamination of RTE foods during storage, microbial samples were collected from refrigerators in 98 homes located in Middle Tennessee. Meat, vegetable, and bottom compartments of each refrigerator were swabbed. Butterfields Phosphate Buffer (1:10) was added to the samples which were homogenized, and then serially diluted for subsequent plating on 3M Petri film Enterobactericea and plate count agar. The 3M Petri film Enterobactericea and total plate count plates were incubated at 36 degrees C for 24 hr and 36 degrees C for 48 hr, respectively. Api20E was used for identification of Enterobactericea. During Phase III of this project we developed and evaluated risk communication messages for RTE foods targeted to consumer storage practices. Conjoint analysis was used to determine which combinations of message elements (both written and graphic) were most likely to result in consumers using the information. Consumers (n=240) evaluated concepts that included attributes from each of
five different categories: title, message, graphic, jingle, and icon. Those categories were determined to be important to consumers when determining when to throw away RTE foods. Consumers viewed 24 different printed concepts and evaluated the question, "How useful is this chart as a reminder to throw away ready-to-eat foods that have been stored too long in your refrigerator?" for each message.
PARTICIPANTS: Sandria Godwin, Tennessee State University, Principal Investigator and lead for in person interviews and food diaries. Sheryl Cates, RTI International, co-project director and lead for web-enhanced survey. Delores Chambers, Kansas State University, co-project director and lead for conjoint analysis. Fur-Chi Chen, Tennessee State University, collaborator and lead for microbial contamination studies. Edgar Chambers IV, Kansas State University, collaborator and co-director for conjoint analysis studies. Kathy Kosa, RTI International, collaborator and co-director, web-enhanced survey. Alisa Doan, Kansas State University, graduate assistant, conjoint analysis. Cindy Thompson, Lou Pearson, Karen Kinslow, Tennessee State University, Sean Siple, Truth and Reconciliation Project, and Sherry McGraw, Kansas State University, interviewers. University of Alaska at Fairbanks Extension staff, partner for in person interviews.
TARGET AUDIENCES: A nationally representative sample was used for the web-enhanced survey. For the in-person interviews several Alaska natives were targeted. Limited resource households were included in the Tennessee in person interviews and microbial sampling.
Impacts
Older adults, white, non Hispanic respondents, respondents not living alone, and respondents with lower incomes were more likely to have a thermometer in their refrigerator. One-third or more of the respondents stored pre-cut fresh vegetables, vacuumed packaged luncheon meats cooked crustaceans and deli salads for longer than the recommended time, and one-half stored deli meats and soft cheeses too long. Participants in the web-enhanced survey received a refrigerator thermometer, and were mailed food storage guidelines after the survey. Data were posted on the JIFSAN web-site for risk analysis assessments. The Food and Drug Administration used our data in their smoked seafood risk assessment. The in person interviews showed that most consumers do not understand date labeling on packages of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. They were storing RTE foods for too long, did not maintain their refrigerators at proper temperatures, and were not adequately marking leftovers. Pregnant
women were more likely to follow storage instructions on RTE foods. The food diaries confirmed the previous studies. RTE foods were frequently transported next to uncooked foods, some were stored too long before consumption, and leftovers were stored in containers that had not been labeled. Conditions for potential cross contamination by bacteria were found in a large percentage of home refrigerators. Klebsiella pneumoniae spp pneumoniae (25.5%), Klebsiella oxytoca (8.2%), Yersia enterocolitica (1%) and Enterobacter Sakazaki (2%) were some of the pathogenic bacteria isolated from the refrigerators. Although no Listeria monocytogenes was found, the high populations for Enterobactericea and aerobic bacteria in refrigerators suggested poor sanitation. Conjoint analysis results for educational messages related to storage of RTE foods showed that the graphic is a critical element (the only significant main effect) in the printed concept. A title and message are needed elements, but
additional research is necessary to determine if they could be combined into one short phrase that might represent both. The jingle, a short statement rather like a tag-line in a commercial, also may be important, but the icon was not important to consumers at all. Further research is needed to see if the concepts that appeared to be most important to consumers during the conjoint analysis, when distributed to consumers, will impact the actual storage times for RTE foods. The results indicate that contaminated kitchen refrigerators can be potential reservoirs for pathogenic bacteria. Thus, RTE foods should be properly stored to reduce consumers risk of foodborne illnesses. Safe food handling of RTE foods is an important element in the reduction of foodborne illness. Although the USDA and FDA have recommended storage times and temperatures for RTE foods, it was evident from our studies that many consumers are either unaware of the guidelines or are choosing not to follow them.
Publications
- Godwin, S., Chen, F, Chambers, E. IV, Coppings, R. and Chambers, D. 2007. A Comprehensive Evaluation of Temperatures within Home Refrigerators. Food Protection Trends. 27(3):16-21.
- Kosa, K.M., Cates, S.C., Karns, S.A., Godwin, S. and Chambers, D. 2007. Consumer Knowledge and Use of Open Dates: Results of a Web-based Survey. Journal of Food Protection. 70(5):1213-1219.
- Cates, S.C., Griffith, C., Medeiros, L., Chapman, B., Yiannas, F. and Ten Eyck, T.A. 2007. Measuring and Motivating Safe Foodhandling Practices at Home, Retail and Food Service. Available at: http://www.foodprotection.org/meetingsEducation/IAFP%202007/Symposium %20Abstracts.pdf
- Godwin, S.L., Cates, S.C., Chambers, D., Chambers, E. IV, Thompson, C., Pearson, L. and Kosa, K.M. 2007. Consumers Use and Understanding of Dates on Ready-to-Eat Food Products. Available at: http://www.foodprotection.org/meetingsEducation/IAFP%202007/Poster%20 Abstracts.pdf
- Chambers, D.H., Godwin, S.L., Chambers, E. IV and Chen, F. 2007. Knowledge and practice of in-home food safety by consumers. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 51(Suppl. l):397.
- RTI International, Tennessee State University, and Kansas State University. 2005. Consumer Storage Practices for Refrigerated Ready-to-Eat Foods: Results of a Web-Enabled Panel Survey. Research Triangle Park, NC. Available at: http://www.foodrisk.org/RTI_data.cfm.
- Cates, S.C., Kosa, K.M., Karns, S.A., Godwin, S. and Chambers, D. 2007. Consumer Storage Practices for Refrigerated Ready-to-Eat Foods: Results of a Web-Enabled Survey. Food Protection Trends. 27(7):530-543.
- Kosa, K.M., Cates, S.C., Karns, S.A., Godwin, S. and Chambers, D. 2007. Consumer Home Refrigeration Practices: Results of a Web-Based Survey. Journal of Food Protection. 70(8):133-142.
- Cates, S.C. and Kosa, K. 2006. Pregnant Women's and Seniors' Storage Practices for Refrigerated Ready-to-Eat Foods: Results of a Web-Enabled Panel Survey. Available at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/2006_FSE_Conference_Poster_Des criptions/index.asp#p6.
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
In-person interviews were conducted with 214 food shoppers in Alaska, Kansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee. In depth questions were asked about the Ready-to-eat (RTE) foods purchased including amounts purchased, transportation, and usage and storage information and whether respondents looked for dates and storage information on labels. . Information related to possible increased susceptibility to food-borne illness was obtained. Responses were merged into categories for analysis. The majority of the shoppers reported that they always look for the date on the RTE package labels. However, over one-third said they were unable to find the date on some foods. Approximately 23 percent of the respondents said they bought a food, most often meat or dairy products, in the past year after the date on the label. Most thought that the product was still safe to eat one day after the date. From the wide range of responses there is tremendous confusion regarding the meaning of the
phrases "Best if used by", "Sell by", and "Use by". Many consumers thought the phrases meant about the same thing, and frequently gave the same response for more than one phrase. Most frequent responses for "Best if used by" included phrases similar to "the consumer should not use the food past this date", "food tastes better if used before this date", and "this is the ideal date to use however it may be good later depending on the storage conditions". Most shoppers thought the "Sell by" date was for the store to use. Foods should "not be on the shelf after this date". If it is still in the store, it "should not be purchased". However, many thought it was still okay to use it within a few days of the "Sell by" date if it was purchased. The majority said that food should not be eaten after the "Use by" date; similarly some thought the food was "spoiled after this date and should be thrown away". A limited number of respondents (26%) reported having a thermometer in their refrigerator.
Of those who stated that they had one, only 30% had checked it within the last couple of days; 37% over a month ago and some as long as 1-2 years ago. Many of those who had checked it recently (32%) did not know what the temperature was of their refrigerator at the time of the interview. Only 36% of the respondents said they usually look for storage instructions on RTE foods, with 82% of those saying they usually follow the instructions. Pregnant women were more likely to look for storage instructions than were those respondents who were in households where no one was pregnant. Additionally, consumers who lived in households which contained at least one person with a condition that placed them at high risk for food-borne illness also reported looking for the instructions more often than those who did not have an at risk person in the home. Pregnant women reported following the instructions more often than those who were not pregnant nor had a pregnant household member. However, a
lower percentage of those in other high-risk households said they were likely to follow the storage instructions.
Impacts
Data from the web-enhance study conducted last year were posted on the JFSAN food safety risk analysis clearinghouse web site, i.e. www.foodrisk.org, so it is readily accessible to risk assessors and other interested individuals. Results of this study guided the selection of the educational messages needed for the conjoint analysis in phase three. FDA updated their smoked seafood risk assessment using the consumption and storage data provided by this study.
Publications
- Kosa, K.M., Cates, S.C., Karns, S., Godwin, S.L. and Chambers, D.H. 2006. Consumer Food Safety and Home Refrigeration Practices: Results of a Web-Based Survey. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 106(8S):A68.
- Kosa, K.M., Cates, S., Karns, S., Godwin, S. and Chambers, D. 2006. Consumer Knowledge and Use of Dates on Product Packaging: Results of a Web-based Survey. Online abstract. P1-24. International Association of Food Protection. Available at: http://www.foodprotection.org/meetingsEducation/IAFP pct 202006/IAFP pct 2006 pct 20Poster pct 20Abstracts.pdf.
- Cates, S., Kosa, K., Karns, S., Godwin, S. and Chambers, D. 2006. Consumer Storage Practices for Refrigerated Ready-to-Eat Foods: Results of a Web-based Survey of Pregnant Women, Seniors, and the Remaining Population. Online abstract. T5-08. International Association of Food Protection. Available at: http://www.foodprotection.org/meetingsEducation/IAFP pct 202006/IAFP pct 2006 pct 20Technical pct 20Abstracts.pdf.
- Godwin, S.L., Chen, F., Coppings, R., Thompson, C., Pearson, L., Chambers, D. and Chambers, E. IV. 2006. An In-home Investigation of the Conditions under Which Refrigerated Foods are Stored. Online abstract. P5-23. International Association of Food Protection. Available at: http://www.foodprotection.org/meetingsEducation/IAFP pct 202006/IAFP pct 2006 pct 20Poster pct 20Abstracts.pdf.
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
To characterize consumer storage practices for refrigerated RTE foods, a nationally representative Web enabled survey was conducted of pregnant women (n = 249), seniors (n = 946), and the remaining population (n = 865). The survey collected information on refrigerator temperatures and storage time for bagged salads, pre-cut fresh fruit, pre-cut fresh vegetables, frankfurters, and vacuum-packed luncheon meats. Reported temperatures and storage times for unopened and opened packages were compared to USDA/FDA temperature and storage time guidelines. Older adults, white, non Hispanic respondents, respondents not living alone, and respondents with lower incomes were more likely to have a refrigerator thermometer (p < 0.05). Older adults (71%) were more likely than pregnant women (62%) and the remaining population (64%) to have their refrigerators at the recommended temperature (p < 0.05). Most respondents (>95%) stored unopened packages of RTE foods for the recommended
time or less. Most respondents stored opened packages of bagged salads, precut fresh fruit, and frankfurters for the recommended time or less; however, one third or more stored pre-cut fresh vegetables and vacuum packed luncheon meats for longer than the recommended time. The survey also collected information on refrigerator storage time for smoked seafood, cooked crustaceans, soft cheeses, freshly sliced deli meats, and deli salads. For these products, we compared respondents total storage time (unopened and opened) to USDA/FDA storage time guidelines. Most respondents stored smoked seafood for the recommended time or less; however, about one third of respondents stored cooked crustaceans and deli salads for longer than the recommended time and about one half stored freshly sliced deli meats and soft cheeses for longer than the recommended time. For some products, pregnant women were more likely to store product outside the storage time guidelines and seniors were more likely to
store product within the guidelines. Following the completion of the web-enhanced survey, each participant was mailed a copy of the USDA/FDA food storage guidelines. Currently in person interviews are being conducted with consumers in four targeted states to obtain more in depth information on purchasing and storage practices.
Impacts
Only 11 percent of all respondents had a thermometer in their refrigerator prior to the survey. All participants were mailed a thermometer to use for this project, thus over 2500 households now have a thermometer in their refrigerators. Data for smoked seafood was analyzed and sent to the Food and Drug Administration for use in their risk assessment. Using data from this study, risk communication messages for RTE foods targeted to at risk subpopulations or risky consumer handling and storage practices will be developed, disseminated, and evaluated. Targeted risk reduction messages from this project can be used by extension and other education programs, resulting in a lower incidence of foodborne illness related to consumption of improperly stored and/or prepared ready to eat foods.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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