Role/Responsibility of the Educator What Works, What is Falling Through the Cracks

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Role/Responsibility of the EducatorWhat Works,
What is Falling Through the Cracks

• Christine M. Bruhn, Ph.D.
• Director, Center for Consumer Research
• University of California, Davis

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Educational Programs

• FDA
• USDA
• State Cooperative Extension Units
• General population
• Specific groups
• Food Industry
• Food Safety Interest Groups

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Educational Programs

• Reflect expanding scientific knowledge

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Who, Why, When Where of Food Poisons(And What
to do About Them) FDA Consumer, 1982

• Salmonella May be found in raw meats, poultry
  and eggs
• Handle food in a sanitary manner
• Thorough cooking of foods
• Prompt and proper refrigeration of food
• Staphylococcal food poisoning toxin when food
  is kept at room temperature too long
• Sanitary food handling practices
• Prompt and proper refrigeration
• E Coli O157H7 not mentioned

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Landmark Events

• 1993 E coli O157H7 in hamburger
• 1994 E coli declared an adulterant. Monitoring
  program began
• 1994 Safe food handling labels required on raw
  meat, poultry
• People are advised to cook ground beef until it
  is brown and juices run clear
• 1997 FSIS advised consumers to use meat
  thermometer. Dont rely on color

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Educational Programs

• Reflect expanding scientific knowledge
• Are refined by knowledge of how people learn
• Are tested with the target audience

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Landmark Events

• 1997 Partnership for Food Safety Education
  founded
• Not-for-profit organization of government
  agencies, food industry, nutrition/food safety
  professional societies, consumer groups
• Mission Educate consumers using 4 simple
  practices to protect themselves from bacteria
  (BAC) and reduce risk of foodborne illness

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• Check
• Clean
• Cook
• Separate
• Chill
• Throw away

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Partnership

• Uses consumer-tested Information and graphics
• Messages developed through public opinion
  research and expert scientific and technical
  review
• Messages sent through mass media, public service
  announcements, the Internet, point-of-purchase,
  and school and community initiatives.
• Materials used nationwide by public health,
  nutrition, food science, education and special
  constituency groups

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• Information
• Targeted
• To Specific
• Audiences

2001-2004
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• USDA
• Funded
• multistate
• Research
• project

2003
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People Do Not Follow Recommendations

• Forget to wash hands before cooking
• 9 1999 10 2002
• Not wash plate between raw and cooked food
• 18 1999 18 2002
• Change the kitchen cleaning cloth/sponge at least
  weekly
• 29 1999 29 2002
• Use a meat thermometer to check doneness
• 22 1999 25 2002

Cody Hogue, 2003
42 report having a refrigerator thermometer
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Practices Persons With HIV Will Follow
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Barriers to Safe Handling

• Messages not heard by everyone
• Program funding is targeted to specific groups
  and is short term
• People have to take the initiative and seek
  information
• People think they are already knowledgeable
• Time delay between unsafe behavior and getting
  sick

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Barriers to Safe Handling

• People dont follow recommendations
• Optimistic biases doesnt affect them
• Too busy
• Not convenience thermometer
• Not necessary
• Taste preferences

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Food Safety Education Today

• Education focuses on 4 - 6 behaviors
• Guidelines are clear
• Recommendations are specific by age and health
  condition
• Messages are presented nationwide, but consumers
  dont know all the specifics
• People dont follow all the recommendations
• Education alone is not sufficient