Food Protection Trends - August 2008 - 586

TABLE 1. Demographic characteristics of participants (n = 30) Health Majors (n = 13, 43%) Mean Range n % Age, years Sex Male Female College Status Junior Senior Residence House or condo Apartment Residence hall Fraternity/Sorority Ethnicity White, non-Hispanic Hispanic Asian African American high-risk food behaviors (7). A more recent survey of 4,343 college students confirmed that young adults were consuming risky foods and had less than optimal levels of safe food handling practices (2, 3). These same students indicated confidence in their ability to handle food safely. The purpose of this study was to confirm results found in the few previous studies with college students and to explore areas not researched in previous studies: openness to change and barriers to change. The three primary objectives of this novel qualitative study were to determine: (1) how concerned selected college students were about food safety and how they protected themselves from foodborne illness; (2) their practices for food handling, food preparation, risky food consumption, sanitation, food cooling and food storage; and (3) how open they were to changing unsafe food handling practices. Non-health Majors (n = 17, 57%) Mean Range n % 21 19–23 3 14 11 6 5 4 2 6 15 1 1 0 18% 82% 65% 35% 29% 24% 12% 35% 88% 6% 6% 0% 21 20–23 1 12 3 10 6 5 0 2 9 2 1 1 8% 92% 23% 77% 46% 39% 0% 15% 69% 15% 8% 8% MATERIALS AND METHODS Approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board for Research Involving Human Subjects before commencing the research. Volunteers were recruited from college students in upper level nutrition classes (representing health majors) and upper level journalism classes (representing non-health majors). Flyers were posted in selected academic buildings and in-class announcements were made. Participants were recruited who represented future professionals who would be responsible for delivery of food safety education messages to the public. Upper level health majors were chosen because they had received food safety education in previous college classes and indicated intent to work as future nutrition and health professionals, such as Registered Dietitians. Journalism majors were chosen because they may be responsible for delivering educational messages, to include food safety, to the public in their future professions. In addition, upper level students were chosen because they were most likely to be living independently and preparing food for themselves. No attempt was made to recruit subjects who represented all college students. Participants completed a consent form prior to participating in a structured food safety discussion group, and all provided information on demographics and previous food safety education and training. After participation, volunteers received $15 compensation for their time. Structured food safety discussion groups were held during fall 2004 and spring 2005 at a large Midwestern university. The convenience sample of subjects (n = 30) included junior or senior level students, 86 percent of whom were female; mean age was 21 years; and 66% lived in a house, condominium, or apartment rather than a residence hall (Table 1). Forty-three percent were health majors (Human Nutrition and/or Dietetics students), and 57% were nonhealth majors (Journalism students). Previous food safety training ranged from informal (food server) to formal (food safety certification); 39% of health majors and 35% of non-health majors had some previous training. Because the health majors were upper level students, all had taken at least one academic course in which they had received food safety information. The primary researcher 586 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | AUGUST 2008

Food Protection Trends - August 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Food Protection Trends - August 2008