Food Protection Trends - November/December 2020 - 424

PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLE

Kevin R. Roberts,*1 Kevin Sauer,1
Paola Paez1 and Michelle Alcorn2

Food Protection Trends, Vol 40, No. 6, p. 424-434
Copyright© 2020, International Association for Food Protection
2900 100th Street, Suite 309, Des Moines, IA 50322-3855

Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition
Programs, Kansas State University,
148 Justin Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
2
Dept. of Hospitality and Retail Management,
Texas Tech University, P.O. Box 41240,
Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
1

Use of the Theory of Planned Behavior
to Determine Food Safety Behavioral
Intentions among Child Nutrition Employees
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to use the theory of
planned behavior to compare beliefs about three food
safety practices between two groups of school nutrition
employees: those who absolutely intended to practice
each behavior versus those who did not. A questionnaire
was used for data collection, and 3,850 surveys were
mailed to 163 participating school districts. Data from
408 usable surveys were analyzed, for a response rate of
10.6%. For each of the three behaviors, participants with
less than absolute intentions were less likely to think that
following proper practices in each of the three behaviors
would decrease the chance that students would get sick,
would ensure high food quality, and would keep students
satisfied. For the three behaviors, people important to
employees, such as the school nutrition director and
supervisor, were identified by lower intenders as not being
as supportive of their food safety efforts when compared
with the beliefs among absolute intenders. In all instances,
absolute intenders perceived stronger lack of control
(i.e., a lower score) than did lower intenders. This study

provides a theory-based investigation of how attitudes,
subjective norms, and perceived behavioral controls affect
food safety behaviors in the school nutrition environment.

INTRODUCTION
Through the National School Lunch Program, School
Breakfast Program, and Summer Food Service Program,
7.5 billion meals and snacks are served annually across the
United States (28). Originally, child nutrition programs were
formed to combat child hunger, but today the programs also
provide local agencies and communities with significant
support and resources to deliver healthy meals to children
(29). Considering the vast number of meals and snacks
served through these programs, following recommended food
safety behaviors could minimize the incidence of large-scale
foodborne outbreaks, which would have serious implications
for schools, school nutrition employees, and the children
involved (29).
Foodborne illness continues to be a major public health
concern in the United States. Foodborne pathogens
account for more than 9.4 million cases of illness, 55,000

*Author for correspondence: Phone: +1 785.532.5507; Fax: +1 785.532.5522; Email: kevrob@ksu.edu

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Food Protection Trends November/December

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