Food Protection Trends - May/June 2021 - 284

PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLE

Madhu Dutta,1 Julie Yamamoto,1 Dennis D'Amico,2
Timothy Stubbs,3 Benjamin Chapman4 and
Clinton D. Stevenson1*

Food Protection Trends, Vol 41, No. 3, p. 284-292
Copyright© 2021, International Association for Food Protection
2900 100th Street, Suite 309, Des Moines, IA 50322-3855

Dept. of Food and Bioprocessing Sciences, North Carolina State University,
116 Schaub Hall, Campus Box 7624, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Dept. of Animal Science, University of Connecticut, ABL Room 315,
1390 Storrs Road, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
3
National Dairy Council, 10255 West Higgins Road, Suite 900, Rosemont,
IL 60018, USA
4*
Dept. of Agricultural and Human Sciences, North Carolina State University,
512 Brickhaven Drive 220E, Campus Box 7606, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
1*

2

Development and Evaluation of an Online Food Safety
Course for Artisan Cheesemakers in the United States
ABSTRACT
With over 90 U.S. outbreaks dating back to 1998
that were linked to cheese products, cheese processors
in the United States are an important node for food
safety. Awareness of food safety best practices and
complying with regulations has been identified as a need
by many cheese safety experts. In response, an online
" Food Safety Basics for Artisan Cheesemakers " course
was developed for a national audience by following the
principles of instructional design. Over 800 participants
registered for the course within the first year, 30% of
whom (248) completed the course. Participants' reactions
to the course and self-reported knowledge gain was
measured as were attitudes, self-efficacies, intentions,
and self-reported changes in their food safety practices.
Of the 128 participants who completed an evaluation
of the course, 97% (124) reported that they were
satisfied with course relevance and overall quality. Sixteen
participants completed a follow-up questionnaire 1 month
after completing the course in which they were asked
to what extent they changed their food safety practices.

On average, 42% reported that they either have already
changed or intend to update their food safety practices in
the future based on what they learned in the course.

INTRODUCTION
Dairy products accounted for more foodborne illness
hospitalizations over an 11-year period (1998 to 2008) than 16
other commodity foods (27). Ninety cheese-related outbreaks
were reported in the United States from 1998 to 2011, with
1,882 illnesses, 230 hospitalizations, and six deaths (15).
Food safety education for artisan cheesemakers will
theoretically raise awareness and result in implementation
of best practices (6, 22, 23, 36). Whereas some study results
have suggested that education results in improvements
in food safety practices (1, 22, 23, 30), other results
have suggested that training does not influence food
safety behaviors (5, 31). However, food safety risks can
be reduced by implementing an effective food safety
management system that consists of good manufacturing
practices (GMPs), risk-based preventive controls, and

*Author for correspondence: Phone: +1 919.513.2065; Email: clint_stevenson@ncsu.edu

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