Food Protection Trends - July/August 2021 - 390

Home bakers prepare nonperishable and perishable baked
goods in their residences to be consumed elsewhere (15).
The Iowa regulations allow for home baker residences to be
licensed and inspected by state health inspectors. Producers
are often confused that these vendors are allowed to sell
only baked goods. The State of Iowa defines baked goods
as " breads, cakes, doughnuts, pastries, buns, rolls, cookies,
biscuits, and pies (except meat pies) " (16).
In contrast, exempt home food operators in Iowa are
mostly unregulated. These vendors can make and sell
various shelf-stable food products from only their homes
and farmers' markets (14). These products include fresh
fruits and vegetables, fruit preserves, honey, fresh shell eggs,
nonperishable baked goods, dry mixes, and candy (14). A
primary concern and knowledge issue for vendors is that
many consumers are unaware of whether their final products
are considered perishable (3, 18).
The risks of possible foodborne illness at farmers' markets
are a concern because products sold have been linked
to various outbreaks and recalls. Fresh produce sold at
these markets, such as shelled peas, cantaloupes, and fresh
strawberries, have been a source of foodborne illness (19,
31). Outbreaks also have been linked to ingredients for baked
goods and perishable prepared foods (4, 6-8). The 2019
outbreak of E. coli O26 infection was linked flour distributed
in Iowa and placed many home bakers at risk for a possible
outbreak (5).
Home kitchen spaces used to prepare these products have
been linked to foodborne illness due to improper handling,
hand washing, and cleaning and sanitizing of food contact
surfaces and kitchen equipment (2). Because of these
foodborne illness risks and the farmers' market environment,
farmers' market vendors should have specific training in
food safety behaviors and practices (22). In Iowa, education
concerning Iowa regulations is needed for home-based
food operators. Various training programs and resources
are available to those interested in home-based production
and home-based preserving in the surrounding states
(28-31); however, these regulations tend to contradict Iowa's
regulations. A lack of consumer knowledge of food safety and
lack of food-handler knowledge impact practices at farmers'
markets (22, 32, 33). Researchers have recommended manager
and vendor training programs focused on food safety behavior
at farmers' markets (11, 27, 32). Market managers often do
not have set food safety standards regarding hand washing
or sanitation of vendor spaces (12). Although knowledge
is essential for food safety, it cannot solely influence food
handlers' attitudes and behaviors (9, 24).
The Theory of Planned Behavior can be used to determine
a person's intention to behave a certain way by looking at the
person's attitude toward the behavior, personal control over
the behavior, and social pressure to conform by performing
a behavior (1). As stated earlier, knowledge does not always
lead to a change in attitude and behavior, so a posttraining
evaluation can be used to measure intention, attitude,
390 Food Protection Trends July/August
and behavior. The theory includes constructs that allow
researchers to determine the effect the training program
had on the participants. Studies indicate that predicting
food handlers' intentions and understanding of perceived
behavioral control affect participants' behavior more than
other factors (23, 26, 28). Use of the theory can help
researchers understand changes in participants' attitudes
and the effects of training programs on participants'
attitudes and behaviors.
When food handlers' attitudes do not change, proper
food-handling practices will not be used. The overall goal
of this project was to provide participants with a specific
training program focused on state food regulations and to use
the seven constructs from the Theory of Planned Behavior
to assess the changes in participants' attitudes and behaviors
regarding food safety practices.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Program design and development
Prior to the development of a food safety training
program, researchers administered a knowledge assessment
(see Appendix for full survey) to participants who were
interested in becoming or currently were home bakers and
exempt home food operators (10). Researchers set the
threshold for needing a training program at a mean of 75%
correct responses, the standard also required to pass the
National Restaurant Association's ServeSafe test. The needs
assessment (Table 1) indicated that the average food safety
knowledge score for all participants was below the threshold
of 75%. The assessment also identified key areas in food
safety and Iowa law that should be covered in the food safety
training program. The areas covered include food safety
basics, Iowa laws and policies, and application of both food
safety and Iowa law to the producer's own operations.
A lecture course was developed, which included a
PowerPoint (Microsoft, Redmond, WA) presentation,
interactive activities, discussions, and question-and-answer
activities throughout the lecture. Chapters developed
and covered in the lecture are shown in Table 2. Chapters
were developed using resources from the National
Restaurant Association ServSafe program, Iowa State
University Extension and Outreach, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, and the
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. At
completion of the training program, participants received
a certificate of completion but were not certified in any
recognized program.
Bloom's taxonomy was used to develop the learning
objectives and activities for the training program (17).
Researchers focused on the first three levels: remembering,
understanding, and applying concepts taught during the
program. The fourth level, analyzing, was also part of some
group discussions but was not frequently incorporated into
the written learning objectives. The researchers focused on
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