IAFP 2009 Program Book and Abstract Book - AB101

Significance: This hands-on course with applied home food safety content is an opportunity to teach food science and safety principles as well as knowledge of the food supply not obtained in other courses for most majors. Two-thirds of the students indicated a “very high” likelihood that their food handling and safety practices would change as a result of knowledge learned in this course. P1-105 Development and Validation of an Instrument to Assess Food Safety Knowledge and Behavior among Low Income Pregnant Women Kristen Frey, Robert L. Scharff, Susan Baker, Jeffery LeJeune, John N. Sofos, Lydia C. Medeiros and PATRICIA KENDALL Colorado State University, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Fort Collins, CO, USA Introduction: Pregnant women are at increased risk for certain types of foodborne illness, including listeriosis, which may result in possible loss of the fetus. In the US, a 12 times higher incidence of listeriosis has been reported in Latino pregnant women and their infants vs. their non-Latino conterparts. Purpose: As part of a multi-state project to document whether food safety education for low-income pregnant women promotes food safety behavior changes and decreased exposure to foodborne pathogens, we developed and validated a self-report instrument designed to assess food safety knowledge, risky food preferences and safe food handling practices addressed in an 8-lesson educational program, Healthy Baby, Healthy Me (HBHM). Methods: Two sets of educational curricula were developed. The control group HBHM curriculum consisted of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program’s 8-lesson curriculum, Eating Smart, Being Active, adapted for pregnant women. The intervention HBHM curriculum had 2.5 additional h of food safety instruction (as 30-minute additions to lessons 3 to 7). All educational materials were made available in English and Spanish. A 48-item pre/post survey was developed based on food safety concepts taught in the curriculum. Questions previously tested for validity and reliability with low-income English-speaking women were used where possible. The survey was evaluated against the curriculum for content validity, then tested for reliability with 29 low income English- and Spanish-speaking women using the test/retest method with no intervention in between. Items with low reliability were eliminated or changed. The curricula and food safety evaluation instruments were then pilot tested in Colorado and Ohio with 18 low income pregnant women. Internal consistency of the questionnaire and of items addressing major constructs was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha. Results: After careful consideration of test-retest reliability, internal consistency and content analysis results, the final questionnaire consisted of 32 questions, 12 knowledge (alpha = 0.63) and 20 behavior (alpha = 0.79), with an overall Cronbach’s alpha reliability of 0.83. The internal consistency of major constructs ranged from 0.22 to 0.83. Significance: Assuring the validity and reliability of questionnaires is a critical step in the development of any educational project that hopes to produce meaningful results. P1-106 Assessing the Potential for Cross-contamination in Home Kitchens when Preparing a Meatloaf SANDRIA GODWIN, Fur-chi Chen and Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge Tennessee State University, Family and Consumer Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA Introduction: Studies of consumer behavior consistently demonstrate undesirable practices during meal preparation, which may lead to the spread of bacteria in the kitchen. Purpose: This project was designed to assess the extent to which practices used during the preparation of a meatloaf might contribute to microbial cross-contamination. Methods: Ingredients for the meat loaf were provided to 100 consumers for preparation in their home. Before delivery, the ground beef was mixed with a UV fluorescent compound (FC) that would allow for tracking potential crosscontamination. Upon arrival in the home, participants were asked to put the ingredients away as they would upon returning from the supermarket. They completed a 20-min interview before going to the kitchen and preparing meatloaf as they usually would. Using a checklist, subjects were observed during preparation. After preparation, UV assessments showed the FC in highest amounts in the sink, faucet handles, the countertop, and knife handles. Results: High levels of FC were noted around fingernails and on backs and palms of hands. Of the 87 persons who washed their hands before handling the meat, only 66 washed for 20 s or more. Only 70 used soap. Four persons dried their hands on their clothes. Two-thirds mixed the meat loaf with their hands; 11 did not wash their hands first. Few persons washed their hands during preparation. Significance: Many consumers are not practicing the basic steps to prevent cross-contamination. Thus, the potential for spread of bacteria in the kitchen is high. By identifying which food safety practices consumers are failing to conduct adequately, and to what extent bacteria are potentially spread during preparation, targeted educational messages can be developed. P1-107 Consumers and Food Recalls: What Does the Public Want to Hear? WILLIAM K. HALLMAN, Cara L. Cuite, Mary L. Nucci and Neal H. Hooker Rutgers University, Food Policy Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, USA Introduction: Motivating people to appropriately respond to a food recall can be extremely difficult. Some consumers are unaware of particular recalls because the right information never reaches them. Others hear about the recall but choose to disregard it, wrongly assuming that the information does not apply to them. Some consumers who are aware of the recall choose to disregard it, and eat the recalled product anyway. At the other extreme, some consumers may avoid the recalled product for months (or years) after the recall has ended. They may also generalize the recall warning to other similar products, or products produced by the same manufacturer, and may change their purchasing and food preparation practices in ways that are not necessarily warranted by the recall. Abstract Book — 101 Poster

IAFP 2009 Program Book and Abstract Book

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