The Need for Food Safety Education among Undergraduate Students Shannon Cearley 1, Supriya Immaneni 2, Dr. Padmini Shankar 1 1 Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA; 2 Northwestern University, Evanston, IL OPTIONAL LOGO HERE OPTIONAL LOGO HERE Abstract As more professionals attempt to educate students about healthy eating and cooking meals at home, it is equally essential that they incorporate food safety into the program curriculum. Self-reported data suggests that students are knowledgeable about how to prepare foods at home and what foods constitute as healthy, yet many lack awareness of proper safe food handling techniques that prevent food-borne illnesses. The self reported data suggests less than half of the students surveyed were aware of proper cooking times, properly thawing meat and poultry, and proper storage of leftover dishes. Since many first time college students move away from home, it is vital they understand how to safely prepare their food. Introduction Evidence for Education Food-borne illnesses affect millions of people each year in the United States. The symptoms can range from mild to severe, depending on the type of bacteria or virus they become infected with. Symptoms can include upset stomach, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and dehydration. These illnesses can be prevented through educating students about safe food handling procedures. The bacteria and viruses that cause food poisoning can come from unwashed hands, utensils and cutting boards, and can be spread to the foods we consume. Properly washing hands, utensils and surfaces immediately, and washing foods prior to consumption, prevents these pathogens from spreading. Additionally, properly cooking foods and holding cooked food at proper temperatures will further prevent food-borne illnesses. Food safety needs to be addressed among students nationwide if they are to lead healthier lives through cooking. Educating students about how to prevent food-borne illnesses when preparing meals is necessary, because there is an apparent lack of knowledge regarding food safety. In our self-administered survey of administered of freshman college nutrition classes we found: -54% of students knew Salmonella and Campylobacter were the main causes of food poisoning from meat and poultry -33% of students knew which foods were linked to outbreaks of E. coli -38% of students knew that cantaloupe is most likely to harbor organisms that cause food-borne illnesses -42% of students knew that the minimal internal temperature of ground beef to prevent sickness from E. coli -21% of students knew that nearly half of all fruits and vegetables contain pesticide residue -46% of students knew that there was insufficient evidence regarding whether or not produce washes removed more pesticides than washing produce in soap and water -13% of students knew it was safe to refreeze meat and poultry if thawed in the refrigerator -50% of students knew that milk should not be sold after the date stamped on the carton How to Report a Problem if You Become Sick: Meat, Poultry, and Processed Egg Products: USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline, or file a complaint online   Restaurant Food: Contact your local health department Non-Meat Food Products including cereals, fish, produce, fruit juice, pastas, cheeses, etc.: Contact the local FDA office in your area by looking up U.S. Government, Health and Human Services 2. Contact the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at 1-888-723-3366 Keep the original container/package, any foreign object discovered in the product, or any uneaten portion (keep product(s) refrigerated or frozen). You can complain to the store or the product's manufacturer if you don't choose to make a formal complaint to the USDA. If you become ill as a result from contaminated food, seek medical assistance. If you think there may be a problem with the food, don’t eat it. “When in doubt, throw it out!” Conclusion Many governmental websites provide information about food-borne illnesses and how to prevent them through proper food-safety techniques. Research shows us that when people choose to cook their own meals instead of choosing fast food or highly processed food products, they consume less sugar, salt, and saturated fat. However, if a person has no previous knowledge about proper food safety practices, then he or she can become very sick from improperly cooked foods, improperly chilled foods, not washing fruits and vegetables prior to consumption, and lack of hand-washing. Teaching students this information early on promotes better food safety practices that will help prevent illness due to improper food handling techniques.