Annual Consumer Food Safety Education Research Study Update on Project Preliminary Findings from Observation Study Plans for FY18 Focus Groups

Overview of Approach for Observation Study

Cooking Task for First Study Focus on cook message: whether participants use a food thermometer to check doneness of turkey burgers and burgers are cooked to recommended temperature Also assessed pathogen transfer during meal preparation Prior to cooking task, treatment group viewed USDA YouTube video, “The Importance of Cooking to a Safe Internal Temperature and How to Use a Food Thermometer,” and control group viewed video on general study information Provided participants with recipes and ingredients to prepare turkey burgers and Chef salad

Preliminary Findings from Observation Study (I) Participants exposed to FSIS video on thermometer use were more likely than control group participants to use thermometer to check for doneness Among control group, participants were more likely to use sensory methods (cut, look, touch) to check for doneness instead of thermometer Most of observed participants who used a food thermometer cooked their burgers to a temperature of 165 ○F or higher Consistent with previous research; study found difference in self-reported vs. actual behavior

Preliminary Findings from Observation Study (II) Study found surrogate (MS2) in kitchen environment and ready-to- eat salad; cross-contamination was found in all observations Coding underway to determine source of contamination: areas frequently contaminated include spice containers, refrigerator handle, and sink handle When handwashing opportunity was present (e.g., before cooking, after handling raw poultry), participants attempted to wash hands less than half the time Very few handwashing attempts resulted in adequate handwashing; most common error was rinsing hands without using soap

Plans for FY18 Focus Groups: Set 1 Eight focus groups with parents of children (<18 years) Two focus groups in four different locations: - Hartford, CT - San Diego, CA Austin, TX - Chicago, IL Topics: Respondents’ food safety concerns Feedback on Food Safe Families icons Framing food safety messages on thermometer use (e.g., emotional vs. rational appeal; negative vs. positive) In each location, one focus group will be conducted with English-speaking adults and one with Spanish-speaking adults Using a food thermometer can be the difference between life and death for a young child. Be a hero in your family: use a food thermometer! Using a food thermometer can help prevent illness and even death. Don’t skip using a food thermometer!

Plans for FY18 Focus Groups: Set 2 Eight focus groups with English-speaking adults who consume specific raw or undercooked meat and poultry dishes Two focus groups in each location: Portland, OR: adults who prepare undercooked (rare or medium rare) hamburgers at home Newark, NJ: adults who consume undercooked chicken livers or pâté Milwaukee, WI: adults who consume dishes made with raw beef, such as raw meat sandwiches (e.g., cannibal meat sandwiches) or steak tartare Detroit, MI: adults who consume kibbeh made with raw meat or similar dishes The finding from these focus groups will inform dissemination efforts to effectively communicate to consumers the potential risks from consuming these foods

Questions? Christopher.Bernstein@fsis.usda.gov