Safe Food Handling Research Articles

Job competency of foreign workers’ in shah alam restaurants: how does knowledge, attitude, practices and training effectiveness influence it?

ABSTRACT This study aims to determine the relationship between foreign workers’ food handling knowledge, attitude, and practices toward their job competency. The survey was administered at 14 restaurants in Shah Alam using structured questionnaires. A total of 350 completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed using descriptive analysis and Pearson correlation. The workers’ knowledge, attitude and practices showed a significant relationship (p < .05) with job competency, while training effectiveness did not seem to have an effect. Although training is one way to impart knowledge to trainees, other methods are needed to ensure foreign workers have some basic knowledge of safe handling of food. This paper is among the first to attempt to measure the attributes that influence foreign workers’ food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices and to examine how these attributes affect job competency in the Malaysian context. Focus on 14 Indian-Muslim and Chinese coffee shop theme eateries are limitations that could be overcome in future research through the inclusion of other themed eateries, different districts through a larger sample population as well as incorporating qualitative approach.

Bacteriological Analysis of Raw Beef Retailed in Selected Open Markets in Accra, Ghana

Beef is an important and popular source of protein and nutrients. Constant monitoring and evaluation of the microbiological contamination is pertinent for its safety and quality. This study aimed to assess the bacteriological profiles and the bacterial loads in beef, as well as investigate food safety practices among beef retailers in selected open markets in Accra, Ghana. This was a cross-sectional study with beef samples randomly purchased from six selected open markets in Accra metropolis. Beef samples were examined for total aerobic count (TAC) and total coliform count (TCC). Bacterial identification was performed by standard bacteriological methods and a well-structured questionnaire was administered to assess food safety and hygienic practices of beef retailers. Overall, mean TACs ranged between 2.2 × 103 and 1.3 × 104 CFU/g, while mean TCCs ranged between 1.9 × 102 and 7.4 × 102 CFU/g. Beef samples were mostly contaminated with Staphylococcus spp. (34%), Klebsiella oxytoca (17%), Enterobacter spp. (15%), and Proteus vulgaris (3%). This study showed varying levels of bacterial contamination of retailed beef sold in different Accra markets. According to the Health Protection Agency guidelines for assessing microbiological safety of ready-to-eat foods, our mean TACs were satisfactory, while mean TCCs were within borderline quality. The results of this study revealed that the majority of beef vended in open markets in Accra is contaminated with coliform and pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, more training in safe food handling and good hygiene practices is required for beef retailers. Conclusively, effective monitoring of the bacteriological profiles and bacterial loads of meat and meat products in abattoirs and points of sale should be established, since such a continuous monitoring system could help prevent potential health problems for consumers and provide information on possible sources of meat borne intoxication and infection.

Survival of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) on Foods Stored at Refrigerated Temperature.

Outbreaks of coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) in meat processing plants and media reports of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection on foods have raised concerns of a public health risk from contaminated foods. We used herpes simplex virus 1, a non-Biosafety Level 3 (non-BSL3) enveloped virus, as a surrogate to develop and validate methods before assessing the survival of infectious SARS-CoV-2 on foods. Several food types, including chicken, seafood, and produce, were held at 4 °C and assessed for infectious virus survival (herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and SARS-CoV-2) at 0 h, 1 h, and 24 h post-inoculation (hpi) by plaque assay. At all three time points, recovery of SARS-CoV-2 was similar from chicken, salmon, shrimp, and spinach, ranging from 3.4 to 4.3 log PFU/mL. However, initial (0 h) virus recovery from apples and mushrooms was significantly lower than that from poultry and seafood, and infectious virus decreased over time, with recovery from mushrooms becoming undetectable by 24 hpi. Comparing infectious virus titers with viral genome copies confirmed that PCR-based tests only indicate presence of viral nucleic acid, which does not necessarily correlate with the quantity of infectious virus. The survival and high recovery of SARS-CoV-2 on certain foods highlight the importance of safe food handling practices in mitigating any public health concerns related to potentially contaminated foods.

Challenges and Opportunities in Food Safety-A Review

Food-borne diseases are the group of disorders that are caused by consuming food having microbial existence in it. So safe food handling is to make sure the lessening of detrimental effects in growth to the packaging of food to minimize health issues on consumers which otherwise can lead to large scale disease outburst. This review concludes the findings of the studies on how food is being handled from farm to fork, how airlines are contributing towards the spreading of diseases, how any negligence in any one of the steps can cause havoc to mankind in the light of the recent coronavirus pandemic. This review suggests the methods for the detection of food-borne viruses and the challenges for the regulation of zoonotic outbursts. This review recommends strict regulation, updating of the food handling policies, and ways to control emerging infectious diseases in relation to food.

Evaluating the impact of a pilot safe food-handling media campaign among consumers in Western Australia: Implications for public health messaging

Over 4.1 million Australians are affected by food poisoning each year. Recent reports indicate that food poisoning is increasing, particularly in Queensland and Western Australia. Foodborne illness is preventable through simple household behaviours such as cleaning hands and surfaces when preparing food, separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, cooking food thoroughly, and keeping food at the correct temperature. Several interventions have been developed to raise awareness of these safe food-handling practices; however, the efficacy of large scale interventions has not been evaluated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of a pilot safe food-handling media campaign that aimed to increase consumer safe food-handling knowledge and behaviour. Five-hundred and forty-six participants completed measures of safe food-handling knowledge and behaviour prior to and following a pilot safe food-handling media campaign that ran for four months in The City of Busselton, Western Australia. A generalised linear mixed model analysis revealed that the pilot media campaign had an effect on consumer engagement in half of the target safe food-handling behaviours. The pilot safe food-handling media campaign also had a statistically significant effect (albeit not clinically significant) on consumer safe food-handling knowledge in the opposite direction to that hypothesised. Findings are discussed in relation to the implications for the design and implementation of future public health messages related to safe food-handling.

Young adult food safety knowledge gaps and perceptions of roommates’ food handling practices: A survey of university students in Indiana

A lack of safe food handling knowledge and practices can contribute to a higher risk of foodborne illnesses from meals prepared at home. Young adults, an important consumer group, can be at an increased risk for foodborne illness due to their risky food behaviors. This study surveyed university students, as examples of young adults, to identify food safety knowledge, reveal knowledge gaps, and explore perception change resulting from living with roommates. The survey included questions about food safety knowledge, self-efficacy of safe food handling practices, and participants' perceptions of their roommates' safe food handling capabilities. A total of 2678 students completed the survey. Gender, age, previous food safety training, college major, and ethnicity have a significant impact on students’ food safety knowledge. White (non-Hispanic) students had a higher knowledge score (7.68) than Asian (6.19) or Hispanic (6.57) students. Similarly, students in biology-focused majors had higher scores (7.78) than those not in biology-focused majors (7.11). Most students (65%) did not know that meat and poultry should not be washed under running water. Many students failed to practice food safety recommendations, such as using food thermometers, even if they knew it was the correct thing to do. Most students (57%) believed they did a better job of keeping the kitchen clean than their roommates (23%). As the number of roommates in the house increased, participants were 1.60 times more likely to believe that their kitchen would be in better condition if they did not have any roommates. Future food safety education programs should be developed to fill the knowledge gaps and address challenges facing young adults especially when living with roommates. Educators can create food safety materials for those who are entering university which will prepare them for ahead of time. Materials can also target current university students, those who are not in biology-focused majors, and those from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

Investigating the predictors of safe food handling among parents of young children in the USA

Foodborne illness, or food poisoning, is a global health issue, affecting over 600 million people each year. Contrary to lay beliefs, the majority of food poisoning occurs as a result of improperly handling food within the home. The past decade has seen an increase in research using theoretical frameworks to investigate predictors of safe food handling, however, this research has been hampered by a focus on motivational models of behaviour and the conceptualisation of safe food handling as a unitary behaviour. Additionally, little research has investigated safe food handling in relation to a particularly susceptible group: young children. Therefore, the aim of this study was to use a dual process theory to explore the predictors of four safe food handling behaviours among parents of young children. One-hundred and thirty-six participants, recruited via CloudResearch, completed self-report measures of intention, habit, self-control, self-efficacy and safe food handling knowledge, and, one week later, completed self-report measures of their engagement in safe food handling behaviours. Results of logistic regression analyses revealed that intention, self-control and self-efficacy significantly predicted cleaning hands and surfaces before preparing food, and knowledge significantly predicted cooking food properly and storing raw and cooked food separately. These findings suggest that there is no one consistently significant predictor of all four safe food handling behaviours, however, knowledge did appear to be an important influence on safe food handling behaviours less familiar to consumers over and above other known predictors for safe food handling behaviours. Educational interventions should focus on increasing safe food handling knowledge for less familiar safe food handling behaviours whereas self-control interventions may be more beneficial for increasing more familiar behaviours such as cleaning hands and surfaces before preparing food.

Evaluating Food Safety Compliance and Hygiene Practices of Food Handlers Working in Community and Healthcare Settings in Kuwait.

Safe food handling and proper hygiene practices performed by food handlers (FHs) in catering establishments are fundamental elements in reducing foodborne diseases. This study aimed at assessing food safety knowledge and compliance of hygiene practices of FHs within food establishments (using a structured questionnaire). A cross-sectional study was carried out from May 2016 to March 2018 on FHs working in community and healthcare settings. A total of 405 FHs, including 44.9% and 55.1%, were working in community and healthcare settings, respectively. The majority, 84.7%, were males with a ratio of 5.5:1. Most of them, 84.4%, had a high school education and above. A greater number, 44%, of FHs were in the age bracket of 29–39 years. As high as 95.6% of them underwent a regular medical check-up. Unsafe attitudes were shown by 44.9%% who used the same hand gloves while handling raw meat and fresh food. Additionally, 42% went home with their uniforms. The hygiene assessment score was 95.8%. In general, FHs have adequate knowledge and compliance with food safety practices. It is recommended that regular and ongoing training on hygienic practices and proper food safety techniques must be given to all FHs to ensure food safety.

Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior of Street Food Vendors and Consumers in Dhaka City

Food safety knowledge, attitudes, and street food suppliers and consumer behaviors of the capital city Dhaka were investigated. A cross-sectional study was conducted using questionnaires based on previous studies. Three main areas addressed in the surveys and statistical analysis are; 1) statistical data including gender, age, education, income, food safety training, and specific elements related to the work experience of suppliers, 2) knowledge of food safety such as the awareness of consumers and suppliers concerning pathogenic microbes that cause food poisoning, food and personal hygiene, proper cleaning procedures and high-risk groups, and 3) list of food handling attitude and behavior of subjects. Results showed food safety knowledge of street vendors in the High-tech Industries Development Zone was the lowest, where education levels are generally relatively low. Food safety attitudes of the youngest consumers were significantly better than those of older age groups. Street vendors were relatively poor in carrying out safe food handling, with only 27.6% using or being fully equipped with hand-washing facilities, although more than 50% of vendors were not wearing clean and tidy clothes and masks. Steps should be taken to improve street food stall operating conditions and facilities, including access of potable water, providing clean protected structures, and efficient waste collection and disposal systems that can promote the plans and strategies to improve street food safety of Dhaka city and Bangladesh as a whole.&#x0D; Bangladesh J Microbiol, Volume 37 Number 2 December 2020, pp 48-51

Is there need to augment the food safety knowledge, safe handling practices and purchasing behaviour among medical students

Introduction: Ascertaining food safety knowledge, attitude and practice of students have high importance because this eventually will lead to more food-conscious society and more healthy people. Only a handful of studies have been done to evaluate food safety practices among medical students. Aim and Objectives: To assess knowledge, attitude and practices regarding food safety practices among medical students.2 To impart health education regarding correct food safety practices to the medical students. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 students were covered after verbal consent. Information was collected on a pre-tested and pre-designed questionnaire on knowledge, safe handling and purchasing practices pertaining to safe food handling. Results: Majority (59%) had good knowledge on food safety practices, greater number had poor purchasing power behaviour and none scored good son safe handling practices score. Conclusion: The target study highlighted that students with good knowledge scores was only 40 percent, majority [77 percent] had poor purchasing power scores whereas none of the students had good safe handling techniques knowledge. Keywords: Food safety, Knowledge, Medical students.

Food safety knowledge and practice among food handlers in Yeka Subcity, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background: Food handlers can greatly contribute to the occurrence of food born diseases as a result of poor food handling practice that might emanate from poor knowledge about food safety. Food safety knowledge and practice has not been investigated in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This study aimed at assessing food safety knowledge and practice among food handlers working in public food establishments in Yeka Subcity, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods & Materials: A cross-sectional study was conducted among food handlers. Data was collected from randomly selected 384 food handlers using a structured questionnaire. Pearson correlation was used to determine association between knowledge and practice. Chi square test was used to assess association between sociodemographic characteristics, and knowledge and practice of food handling. Results: Most food handlers were aware of the critical role of general sanitary practice in the work place such as hand washing (99.5%), proper cleaning of utensils (87.2%) and keeping food in the refrigerator (85.9%). Although 73.7% and 58.1% of the food handlers knew that typhoid fever and bloody diarrhea can be transmitted by food, respectively, 81.8% and 84.4% did not know that Hepatitis A and tuberculosis can be transmitted by food, respectively. Out of 384 study participants, 97.6% reported that they wash their work area before start working. Majority (96.6%) of the food handlers wash their hand after using toilets. However, (25.7%) and (52.7%) worked when they have diarrhea and common cold, respectively. We found statistically positive correlation between knowledge and practice of food handlers (r = 0.30, p = 0.000). Knowledge of food safety was significantly related to age (p = 0.001), marital status (p = 0.000), education level (p = 0.000) and work experience (p = 0.002) of food handlers. Food safety practice was significantly associated with age (p = 0.000). Conclusion: Most food handlers lacked knowledge about the transmission some food borne disease and some had poor practice. Training should be given to food handlers to improve their knowledge and practice about safe food handling.

Effects of Egocentric Projection and Identification on Narrative Persuasion in Foodborne Illness Messages

This study conceptually and empirically distinguishes two mental processes in narrative processing of food safety health messages—identification with and egocentric projection onto story characters. Two studies examined the effects of narrative autobiographical accounts of contracting foodborne illness (salmonella) because of careless food preparation. Both studies consistently found that identification increased, but egocentric projection decreased audience members’ behavioral intention to perform safe food handling practices, indicating that egocentric projection and identification represent unique mental processes and yield distinct persuasive outcomes. In addition, confirmatory factor analyses provided evidence that egocentric projection and identification are distinct constructs. Implications for the role of identification and egocentric projection for understanding narrative processing and for health persuasion are discussed.

Effect of Observational Evaluation of Food Safety Curricula on High School Students' Behavior Change

High school students have limited food safety knowledge and lack safe food handling skills. However, youth of high school age are frequently employed in food service and will prepare food for themselves. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a food safety educational intervention for changing students' food handling behaviors, and the theory of planned behavior was used to construct factors that contribute to behavior change. A combination of stationary and wearable (GoPro) cameras was used to observe the food handling practices of high school students in key areas, including food thermometer use, hand washing and hand drying, glove changing, and environmental cleaning. The percentage of correct food handling techniques was measured categorically, and the number of groups who complied with thermometer use and environmental cleaning guidelines was recorded. The percentage of students using correct hand washing, hand drying, and glove changing techniques significantly increased in the postobservation cooking session. However, the percentage of correct hand washing and glove changing events remained <50% for certain subcategories: hand washing time (38%), hand washing after handling raw produce (36%) and touching skin (20%), changing gloves after gloves became contaminated or torn (47%), and washing hands between glove changes (15%). Students modified their behaviors to comply with subjective norms related to the study, including instructor expectations, but some students did not plan to change the behaviors they practiced at home. Students cited food handling behaviors they observed their parents using when making decisions about how to prepare food. This study highlights the need for the development of food safety educational interventions that encourage safe food handling skills and address influences from key subjective norm groups.

Safe Food Handling Knowledge and Practices of Street Food Vendors in Polokwane Central Business District.

Street food vending is a common business practice in most South African cities. However, street vended foods may be a source of foodborne illnesses if their handling is not well regulated and executed. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and practices regarding food safety by street food vendors in the Polokwane central business district. This was a quantitative descriptive study where a structured questionnaire was used to collect self-reported data from street food vendors. A checklist was used to collect observed data from the vending site on vendor practices and status of the vending environment. A total of 312 vendors participated in the study, most being young females aged below 40 years (62%), single (51.2%) with less than six years of trade experience (58.3%). Although the level of knowledge was high, safe food handling practices were mostly inadequate. Most vendors operated their businesses in the open air and tents (66.2%). Vending experience significantly correlated with safe food handling practices (p < 0.05). It is significantly riskier to sell cooked rather than uncooked food in the street. Lack of resources like water and a healthy environment negatively affected food handling practices. Health promotion on food safety is recommended for street vendors.

Determinants of Acute Diarrhea Among Children Under-Five in Northeast Ethiopia: Unmatched Case-Control Study.

BackgroundDiarrheal disease is the second leading causes of death among under-five children. Most of the death due to diarrhea is reporting in developing countries. To prevent this highly prevalent problem, identifying the contributing factors across different settings is necessary. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the determinants of acute diarrhea among under-five children in the Northeast part of Ethiopia.MethodsAn institution-based unmatched case–control study was conducted among 306 under-five children from March to April 2019. A systematic random sampling technique was employed to select study participants. Data were collected by face to face interviews using a pretested structured questionnaire. Data were entered using Epi-info 7 and analyzed with SPSS version 20.0. We applied logistic regression analysis. Those variables with p-value <0.05 were significant determinants of acute diarrhea.ResultsImproper child’s stool disposal [AOR=4.12; 95% CI (1.25,13.5)], absence of home-based water treatment [AOR=2.85; 95% CI (1.27,6.42)], did not wash hand at critical times [AOR=5.47; 95% CI (1.68,17.8)], did not practice exclusive breastfeed [AOR=3.32; 95% CI (1.21,9.14], unable to get counseling from health professionals [AOR= 3.23; 95%,CI (1.15,13.5)], provide left over food to the child [AOR=2.96; 95% CI (1.19,7.32)], and maternal diarrhea [AOR=6.06; 95% CI (2.42,15.22)] were determinants of acute diarrhea among under five children.ConclusionMost of the determinants of acute diarrhea could be preventable. Thus, collaborative intervention by emphasizing health education about the importance of personal and environmental hygiene, safe food handling, exclusive breastfeeding practice, and home-based water treatment are essential.

Adherence to guidelines on nutrition support during intensive treatment of acute myeloid leukemia patients: A nationwide comparison

The level of adherence to the updated guidelines of The European Societies for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) on nutrition in intensively treated adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients in clinical practice is unknown. The aim of this nationwide survey was to investigate ESPEN/EBMT nutritional guideline adherence during intensive AML treatment, variation in nutrition support practices among hospitals and whether these practices changed after guideline publication. All 22 Dutch hospitals providing (aftercare following) high-dose chemotherapy and/or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for adult AML patients were surveyed on nutrition support practices during these intensive AML treatments. We used an online questionnaire in 2015 and semi-structured telephone interviews in 2018-2019. Both surveys were completed by registered dieticians and addressed the use of enteral (EN) and parenteral (PN) nutrition. The ESPEN/EBMT nutritional guideline adherence was investigated through the telephone interviews. High-level ESPEN/EBMT guideline adherence and/or uniformity among hospitals regarding nutrition support practices during intensive AML treatment were observed for nutritional screening, -aims, safe food handling and exercise training. Adherence to ESPEN/EBMT recommendations that were not implemented into national guidelines, including nutritional assessment and use of medical nutrition, was poor. All hospitals assessed nutritional intake, -impact symptoms and body weight, but muscle mass, physical performance and degree of systemic inflammation were rarely and variably monitored. Although the number of hospitals using EN as first-choice nutritional intervention increased from 3 hospitals in 2015 to 8 in 2019, PN remained the preferred method of nutrition support. Furthermore, the timing of medical nutrition varied. Although the use of EN increased after publication of the updated ESPEN/EBMT nutritional guidelines, adherence to these standards was limited and there was heterogeneity in nutrition support practices during intensive AML treatment among hospitals. Incorporating international nutritional standards into national guidelines by nutrition expert groups immediately upon publication may improve adherence.

Risk perceptions and food-handling practices in the home

Unsafe food-handling practices in the home are linked with foodborne illnesses that represent sizable costs on the US healthcare industry and welfare losses to households. Past consumer food-safety education programs have only been modestly successful. Optimism bias may distort food-safety risk perceptions encouraging participation in risky food behaviors. Using multiple years of the FDA Food Safety Survey data, we explore the link between behavior-specific risk perceptions and three food-handling practices: handwashing, avoiding cross-contamination, and proper refrigeration of cooked foods. This approach describes risk perceptions as endogenous variables and allows for the decomposition of factors that directly influence food-safety behaviors, from those that indirectly influence behavior by changing risk perceptions. Our results suggest well-designed targeted information campaigns aimed at improving people’s safe food-handling practices must first decrease people’s optimism in the safety of their current practices. Given the lack of regulatory options to influence behavior in the home, this may provide an effective tool to address issues in performing safe food handling.

Effects of hazard analysis and critical control points principles on food safety at national youth service in Nakuru County, Kenya

This study examined the effect of hazard analysis and critical control points principles on food safety at the National Youth Service in Nakuru County; Kenya. Application of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point, HACCP) principle in food production and service areas is a requirement especially in all food handling stages, Successful implementation of the procedures based on the HACCP principles requires the full cooperation and commitment of food handlers’ requiring employees to undergo training. Food safety plays a significant role in the economic and health development of Nations by safeguarding the nation‘s health, enhancing tourism, hospitality, and international trade, the production, distribution, and consumption of safe food. The scope of the study was limited to NYS Catering unit kitchens in Gilgil College. The findings explain the hygiene and safety practices of other Academic kitchens in Kenya. The study adopted a mixed research methodology, this study adopted a census method; the reason being the total population was 121. The response from the quantitative data from the questionnaires was tabulated, coded, and processed by use of the statistical package for social sciences Data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. From the findings, the R and R2 value representing the simple correlation summary showed that 16.6 percent of HACCP principles can be explained by variance in food safety. ANOVA results showed that the model applied was statistically significant to predict the outcome variable. The study also concludes that food-hygiene operating procedure that is documented and awareness too that food safety inspections by health inspectors help to ensure safe food handling practices are followed.

Food Hygienic Practices and Safety Measures among Street Food Vendors in Zanzibar Urban District

The purpose of this descriptive cross-sectional survey study was to assess the hygiene and safety precautions implemented by street food vendors in the Urban district of Zanzibar. The study involved 265 food vendors with immobile food vending sites. An organized researcher-executed questionnaire developed based on World Health Organization essential requirement for the safety of street-vended foods was used in data collection and complemented with observation. Data on environmental hygiene of the surveyed vending sites indicated that <50% of the sites had both washbasin and soap in place and only 50.2% and 42.6% vending sites had waste bin and/or refuse sites respectively. Adherence to safe food handling practices were reflected in adequate protection of food from flies and dust (40.8%), cold storage of food (28.3%), saving food hot or reheating before sale (35.1%), dishing out food with spoon/ladle (53%) and food covering (57.4%). Hygienic and sanitary practices among food vendors demonstrated the following levels of adherence: washing hands with soap after toilet use (always 33.2%, sometimes 46.8%), washing hands with soap prior to preparing food (always 63%, sometimes 34%), keeping clean fingernail (98.5%), protection of hair (33.6%) and use of apron (29%). The results indicate poor environmental sanitation and waste handling practices, moderate adherence to food handling practices, safety measures and hygiene. Based on the results it is suggested that food safety and hygiene training should be a prior condition for starting a food-vending venture and be complemented with regular monitoring.

The Oft Forgotten Part of Nutrition: Lessons from an Integrated Approach to Understand Consumer Food Safety Behaviors

Abstract Objectives A multi-year, integrated methods study showed comprehensive consumer food handling practices when preparing a meal, compared to prevalence of self-reported behaviors. Experimental conditions provided insights on the effectiveness of current and future food safety messages. Methods Demographically-diverse participants were recruited from various communities in one state. Year 1: Participants prepared raw turkey burgers in a simulated home kitchen. Half of participants viewed an educational video on thermometer use before meal preparation; the other half served as a control. Year 2: Participants who self-reported washing poultry prepared raw chicken products. Half of participants received mock social media messages about not washing poultry; the other half served as a control. Food handling behaviors were coded and compared to self-reported actions and attitudes towards food safety, collected via written surveys and in-depth interviews. Results At least one contributing factor to foodborne illness was examined during each observation; cross-contamination actions were always observed. Year 1: Over 60% (n = 383) of participants self-reported owning and using a food thermometer when cooking raw meat and poultry products; however, only 35% of unprompted participants measured final internal temperature with a food thermometer. Year 2: Nearly 25% (n = 300) of participants cross-contaminated a ready-to-eat side; over 50% cross-contaminated due to poor sink sanitation. Differences between self-reported and observed food safety behaviors were seen across participant groups. Lack of sufficient handwashing leading to bacterial cross-contamination was a notable secondary outcome. Conclusions Observations more accurately reflect consumer food handling behaviors and allow for targeted message development to decrease risk of foodborne illness through safe at-home food handling. Findings and messages are shared with health educators, news and social media outlets, and directly to consumers through various resources. Funding Sources This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). All views expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily of USDA FSIS. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.