Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - (Page 912)

ARTICLES Copyright© 2008, International Association for Food Protection 6200 Aurora Ave., Suite 200W, Des Moines, IA 50322-2864 Food Protection Trends, Vol. 28, No. 11, Pages 912–916 Observed Hand Washing Behaviors of Young Adults during Food Preparation JACLYN MAURER ABBOT,* CAROL BYRD-BREDBENNER, VIRGINIA WHEATLEY, ELLEN COTTONE and MICHELE CLANCY Dept. of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA SUMMARY INTRODUCTION Hand washing has long been recognized as an important health behavior that can reduce the risk and spread of illness (23). Poor hand hygiene in those preparing food can both introduce and spread foodborne disease. Few fully appreciate the control they can exert in their own kitchens to reduce their risk of foodborne disease (19) or recognize that food mishandling, including inadequate hand washing during food preparation, likely causes a significant amount of foodborne disease (1, 4, 6, 19, 25). Young adults (ages 18 to 29) and individuals with education beyond high school are more likely than others to engage in risky food handling (2, 14, 15, 18, 26). This, along with reduced opportunities to learn about safe food handling (including hand washing) in school, suggests that the current population of young adults may unknowingly pass along their risky food handling behaviors and increase the risk for foodborne disease not only to themselves, but also to those for whom many may eventually assume responsibility (e.g., aging parents, children). Further, the most common jobs held by youth are in the food service industry, ranging from cashier to table buser to server to cook (12), putting them in direct and indirect control of the food safety of meals being served to dining patrons. Identifying populations in which hand washing behaviors are less than optimal is a vital first step in improving the focus of food safety education efforts. The purpose of this study was to observe the hand washing behaviors of young adults (n = 153, age 18–26 years) while they prepared two dishes in a controlled kitchen laboratory. Trained researchers observed participants, who were blinded to the study purpose. Subsequent to the observations, participants completed a survey designed to assess their hand washing knowledge and self-reported hand washing behaviors. Young adults reported that they performed half of all recommended hand washing behaviors, yet they were observed performing only 25 percent of recommended practices. Young adults washed their hands more frequently prior to starting food preparation and after handling raw poultry and least frequently after handling unwashed fresh produce and after occasions when contamination was likely to occur (e.g., answering cell phone). Although overall mean hand washing knowledge was high (72% correctly answered questions), only 37 percent knew the most hygienic way to wash hands. These findings indicate that young adults could benefit from food safety education interventions designed to expand knowledge and increase actual practice of recommended hand washing techniques. A peer-reviewed article *Author for correspondence: 732.406.9355; Fax: 706.659.4520 Email: abbot@aesop.rutgers.edu 912 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | DECEMBER 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Food Protection Trends - December 2008

Food Protection Trends - December 2008 Contents Sustaining Members Perspectives from Your President Commentary from the Executive Director Observed Hand Washing Behaviors of Young Adults during Food Preparation Adoption of Interventions to Improve Food Safety at Meat and Poultry Processing Plants in the United States Call for Awards – IAFP 2009 Affiliate Officers IAFP Committee, PDG, Task Force and Affiliate Council Mission Statements New Members What’s Happening in Food Safety Industry Products Coming Events Index to Volume 28 Advertising Index IAFP Financial Report Journal of Food Protection Table of Contents Audiovisual Library Order Form Booklet Order Form Membership Application

Food Protection Trends - December 2008

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