Food Protection Trends - February 2011 - (Page 105)

General Interest Paper Recipe Websites: A Novel Medium for Disseminating Food Safety and Origin Information MAUREEN CAROLYN GATES Epidemiology Group, Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Laboratories, Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, UK ABSTRACT This paper outlines a novel approach to increasing public awareness of food safety and supply concerns through the medium of popular cooking websites. When a recipe containing the words chicken, beef, pork, turkey, eggs, or milk is accessed, the corresponding food safety and origin information will appear in a box under the cooking directions. By directly targeting the people at greatest risk of contracting or disseminating pathogens through improper food preparation, this initiative will help to reduce the number of cases (76 million) of foodborne illness diagnosed in the United States each year. The initiative will also serve a central database of websites that provide consumers with reliable information about specific pathogens, food labeling terminology, and current issues in animal production. INTRODUCTION At a time when dollars and ballots have never been more powerful in shaping the future of agricultural production systems, consumers have never been more detached from the origins of their food. With an estimated 80% of the population living in urban environments, the answer to the question “Where does chicken come from?” may sadly soon become “the frozen food aisle” (7). Fortunately for the consumer, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have enacted countless programs to keep people safe from threats they may not even know exist. Slaughterhouses are required to maintain strict cleaning and disinfection protocols to prevent the contamination of meat products with enteric bacteria. Food must be processed, packaged, and stored within strict guidelines to minimize microbial growth. Labeling regulations ensure that the consumer knows what they have purchased and how they should safely prepare it. Yet despite these precautions, an estimated 76 million foodborne illnesses occur every year in the United States (14). The journey from grocery store to plate is clearly important in determining the risk of foodborne illness. A recent survey of 153 restaurants that prepare egg dishes found that 26% stored eggs at room temperature, 54% pooled raw eggs intended for future use, and at least 42% sanitized cooking utensils at intervals of more than four hours (13). These practices were identified as risk factors for foodborne disease in the government sponsored Egg Safety Action Plan. If trained professionals are unaware of basic food safety principles, it is unlikely that the average household cook does any better. Improper food preparation in the Author for correspondence: Phone: +44.131.650.5455 E-mail: m.c.gates@sms.ed.ac.uk FEBRUARY 2011 | FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS 105 http://www.foodprotection.org/files/food-protection-trends/Feb-11-Gates.pdf

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Food Protection Trends - February 2011

Food Protection Trends - February 2011
Contents
Sustaining Members
Reflections of Your President
Commentary from the Executive Director
An Outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infection Linked to Unpasteurized Apple Cider in Oklahoma, 1999
Examining the Exam: Implications for Participants and Policy Makers of the Food Manager Certification Exam
General Interest Paper: Recipe Websites: A Novel Medium for Disseminating Food Safety and Origin Information
IAFP 2011–2012 Secretary Election
IAFP 2011 Award Nominations
New Members
What's Happening in Food Safety
Industry Products
Activities
General Information
Registration Form
Coming Events
Advertising Index
Journal of Food Protection Table of Contents
Booklet Order Form
Membership Application
Celebrating 100 Years of IAFP Journals: 1940s

Food Protection Trends - February 2011