Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 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

Food Protection Trends - December 2008

Table of Contents 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 - Food Protection Trends - December 2008
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Cover2
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 897
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Contents
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 899
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 900
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 901
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 902
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 903
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 904
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Sustaining Members
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 906
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 907
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Perspectives from Your President
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 909
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Commentary from the Executive Director
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 911
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Observed Hand Washing Behaviors of Young Adults during Food Preparation
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 913
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 914
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 915
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 916
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Adoption of Interventions to Improve Food Safety at Meat and Poultry Processing Plants in the United States
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 918
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 919
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 920
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 921
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 922
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 923
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 924
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 925
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 926
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 927
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Call for Awards – IAFP 2009
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 929
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Affiliate Officers
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 931
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 932
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 933
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 934
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 935
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 936
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - IAFP Committee, PDG, Task Force and Affiliate Council Mission Statements
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 938
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 939
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - New Members
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 941
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - What’s Happening in Food Safety
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 943
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 944
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Industry Products
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 946
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 947
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 948
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Coming Events
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Index to Volume 28
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 951
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 952
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 953
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 954
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - 955
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - IAFP Financial Report
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Journal of Food Protection Table of Contents
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Audiovisual Library Order Form
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Booklet Order Form
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Membership Application
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Cover3
Food Protection Trends - December 2008 - Cover4
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