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Safe food-handling media campaigns have been successful at improving some safe food-handling behaviours among consumers. However, little is known about whether specific mechanisms of change, such as habit and perceived risk, can improve the effectiveness of safe food-handling campaign materials. Consequently, this study aims to determine if habit and risk-based behaviour change techniques can improve the effectiveness of safe food-handling media campaign materials.

A prospective experimental design was used. Participants completed baseline measures of habit, perceived risk and behaviour before watching two short safe food-handling video advertisements. Participants were then randomly assigned to complete either a habit or a perceived risk-based behaviour change technique task. Two weeks later, participants completed the baseline measures again. A series of multivariate analyses of variance were conducted to determine differences over time between the two groups in relation to habit, perceived risk and behaviour.

Significant increases in habit (p < 0.001), perceived risk (p < 0.001) and behaviour (p < 0.001) among all participants were found over the study period. However, there were no significant differences in these changes between participants who completed either task for the majority of the target behaviours and related constructs. This suggested that both habit and risk-based behaviour change techniques may help improve campaign materials; however, future research is needed to determine these effects in comparison to a non-active control group.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to compare the use of two behaviour change techniques for improving safe food-handling health messaging materials. Future safe food-handling media campaigns would benefit from including habit and risk-based behaviour change techniques.

Foodborne illness remains high globally, with the majority of cases occurring in the domestic environment. Research in the safe food-handling domain is limited by the absence of an up-to-date and suitable measure of safe food-handling knowledge for use among consumers, with previous measures limited by questionnaire design features that increase participant burden and burnout and a lack of alignment with current safe food-handling guidelines. The purpose of this study is to develop a safe food-handling knowledge measure to capture a comprehensive understanding of consumers’ safe food-handling knowledge while minimising participant burden and burnout.

Items were developed and evaluated prior to administering them to participants. Data was collected among 277 participants who completed the measure online.

Results indicated that the measure had good acceptability among participants in the sample (mean = 5.44, SD = 0.77, range = 2.42–7) and that the measure had acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.60), item discrimination and item difficulty. These findings suggest that the safe food-handling knowledge measure would be suitable for use in future studies examining consumer safe food-handling.

This study provides an updated, acceptable and suitable safe food-handling knowledge measure for use among consumers to better understand consumers’ understanding of safe food-handling practices. Use of this measure in future research can improve the measurement of consumer safe food-handling knowledge to allow for better tailoring of future interventions and health campaigns for safe food-handling among consumers.

Numerous food recalls and outbreaks were associated with wheat flour in recent years. Few consumers are cognizant of food safety risks associated with raw flour. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the food safety information and flour-handling behaviors presented in popular food blog recipes and in YouTube videos using cookie, cookie dough and egg noodle recipes as examples.

Eighty-five blog recipes and 146 videos were evaluated. Blog author and video host food-handling experience was classified as professional or nonprofessional. Food safety information and food-handling behaviors were evaluated for adherence to government and scientific recommendations.

Blog authors and video hosts demonstrated higher awareness of food safety risks associated with raw eggs compared to raw flour, which only translated into better adherence with recommended food-handling behaviors during ingredient addition steps. Cross-contamination from adding raw flour to the product was observed in 25% of videos, whereas cross-contamination from hosts adding raw shell eggs was observed 3% of videos. Blog authors and video hosts did not recommend or demonstrate handwashing after handling raw shell eggs nor raw flour, and fewer than 5% provided recommendations for cleaning work surfaces. Heat treatment methods to convert raw flour into ready-to-eat products were mentioned by 24% of blog authors and 18% of video hosts; however, the recommendations were not scientifically validated.

This study demonstrates the need to develop educational interventions that increase blog authors' and video hosts' awareness of risks associated with raw flour and that translate this knowledge into practiced behaviors.

The prevalence of foodborne illness remains high in Australia. In response, government initiatives have been implemented to inform consumers of ways to safely handle food. The aim of this study was to examine the accuracy of prompted and unprompted recall of messages from a safe food-handling media campaign in Western Australia, and whether this accuracy of prompted and unprompted recall differed by demographic factors and the mode of delivery of the campaign materials.

Survey responses from 121 participants (M_age = 47.15 years, SD = 15.52) who reported seeing or hearing the campaign were analysed. A series of chi-square tests were used to determine the accuracy of recall when prompted and unprompted, and the accuracy of unprompted and prompted recall across demographic factors and mode of delivery.

Results indicated that more participants accurately recalled the campaign messages when prompted (66.1%) compared to unprompted (35.5%), when they had seen outdoor advertisements (e.g. at bus stops or in shopping malls), and if they were between 30 and 45 years of age.

This study is the first to explore the uptake and comprehension of messages from a safe food-handling media campaign. Evaluation of safe food-handling media campaigns has shown some efficacy in relation to behaviour change; however, little is known about the uptake or comprehension of the campaign messages, and factors that may influence this.

The purpose of this paper is to observe young adults preparing two recipes in a controlled laboratory setting to identify food‐handling errors. Few studies have investigated actual consumer food safety and food‐handling practices.

The paper shows that one of four trained observers used a check‐list to directly observe and record food‐handling practices; observation data were later analyzed to assess how closely participants followed recommended practices. The observation check‐list had four criterion‐referenced scales based on Fight Bac! food safety recommendations (e.g. clean, cook, separate, chill). Each recommended behaviour performed earned one point. Scale scores were calculated by summing points earned and could range from zero to the maximum observed behaviours on the scale. Means, standard deviations, and comparison of mean scores using analysis of variance were calculated.

Participants (n=154, mean age 20.73+1.30SD) were from a major US university. Overall, participants were observed performing only 50 percent of the recommended behaviours. Scores ranged from a low of 29 percent on the cook scale to a high of 67 percent on the separate scale. Females scored significantly higher on the clean scale (e.g. hands, produce, work surfaces) than males. No other significant gender differences were noted in the scales, despite a trend for higher scores for females in all scales. Young adults, particularly males, engage in unsafe food‐handling practices, putting them at increased risk for food‐borne disease.

The paper shows that innovative education and training opportunities for young adults are needed to assist them in developing and practising safe food‐handling practices.

The number of reported food‐borne illnesses has increased recently in the world. In this respect, this study is carried out with the aim of investigating the food safety knowledge, attitude and food handling practices of university students in Turkey.

Questionnaires were applied to 1,340 people volunteered in the study, regarding their knowledge, attitude and practices. The research data was collected through a face‐to‐face questionnaire. An overall number of 1,340 university students from three different institutions were included in this study. Gender distribution was 54.6 per cent for male while that of female was 45.4 per cent, and age range was between 18‐24 years.

Depending on the respondents' gender, a statistically significant difference was found between male and female participants on total food safety knowledge, attitude and practice scores (p<0.001). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference between students' institutes (p<0.001). Also, a correlation was found between food safety knowledge attitude and practice (p<0.001).

Because the population of this study consisted of university students from different faculties in the city of Ankara, the results cannot be generalized to all students or to all ages. Comment on the results is limited due to responses being self reported, which are prone to bias by the subjects.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, limited studies focused on university students have been found in the Turkish literature and there is a lack of study concerning food safety knowledge, attitude and practice of university students in Ankara, Turkey. The originality of this study is to assess the level of food safety attitude, knowledge and food handling practice to investigate the association between the students' institutions and gender among university students in Turkey. There is a need to assess the food safety knowledge, attitude and practice of this target group as they are more likely to engage in risky eating behaviors, thus are more susceptible to food‐borne illnesses and they are more likely to engage in risky food handling practices because of their future roles as parents and food preparers for his/her family.

The purpose of this paper is to identify knowledge gaps in terms of food handling and hygiene among a population in a selected city district.

This study is a part of the project Community Health Management to Enhance Behaviour (CHANCE), (Lifelong Learning Programme of European Union 2007‐2009). A certain vulnerable group, i.e. older people, were addressed. The study population was recruited by convenience sample. A questionnaire was used to collect data among citizens in a selected city district (n=251). The elderly (71‐80+; n=123) were interviewed face to face, while the younger (21‐70 years; n=128) filled in their data on their own.

One third of the respondents usually measure the temperature in their refrigerator. However, one third revealed knowledge gaps relating to storage temperature for certain food items. Thirty nine per cent changes dishcloths once a week. Twenty per cent of the elderly usually put raw minced meat into their mouth to taste the seasoning without reflecting on pathogenic bacteria. There was no significant relation between the fear of food poisoning and tasting minced meat, changing the dishcloth often, or cooling down food properly. These results can be interpreted as a sign of knowledge gaps, indicating a need for improved health communication.

The study population consisted of consumers in a selected city district in Uppsala municipality. Therefore the results should not be generalized for Swedes in general.

The collected data and the information of knowledge gaps have been used to perform a local health intervention. The results would reveal relevance for a larger nationwide survey that aims to identify knowledge gaps in terms of food handling and hygiene among Swedish citizens.

Data from the present study would be useful in the attempt to implement simple tools at the local level, in order to promote healthy habits among consumers.

An innovative principle in the EU project CHANCE is to work from the inside out. Studies of consumers' food handling in private homes are lacking in Sweden. The present study is rather unique as it explores private households in terms of food handling and hygiene.

The purpose of the current paper is to investigate the determinants of hygienic food handling behaviour using the health action process approach (HAPA) and to examine if the volitional components of the model or the addition of past behaviour could explain additional variance in behaviour.

A prospective four‐week study investigating the predictive ability of HAPA variables and past behaviour was used. At time 1, 109 participants completed self‐report questionnaires regarding their action self‐efficacy, risk awareness, outcome expectancies and intentions to hygienically prepare food and past behaviour. At time 2, participants returned a follow‐up questionnaire, which measured behaviour, planning, maintenance and recovery self efficacy. Structural equation modelling was used to compare three versions of the HAPA model.

The first model showed that intention was a significant predictor of behaviour explaining 40 per cent of the variance and was the best fit. The second model, which included the volitional components of the HAPA model, did significantly increase the proportion of behaviour explained. The third model, which included past behaviour, increased the variance explained but was not a superior fit to the previous two models.

The results of this study confirm that aspects of the HAPA may be useful in determining hygienic food handling behaviour. However, volitional variables do not appear to be important in this behaviour. The implications of this for future research and interventions are elucidated.

The current study is one of the first to use the HAPA model to predict hygienic food handling behaviour.

In 2020, an outbreak of Salmonella Stanley linked to imported dried wood ear mushrooms affected 55 individuals in the United States of America. These mushrooms, commonly used in Asian cuisine, require processing, like rehydration and cutting, before serving. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention advise food preparers to use boiling water for rehydration to inactivate vegetative bacterial pathogens. Little is known about how food handlers prepare this ethnic ingredient and which handling procedures could enable Salmonella proliferation.

This study used content analysis to investigate handling practices for dried wood ear mushrooms as demonstrated in YouTube recipe videos and to identify food safety implications during handling of the product. A total of 125 Chinese- and English-language YouTube videos were analysed.

Major steps in handling procedures were identified, including rehydration, cutting/tearing and blanching. Around 62% of the videos failed to specify the water temperature for rehydration. Only three videos specified a water temperature of 100 °C for rehydrating the mushrooms, and 36% of the videos did not specify the soaking duration. Only one video showed handwashing, cleaning and sanitising of surfaces when handling the dried wood ear mushrooms.

This study found that most YouTube videos provided vague and inconsistent descriptions of the rehydration procedure, including water temperature and soaking duration. Food preparers were advised to use boiling water for rehydration to inactivate vegetative bacterial pathogens. However, boiling water alone is insufficient to inactivate all bacterial spores. Extended periods of soaking and storage could be of concern for spore germination and bacterial growth. More validation studies need to be conducted to provide guidance on how to safely handle the mushrooms.

This study will make a distinctive contribution to the field of food safety by being the first to investigate the handling procedure of a unique ethnic food ingredient, dried wood ear mushrooms, which has been linked to a previous outbreak and multiple recalls in the United States of America. The valuable data collected from this study can help target food handling education as well as influence future microbial validation study design and risk assessment.

The purpose of this paper is to examine key determinants (i.e. knowledge, perceived susceptibility, attitudes, confidence, behavioral intentions) associated with practicing health-protective behaviors that could inform development of programs and strategies for improving food handling behaviors of middle school youth.

Middle schoolers (n=1,102; 50 percent boys) completed a questionnaire with the following topics: demographics, food safety knowledge, usual food safety behaviors, perceived susceptibility to foodborne illness, attitude toward food safety, confidence (self-efficacy) in practicing safe food handling procedures, and intended safe food handling behaviors.

Middle schoolers had insufficient food safety knowledge ( _˜50 percent incorrect responses) even though most reported washing their hands before making a snack and washing fruits and vegetables before eating them. Spearman correlation analyses indicated that food safety knowledge and perceived susceptibility to foodborne illness was weakly correlated (r _s≤0.18) and in some instances not significantly correlated with actual behaviors, attitudes, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions. Attitudes, behavioral intentions, and self-efficacy were key determinants that were significantly and highly correlated (r _s<0.70) with each other. Additionally, knowing when to wash hands was significantly correlated (r _s≤0.13) with actual handwashing behaviors, and attitudes, behavioral intentions, and self-efficacy whereas knowing how to wash hands was not.

Food safety interventions for youth should aim to increase knowledge, challenge perceptions of susceptibility to foodborne illness, and motivate adoption of new safe food handling behaviors, while supporting their already positive food safety attitudes, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions.