Home Food Safety: Knowledge Grows, Action Trails

Newswise — When it comes to food safety, consumer and homemaker awareness of the steps to take to combat against foodborne illness is growing. Unfortunately, they're not all practicing those simple safety measures. This according to a new report on consumer food safety conducted by RTI International for the Partnership for Food Safety Education, more popularly known as FightBAC!

The study was reported on the opening day of the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting & Food Expo, the world's largest annual food science forum and exposition. It involved nearly 5,000 participants and their regularity of cleaning, cooking, chilling, and separating foods.

Seventy-four percent of the respondents reportedly know that they should wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw foods. But only 53 percent actually do.

Seventy-one percent said they know fresh fruits and vegetables need to be washed before serving. But only 49 percent do.

"Do consumers follow recommended food handling practice? The answer is 'yes' and 'no,'" said Sheryl Cates, a research policy analyst at RTI. "There is a gap between what consumers know and what they do when cooking at home. And for some particular practices, the gap is quite large." Educating consumers about the proper recommendations is obviously not sufficient, from Cates perspective of the research results. She identifies the need to find ways to motivate consumers to follow the safety recommendations.

"Some consumers may not feel the risk of foodborne illnesses is that great that it warrants the extra precautions," Cates said.

For more online on safe food handing practices, see www.fightbac.org

Now in its 67th year, the IFT Annual Meeting + Food Expo is the world's largest annual scientific forum and exposition on food. Ranked among the largest U.S. conventions, the meeting delivers comprehensive, cutting-edge research and opinion from food science-, technology-, marketing- and business-leaders; online at http://IFT.org/amfe. Meetings run through Wednesday.

Founded in 1939, and with world headquarters in Chicago, IFT is a not-for-profit international scientific society with 22,000 members working in food science, technology and related professions in industry, academia and government. As the society for food science and technology, IFT brings sound science to the public discussion of food issues. For more on IFT, see http://IFT.org.