title: Consumer-reported handling of raw poultry products at home: results from a national survey.
abstract: Salmonella and Campylobacter cause an estimated combined total of 1.8 million foodborne infections each year in the United States. Most cases of salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis are associated with eating raw or undercooked poultry or with cross-contamination. Between 1998 and 2008, 20% of Salmonella and 16% of Campylobacter foodborne disease outbreaks were associated with food prepared inside the home. A nationally representative Web survey of U.S. adult grocery shoppers (n = 1,504) was conducted to estimate the percentage of consumers who follow recommended food safety practices when handling raw poultry at home. The survey results identified areas of low adherence to current recommended food safety practices: not washing raw poultry before cooking, proper refrigerator storage of raw poultry, use of a food thermometer to determine doneness, and proper thawing of raw poultry in cold water. Nearly 70% of consumers reported washing or rinsing raw poultry before cooking it, a potentially unsafe practice because "splashing" of contaminated water may lead to the transfer of pathogens to other foods and other kitchen surfaces. Only 17.5% of consumers reported correctly storing raw poultry in the refrigerator. Sixty-two percent of consumers own a food thermometer, and of these, 26% or fewer reported using one to check the internal temperature of smaller cuts of poultry and ground poultry. Only 11% of consumers who thaw raw poultry in cold water reported doing so correctly. The study results, coupled with other research findings, will inform the development of science-based consumer education materials that can help reduce foodborne illness from Salmonella and Campylobacter.
authors.affiliation: RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, P.O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA. kkosa@rti.org.
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kosa
authors.affiliation: RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, P.O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA.
authors.forename: Sheryl C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cates
authors.affiliation: RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, P.O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.affiliation: College of Human Ecology, Kansas State University, 213 Justin Hall, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA.
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Tennessee State University, 3500 John A. Merritt Boulevard, Nashville, Tennessee 37209, USA.
authors.forename: Sandria
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Godwin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology; D003296:Cooking; D003625:Data Collection; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004531:Eggs / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D059022:Food Safety / Q000379:methods*; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011202:Poultry Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D012034:Refrigeration; D012478:Salmonella Food Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D013696:Temperature; D014422:Turkeys / Q000382:microbiology; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult