The problem

In March of 2006, approximately 75,800 pounds of frozen, uncooked, stuffed chicken entrees were recalled after being linked to several cases of Salmonella Enteritidis. The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) determined that the frozen state, labelling, and cooked appearance of the entrees might have caused consumers to believe the products were precooked and therefore fail to take the steps necessary to cook the products to a safe temperature (USDA-FSIS 2006).

At the request of the USDA-FSIS, a subcommittee of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods met to discuss consumer guidelines for safe cooking of uncooked, frozen poultry products (NACMCF 2006). Among other suggestions, the subcommittee recommended that manufacturers, when validating cooking instructions and developing guidelines or labelling, take into account:

1) How the consumer is likely to interpret the cooking instructions

2) How the consumer may actually prepare and cook the product.

The importance of determining actual consumer behaviours related to the preparation of frozen entrees containing uncooked meat and/or poultry was demonstrated in March of 2008. In Minnesota at that time, illnesses were again linked to frozen, uncooked, stuffed chicken entrees (USDA-FSIS 2008). A state health official stated that one of the sick individuals prepared the frozen entree in a microwave, even though that method of preparation was not recommended on the package (Benson 2008).

The study

Researchers at Kansas State University developed a novel video capture system to observe the food preparation practices of 41 consumers (21 primary meal preparers and 20 adolescents) in a mock domestic kitchen (DeDonder et al. 2009). The researchers wanted to determine actual food handling behaviours of these two groups in relation to safe food handling practices and instructions provided on product labels. Self-report surveys were used to determine whether differences exist between consumers' reported food handling practices and observed behaviour.

All participants were video-recorded preparing frozen, uncooked, commercially available, breaded chicken products in one of two model kitchens at Kansas State University. Participants were asked to complete a survey reporting food handling behaviours typical of their private home kitchens. Differences between self-reported and observed food handling behaviours were seen across both groups of consumers, as well as between participant behaviour and product label instructions. Many participants reported owning a food thermometer (73%) and indicated using one when cooking raw, breaded chicken entrees (19.5%). However, only five participants (12.2%) used a food thermometer to determine how cooked either chicken product was, despite the fact that both labels on the product packaging instructed consumers to ensure the internal temperature of the product reached 165°F as measured by a thermometer.

Results of the study suggested that information provided on product labels did not sufficiently compel consumers to follow instructions. Only a small number (7%) of participants were observed adhering to all product label instructions. This finding is unique to this study and presents two possibilities: the instructions provided on raw, breaded chicken products are unclear and confusing, or these instructions do not greatly influence the way consumers prepare these products. In post-preparation surveys, 90% of participants reported noticing label instructions during product preparation; however, of those that read the instructions, only 61% reported that such instructions either completely or strongly influenced how they prepared the product.

Conclusions

Consumers, despite their best intentions, do not often follow safe handling instructions. They may not have even seen them or they assume they know what to do. Food manufacturers have to make risk-reduction information as compelling as possible or it will be ignored.

References

Benson, L. 2008. Frozen chicken entrees linked to salmonella outbreak. Minnesota Public Radio. March 28, 2008. Available at: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/03/28/salmonella/

DeDonder, S., Jacob, C.J., Surgeoner, B.V., Chapman, B., Phebus, R. and Powell, D.A. 2009. Self-reported and observed behavior of primary meal preparers and adolescents during preparation of frozen, uncooked, breaded chicken products. British Food Journal 111(9): 915-929.

National Advisory Committee on Microbial Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). 2006. Response to the questions posed by the Food Safety and Inspection Service regarding consumer guidelines for the safe cooking of poultry products. Adopted March 24, 2006.

Redmond, E. C. and Griffith, C. J. 2003. Consumer food handling in the home: a review of food safety studies. Journal of Food Protection 66: 130–161.

US Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS). 2006. Recall release: Indiana firm recalls frozen stuffed chicken entrees associated with illnesses. March 10, 2006. Available at: www.fsis.usda.gov/news/Recall_009_2006_Release/index.asp

US Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS). (2008). FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Frozen, Stuffed Raw Chicken Products. March 29, 2008. Available at: www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_032908_01/index.asp