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Food Protection Trends
Abstracts - August 2006
Essential Food Safety Behaviors for Older Adults
Characterizing Human Factor Risks in Food Processing
Essential Food Safety Behaviors for Older Adults
Lydia C. Medeiros, Gang Chen, Jan Van Horn, Jennifer Fralic, Virginia “Val” Hillers, and Patricia Kendall
1-Dept. of Human Nutrition, The Ohio State University, 331A Campbell Hall, 1787 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH,
43210-1295, USA
2-The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1295, USA
3-Hospitality Management
Dept., Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH 43216, USA
4-Lifecare Alliance, 1699 West Mound St., Columbus, OH 43223, USA
5-Emeriti, Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Washington State University,
Pullman, WA 99164-6376, USA
6-Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University,
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1571, USA
SUMMARY
Adults over age 60 may be at risk for foodborne illnesses because
of normal changes of aging as well as morbidities that affect
susceptibility to infection, including foodborne pathogens. The
pathogens of greatest concern (Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella
species, E. coli O157, Campylobacter jejuni) can be destroyed by heat,
so it is critical that foods are cooked to safe temperatures. This study
investigated factors that may influence whether food is cooked
adequately by adults ≥ 60 years old. A needs assessment study found
that few of the subjects used food thermometers to ensure safe
cooking of food. In a subsequent study, food safety knowledge, attitude,
behavior and stage of readiness to change food-handling practices
improved (P ≤ .05) after a three-lesson educational intervention on
consequences of foodborne illnesses to health, ways to ensure that
foods are adequately cooked and a call to action to practice these
behaviors in the home. Despite the improvements seen, the majority
of participants did not, nor did they plan to, use food thermometers
to ensure adequate cooking of food. The improvements observed do
indicate, however, that relating the practice of safe food handling to
health can be effective in motivating the elderly to practice food safe
behaviors at home.
Characterizing Human Factor Risks in Food Processing
Agnes Ngale Lyonga-2, William E. Nganje-1, Timothy L. Sellnow-1, Steven J. Venette-2,
and Simeon Kaitibi-1
1-North Dakota State University, Box 5057, Fargo, ND 58105, USA
2-North Dakota State University,
Box 5636, Fargo, ND 58105, USA
SUMMARY
In 1984, a cult group used Salmonella Typhimurium to poison salad
bars at several Oregon restaurants, causing an outbreak of
salmonellosis. As a result, 751 people became ill. This act was described
by federal agencies as the first recorded event of agroterrorism
in the United States. The events of September 11, 2001, and the
subsequent anthrax incidents increased concerns about unconventional
terrorist attacks, including attacks on the US food supply,
especially during processing. This study uses survey data, cross
tabulations, and a discrete choice model to characterize human factor
risks within work groups and to determine the marginal effects of
factors affecting the probability of intentional contamination in turkey
processing. The results indicate that being aware of rules preventing
employees from carrying potentially dangerous materials onto the
work floor, punishments against acts of intentional contamination,
strictly following instructions to keep food safe and secure at work,
and employee perception that the plant functions as a high reliability
organization were significant determinants in minimizing intentional
food contamination. These results can provide guidance to processors
who wish to initiate policies that mitigate human factor risks and
sustain safer food
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