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Food Protection Trends
Abstracts - February 2006
Implementation of Listeria
Controls by Ready-to-Eat
Seafood Processors Following
a National Workshop Series
Use of Behavioral Change
Theories in Development
of Educational Materials
to Promote Food Thermometer
Use
Implementation of Listeria
Controls by Ready-to-Eat
Seafood Processors Following
a National Workshop Series
Ken Gall-1, Virginia N. Scott-2, Robert Collette-3, Doris Hicks-4 and Martin Wiedmann-5
1-New York Sea Grant and Cornell Cooperative Extension, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
2-Food Products Association, Washington, D.C. 20005, USA
3-National Fisheries Institute, McLean, VA 22102, USA
4-University of Delaware Sea
Grant College Program, Lewes, DE 19958, USA
5-Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
14853, USA
SUMMARY
A series of five workshops was conducted in 2003 to help processors of ready-to-eat (RTE) seafood
products implement appropriate in-plant controls to minimize the potential for finished product contamination
with the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. A total of 170 individuals attended these workshops: 94
from firms that process smoked fish, crawfish, crabs, clams and other RTE seafood products;
60 from federal and state government agencies; and 16 from trade associations, universities or other service
providers. Approximately two-thirds of the industry attendees had implemented some Listeria controls prior
to attending the workshop, but one-third had not. A follow-up mail evaluation survey was sent to workshop
attendees 8 months after the first workshop was held, and 59 individuals (37% overall response rate) returned
a completed evaluation survey, including 25 processors of RTE seafood products (40% of the firms that
attended). Approximately 80% of the firms who responded to this follow-up survey reported that they had
modified their existing Listeria controls or implemented new controls since attending the workshop. These
controls included conducting employee-training programs, modifying sanitation procedures, implementing
new employee policies, changing the location of processing steps, changing or implementing a Listeria testing
program, and investing in equipment or facility upgrades to facilitate control of Listeria monocytogenes. Eleven
firms provided information on the resources they had devoted to Listeria controls in their operation. The
mean reported expenditure for the 6-to-8 month period after respondents attended the workshop was
$19,411, with a range of $1,200 to $75,000. The mean reported annual cost of all Listeria controls was
$25,032, with a range of $6,000 to $84,000..
Use of Behavioral Change
Theories in Development
of Educational Materials
to Promote Food Thermometer
Use
Zena M. Edwards-1, Masami T. Takeuchi-2, Virginia N. Hillers-3, Sandra M. McCurdy-4, and Miriam Edlefsen-5
1-Nutrition Education and Food Safety Faculty, Washington State University, Thurston County Extension,
Lacey, WA 98503, USA
2-Food Quality and Safety with the Food Quality and Standards Service, (ESNS), Food
and Nutrition Division, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
(UN), Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy
3-Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Washington
State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6376, USA
4-School of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Idaho,
Moscow, ID 83843-3183, USA
5-Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Washington State University,
Pullman, WA 99164-6376, USA
SUMMARY
Although visual methods are inadequate to determine safe endpoint cooking temperatures of meats
such as ground beef, consumers often rely on color and texture. Fewer than 6% of American consumers use
a food thermometer when cooking small cuts of meat. Most people are unaware of how to insert a food
thermometer into small cuts and of recommended endpoint temperatures. Behavioral change theories (Health
Belief Model and Stages of Change Model) were used in developing educational materials to promote food
thermometer use. A majority of the 295 people who received the materials and returned a completed postsurvey
rated all materials as easy to understand and useful in explaining how and why to use a thermometer.
The brochure and video, which contained information targeted toward people who do not use a thermometer,
were rated higher than the recipe cards regarding effectiveness in helping people learn about thermometer
use. The video, which also contained information about selection and use of thermometers, was ranked most
useful and most motivating by the small portion of consumers who were using thermometers prior to
receiving the educational materials. Increased use of food thermometers and improved knowledge about and
attitudes toward food thermometers were reported.
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