Forcemeat Factoid: Risk Perceptions, Handling Practices, and Teaching Approaches of Chefs and Culinary Instructors

Given recent foodborne illness outbreaks associated with undercooked forcemeats (pâtés, terrines, roulades), there is a need to understand how chefs perceive and mitigate forcemeat risks and train their staff. There is also a need to understand how culinary instructors teach these concepts to future chefs. This study conducted two focus groups: one in person with chefs (2 current chefs; 1 former chef/current culinary instructor) and one virtual session with culinary instructors (6 total). Participants discussed their safety concerns surrounding forcemeats and shared how they teach forcemeat preparation to employees and students. Chef and culinary instructors’ top concerns were temperature control, shelf life, spoilage detection, cleaning, and ingredient sourcing. Both groups acknowledged the importance of cooking to safe endpoint temperatures and thermometer use, while recognizing that products are not always fully cooked. Chefs emphasized that certain forcemeat formulations can be cooked to a safe endpoint temperature while achieving the desired texture. This research identified the need for educational materials on forcemeat preparation specifically tailored to the learning needs of younger audiences. It also identified an opportunity for food safety extension educators to partner with culinary instructors/chefs to incorporate food safety messaging directly into recipes to specifically address cooking and handling/storage practices.