Although the incidence of foodborne illnesses has declined, thousands of cases are still reported in the United States. In conjunction with industry efforts to reduce foodborne pathogens, consumers play an important role in decreasing foodborne illnesses. To assess food safety knowledge and food handling behaviors of low-income, high-risk populations, a study was conducted with participants of the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). A survey was conducted with 1,598 clients from 87 WIC agencies nationwide. Descriptive statistics, chi-square analyses, t tests, and analyses of variance were calculated. A majority of respondents received food safety information from WIC (78.7%), family (63.1%), and television (60.7%). Most respondents recognized the necessity for washing and sanitizing cutting boards and utensils (94.3%), but only 66.1% knew the correct ways to sanitize. Using a thermometer to ensure doneness of meat was least recognized (23.7%) and used by even fewer respondents (7.7%). The majority (77.4%) used color of meat and/or juices when checking the doneness of ground beef items. Over half of the respondents (58.4%) used acceptable thawing methods, but many thawed frozen meats on the counter (21.0%) or in a sink filled with water (20.6%). There were significant differences in thawing methods, overall knowledge scores, and overall behavior scores among different racial and ethnic groups. White respondents had higher knowledge scores than did Hispanics, and blacks had lower behavior scores than did individuals in the other racial and ethnic groups. Results of the study suggested the need for food safety education for low-income consumers and different messages to be delivered to specific demographic groups.

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The objective of the study was to determine nitrate + nitrite excretions of human subjects fed variable amounts of nitrates and nitrites and vitamin C from fruits and vegetables. During four, randomly-arranged experimental periods of seven days each, the 12 apparently healthy, adult human subjects consumed laboratory controlled, constant, diets which were systematically varied in kinds of fruits and vegetable to provide the four following variations: 414 mg nitrate + nitrite and 23 mg vitamin C, 412 mg nitrate + nitrite and 177 mg vitamin C, 23 mg nitrate + nitrite and 39 mg vitamin C, and 21 mg nitrate + nitrite and 193 mg vitamin C per subject per day, respectively. Subjects made complete collections of urine and stools throughout the study. Regardless of type of experimental diet fed, no nitrates and nitrites were detected in the feces. Urinary excretion of nitrate + nitrite was significantly greater at the higher levels of nitrate + nitrite intake than at the lower intake levels. Increased intake of vitamin C at either level of nitrate + nitrite intake resulted in apparent decreased urinary excretions of nitrite + nitrate.

Benchmarking is an ongoing process that gathers information to evaluate the best practices and improve performance. Despite possible changes and benefits, research reporting current foodservice benchmarking is limited. A nationwide survey of foodservice administrators was conducted to determine current practices and administrators' attitudes toward benchmarking. A questionnaire was developed, validated by experts and pilot‐tested. Randomly selected, 600 foodservice administrators from health‐care, school, correctional and university facilities received questionnaires, and 121 provided usable data (20%). Food cost percentage, labor cost percentage, and percent customer satisfaction with service were the three most used measures. Benchmarking was regarded as important in performing most respondents' jobs (61%), but fewer indicated their benchmarking knowledge as being above average (48%). For training, 41% indicated needs for training on ways to collaborate with benchmarking partners. The majority preferred training through professional association meetings (70%) and Internet‐based training (69%). Results indicate opportunities for benchmarking training preferably through meetings and Internet.