A Closer Look at Changes in High-Risk Food-Handling Behaviors and Perceptions of Primary Food Handlers at Home in South Korea across Time

Abstract

Food-handling behaviors and risk perceptions among primary food handlers were investigated by consumer surveys from different subjects in 2010 (N = 609; 1st survey will be called here “Year 2010”) and 2019 (N = 605; 2nd survey will be called here “Year 2019”). Year 2010 was characterized by consumers’ risk perception-behavior gap (i.e., consumers knew safe methods for food-handling, but responses regarding the behaviors did not support their confidence in food safety): they 1) did not wash/trim foods before storage, 2) thawed frozen foods at room temperature, and 3) exposed leftovers to danger zone temperatures. These trends were not improved and the gaps in Year 2010 remained in Year 2019. Year 2010 was also characterized by other common high-risk behaviors improved during 8 years for the following aspects: 1) 70.0% of consumers divided a large portion of food into smaller pieces for storage, but few consumers (12.5%) labeled divided foods with relevant information, and 2) they excessively reused kitchen utensils. Whereas in Year 2019, more consumers (25.7%) labeled food and usage periods for kitchen utensils were shortened. Consumers usually conformed to food safety rules in both Year 2010 and 2019: 1) separate storage of foods, 2) storage of foods in the proper places/periods, 3) washing fruits/vegetables before eating, 4) washing hands after handling potentially hazardous foods, and 5) cooking foods and reheating leftovers to eat. Our findings provided resources for understanding consumers’ high-risk behaviors/perceptions at home, highlighting the importance of behavioral control.

Knowledge Attitude and Practice of Food Handlers Regarding Food Safety Practices District Kohat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

“…Acute gastroenteritis is a type of food poisoning that causes abdominal aches, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, and headache [8]. Food-borne infections have become more common, and are commonly associated with outbreaks, posing a threat to global public health and raising international concern [9] [10].…”

Current Trends in Food Health and Safety in Cross-Cultural Sensory and Consumer Science

“…In relation to the area of high-risk food handling behaviors and consumer perception of food safety issues in these contexts, Cho et al (2020) investigated behaviors and risk perceptions across time in South Korea among primary food handlers [17]. The authors gathered data in 2010 and 2019, and present that 2010 was characterized by a consumers' risk perception-behavior disconnect, that is consumers believed they knew very well what the safest methods for food handling were, but responses regarding their behaviors did not support their confidence in the actual safety of their food.…”

“…Specifically, we have brought together articles that encompass the wide scope of cross-cultural multidisciplinary research as alluded to above with perspectives in the space related to the determination of the key factors involved. The articles included can be considered to cover stakeholders in cross-cultural perception, from the senses, with respect to differences in sensitivity [ 7 , 8 , 9 ], on to consumer preferences [ 10 , 11 , 12 ], food pleasure and appetite [ 13 , 14 ], perception of food quality and safety [ 15 , 16 , 17 ], and finally key factors in relation to consumer adoption and label information in the market itself [ 18 , 19 ]. This collection of articles is in essence a snapshot of the wide focus and general relevance of sensory and consumer science in cross-cultural studies in food health and safety and we hope it inspires researchers to consider this very interesting and ever-growing space in their future work.…”