Consumer-Reported Handling of Raw Poultry Products at Home: Results from a National Survey

Abstract

Salmonella and Campylobacter cause an estimated combined total of 1.8 million foodborne infections each year in the United States. Most cases of salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis are associated with eating raw or undercooked poultry or with cross-contamination. Between 1998 and 2008, 20% of Salmonella and 16% of Campylobacter foodborne disease outbreaks were associated with food prepared inside the home. A nationally representative Web survey of U.S. adult grocery shoppers (n = 1,504) was conducted to estimate the percentage of consumers who follow recommended food safety practices when handling raw poultry at home. The survey results identified areas of low adherence to current recommended food safety practices: not washing raw poultry before cooking, proper refrigerator storage of raw poultry, use of a food thermometer to determine doneness, and proper thawing of raw poultry in cold water. Nearly 70% of consumers reported washing or rinsing raw poultry before cooking it, a potentially unsafe practice because "splashing" of contaminated water may lead to the transfer of pathogens to other foods and other kitchen surfaces. Only 17.5% of consumers reported correctly storing raw poultry in the refrigerator. Sixty-two percent of consumers own a food thermometer, and of these, 26% or fewer reported using one to check the internal temperature of smaller cuts of poultry and ground poultry. Only 11% of consumers who thaw raw poultry in cold water reported doing so correctly. The study results, coupled with other research findings, will inform the development of science-based consumer education materials that can help reduce foodborne illness from Salmonella and Campylobacter.

The Relationship between Human Campylobacteriosis and Broilers

“…32 In the USA, nearly 70% of consumers rinse raw poultry before cooking it and the majority of consumers (>80%) incorrectly store raw poultry in refrigerators. 33 This is extremely unsafe behaviour because of the potential cross-contamination of Campylobacter to other kitchen surfaces and other foods, especially ready-to-eat foods. 33 In the UK, outbreaks of Campylobacter infection are increasingly attributed to undercooked chicken livers, yet many recipes, including those of top chefs, advocate short cooking times and serving livers pink.…”

“…33 This is extremely unsafe behaviour because of the potential cross-contamination of Campylobacter to other kitchen surfaces and other foods, especially ready-to-eat foods. 33 In the UK, outbreaks of Campylobacter infection are increasingly attributed to undercooked chicken livers, yet many recipes, including those of top chefs, advocate short cooking times and serving livers pink. 34 It is estimated that 19%-52% of livers served commercially in the UK fail to reach 70°C, and that predicted Campylobacter survival rates are 48%-98%.…”

A US View on Antimicrobial Stewardship in Animal Agriculture

“…If meat is handled and cooked properly, exposure to the pathogen is reduced. However, in many cases, people do not follow food preparation guidelines, thus increasing their risk of illness [32,33]. Kosa et al surveyed 1504 grocery shoppers in the USA and found that only 17 % of the consumers stored raw poultry on the bottom shelf of their refrigerators in a sealed container or plastic bag and only 62 % of the consumers owned a food thermometer [32].…”

“…However, in many cases, people do not follow food preparation guidelines, thus increasing their risk of illness [32,33]. Kosa et al surveyed 1504 grocery shoppers in the USA and found that only 17 % of the consumers stored raw poultry on the bottom shelf of their refrigerators in a sealed container or plastic bag and only 62 % of the consumers owned a food thermometer [32]. Additionally, Bogard et al examined ground beef handling practices at 385 restaurants in eight states and reported that 77 % of the managers did not always measure the final cook temperature of hamburgers but instead used the appearance or texture of the hamburgers as an indicator of being "done," and 62 % of the restaurants had employees who did not wash their hands between handling raw ground beef and ready to eat foods [33].…”

Consumer practices for purchase, storage, and preparation of poultry and eggs in selected north and south american countries: a pilot study

“…Reviews of general food safety practices by consumers have stressed the importance of educating the consumer (2) and sometimes have found different results from surveys in comparison to observational studies (3). Studies on USA consumer purchase (4)(5), preparation (6), and storage practices (7)(8) have found that educated consumers are more likely to engage in risky food handling practices. Income, age, race, and gender are commonly collected demographics that could predict behavior characteristics.…”