Why do consumers deviate from best microbiological food safety advice? An examination of ‘high-risk’ consumers on the island of Ireland

Brennan, Mary; McCarthy, Mary; Ritson, Christopher

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2006.12.006

Cited by 58 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…For example, if one neglected to wash knives, chopping board or their hands thoroughly and food poisoning did not occur, then food safety behaviours would not be followed the next time the individual prepared food. Also food safety behaviour had been suggested to be time consuming (Brennan et al, 2007), which may increase the likelihood of "short-cuts" being taken. Short-cuts can be unsafe behaviours such as not washing hands after preparing raw food and continue to prepare ready-toeat food.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Habit and past-experience have also been suggested as possible reasons for unsafe food behaviour (Brennan, McCarthy, & Ritson, 2007).…”

Section: Originality/valuementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Participants from a study on high-risk consumers (Brennan et al, 2007) acknowledged they periodically stray from safe food handling procedures. One commented that she had not given food poisoning to anyone, so her practices, even though unhygienic, must be correct.…”

Section: Originality/valuementioning

confidence: 99%

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Predicting food hygiene. An investigation of social factors and past behaviour in an extended model of the Health Action Process Approach

Chow

Mullan

2010

Appetite

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Habit and past-experience have also been suggested as possible reasons for unsafe food behaviour (Brennan, McCarthy, & Ritson, 2007).…”

Section: Originality/valuementioning

confidence: 99%

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Predicting food hygiene. An investigation of social factors and past behaviour in an extended model of the Health Action Process Approach

Chow

Mullan

2010

Appetite

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“…In studies from other countries, young men with higher education have been identified as the group with the most unsafe practices with regard to food safety (1,2,8,17,33,39,45,48,52). In addition to young men and elderly single men, Brennan et al (6) identified two additional high-risk groups with regard to microbiological food safety in Ireland: young women and older women (45 + years of age). The young women were not in paid employment and were without home economics training.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Food Safety Practices among Norwegian Consumers

Røssvoll

Lavik²,

Ueland

et al. 2013

Journal of Food Protection

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An informed consumer can compensate for several potential food safety violations or contaminations that may occur earlier in the food production chain. However, a consumer can also destroy the work of others in the chain by poor food handling practices, e.g., by storing chilled ready-to-eat foods at abusive temperatures. To target risk-reducing strategies, consumer groups with high-risk behavior should be identified. The aim of this study was to identify demographic characteristics associated with high-risk food handling practices among Norwegian consumers. More than 2,000 randomly selected Norwegian consumers were surveyed, and the results were analyzed with a risk-based grading system, awarding demerit points for self-reported food safety violations. The violations were categorized into groups, and an ordinary multiple linear regression analysis was run on the summarized demerit score for each group and for the entire survey group as a whole. Young and elderly men were identified as the least informed consumer groups with the most unsafe practices regarding food safety. Single persons reported poorer practices than those in a relationship. People with higher education reported poorer practices than those with lower or no education, and those living in the capital of Norway (Oslo) reported following more unsafe food practices than people living elsewhere in Norway. Men reported poorer food safety practices than women in all categories with two exceptions: parboiling raw vegetables before consumption and knowledge of refrigerator temperature. These findings suggest that risk-reducing measures should target men, and a strategy is needed to change their behavior and attitudes.

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“…One must take into account the individual's history and mind-set. Behaviors deviate from the appropriate norms due to past experience, habit, along with the extra time and effort required to comply (Brennan, McCarthy, & Ritson, 2007). There is also evidence (Frewer, Shepherd, & Sparks, 1994;Parry, Miles Group, 2004;Redmond & Griffith, 2003) that the resulting 'risky behavior' is associated with the phenomenon of optimistic bias (McKenna, 1993;Redmond & Griffith, 2004;Weinstein, 1980) or believing that one is likely to be less susceptible to foodborne illness in comparison to other people.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%