Douglas A. Powell

Assessment of food safety practices of food service food handlers (risk assessment data): testing a communication intervention (evaluation of tools).

Globally, foodborne illness affects an estimated 30% of individuals annually. Meals prepared outside of the home are a risk factor for acquiring foodborne illness and have been implicated in up to 70% of traced outbreaks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called on food safety communicators to design new methods and messages aimed at increasing food safety risk-reduction practices from farm to fork. Food safety infosheets, a novel communication tool designed to appeal to food handlers and compel behavior change, were evaluated. Food safety infosheets were provided weekly to food handlers in working food service operations for 7 weeks. It was hypothesized that through the posting of food safety infosheets in highly visible locations, such as kitchen work areas and hand washing stations, that safe food handling behaviors of food service staff could be positively influenced. Using video observation, food handlers (n = 47) in eight food service operations were observed for a total of 348 h (pre- and postintervention combined). After the food safety infosheets were introduced, food handlers demonstrated a significant increase (6.7%, P < 0.05, 95% confidence interval) in mean hand washing attempts, and a significant reduction in indirect cross-contamination events (19.6%, P < 0.05, 95% confidence interval). Results of the research demonstrate that posting food safety infosheets is an effective intervention tool that positively influences the food safety behaviors of food handlers.

Audits and inspections are never enough: a critique to enhance food safety

Abstract Internal and external food safety audits are conducted to assess the safety and quality of food including on-farm production, manufacturing practices, sanitation, and hygiene. Some auditors are direct stakeholders that are employed by food establishments to conduct internal audits, while other auditors may represent the interests of a second-party purchaser or a third-party auditing agency. Some buyers conduct their own audits or additional testing, while some buyers trust the results of third-party audits or inspections. Third-party auditors, however, use various food safety audit standards and most do not have a vested interest in the products being sold. Audits are conducted under a proprietary standard, while food safety inspections are generally conducted within a legal framework. There have been many foodborne illness outbreaks linked to food processors that have passed third-party audits and inspections, raising questions about the utility of both. Supporters argue third-party audits are a way to ensure food safety in an era of dwindling economic resources. Critics contend that while external audits and inspections can be a valuable tool to help ensure safe food, such activities represent only a snapshot in time. This paper identifies limitations of food safety inspections and audits and provides recommendations for strengthening the system, based on developing a strong food safety culture, including risk-based verification steps, throughout the food safety system.

Government management of two media-facilitated crises involving dioxin contamination of food

Incidents become crises through a constant and intense public scrutiny facilitated by the media. Two incidents involving dioxin contamination of food led to crises in Belgium and the Republic of Ireland in 1999 and 2008, respectively. Thought to cause cancer in humans, dioxins reached the food supply in both incidents through the contamination of fat used for animal feed. The food and agricultural industries connected to each incident relied on crisis management activities of federal governments to limit adverse public reaction. Analysis of the management of the two crises by their respective federal governments, and a subsequent review of crisis management literature, led to the development of an effective crisis management model. Such a model, appropriately employed, may insulate industries associated with a crisis against damaged reputations and financial loss.

Behavior-change interventions to improve hand-hygiene practice: a review of alternatives to education

Despite the role of hand hygiene in preventing infectious disease, compliance remains low. Education and training are often cited as essential to developing and maintaining hand-hygiene compliance, but generally have not produced sustained improvements. Consequently, this literature review was conducted to identify alternative interventions for compelling change in hand-hygiene behavior. Of those, interventions employing social pressures have demonstrated varying influence on an individuals behavior, while interventions that focus on organizational culture have demonstrated positive results. However, recent research indicates that handwashing is a ritualized behavior mainly performed for self-protection. Therefore, interventions that provoke emotive sensations (e.g., discomfort, disgust) or use social marketing may be the most effective.

Development, implementation, and analysis of an on-farm food safety program for the production of greenhouse vegetables.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are increasingly recognized as vectors for foodborne illness. Consequently, an on-farm food safety program was developed, implemented, and analyzed for the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers in Ontario, Canada, during a 2 1/2-year period. This hazard analysis critical control point-based system was designed to reduce the potential of microbial contamination along the entire production and distribution process. Through the use of microbiological testing, on-site visits, and producer surveys, it was determined that the program has increased grower knowledge, understanding, and awareness of microbial risks associated with fresh produce and caused improvements in practices used within the greenhouse and packing sheds.

Observation of Public Health Risk Behaviours, Risk Communication and Hand Hygiene at Kansas and Missouri Petting Zoos – 2010–2011

Outbreaks of human illness have been linked to visiting settings with animal contact throughout developed countries. This study details an observational study of hand hygiene tool availability and recommendations; frequency of risky behaviour; and handwashing attempts by visitors in Kansas (9) and Missouri (4), USA, petting zoos. Handwashing signs and hand hygiene stations were available at the exit of animal‐contact areas in 10/13 and 8/13 petting zoos, respectively. Risky behaviours were observed being performed at all petting zoos by at least one visitor. Frequently observed behaviours were as follows: children (10/13 petting zoos) and adults (9/13 petting zoos) touching hands to face within animal‐contact areas; animals licking children’s and adults’ hands (7/13 and 4/13 petting zoos, respectively); and children and adults drinking within animal‐contact areas (5/13 petting zoos each). Of 574 visitors observed for hand hygiene when exiting animal‐contact areas, 37% (n = 214) of individuals attempted some type of hand hygiene, with male adults, female adults and children attempting at similar rates (32%, 40% and 37%, respectively). Visitors were 4.8× more likely to wash their hands when a staff member was present within or at the exit to the animal‐contact area (136/231, 59%) than when no staff member was present (78/343, 23%; P < 0.001, OR = 4.863, 95% CI = 3.380–6.998). Visitors at zoos with a fence as a partial barrier to human–animal contact were 2.3× more likely to wash their hands (188/460, 40.9%) than visitors allowed to enter the animals’ yard for contact (26/114, 22.8%; P < 0.001, OR = 2.339, 95% CI = 1.454–3.763). Inconsistencies existed in tool availability, signage and supervision of animal contact. Risk communication was poor, with few petting zoos outlining risks associated with animal contact, or providing recommendations for precautions to be taken to reduce these risks.

Potential of social media as a tool to combat foodborne illness.

The use of social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, has been increasing substantially in recent years and has affected the way that people access information online. Social media rely on high levels of interaction and user-generated context shared through established and evolving social networks. Health information providers must know how to successfully participate through social media in order to meet the needs of these online audiences. This article reviews the current research on the use of social media for public health communication and suggests potential frameworks for developing social media strategies. The extension to food safety risk communication is explored, considering the potential of social media as a tool to combat foodborne illness.

Original Research: Evaluation of a Hand Hygiene Campaign in Outpatient Health Care Clinics

ObjectiveTo improve hand hygiene in two outpatient health care clinics through the introduction of a gel sanitizer and an informational poster. MethodsIn this interventional study, health care workers at two outpatient clinics were observed for frequency of hand hygiene (attempts versus opportunities). Gel sanitizer and informational posters were introduced together as an intervention. Direct observation of the frequency of hand hygiene was performed during baseline, intervention, and follow-up. A poststudy survey of health care workers was also distributed and collected. ResultsIn both clinics, the frequency of hand hygiene was poor at baseline (11% and 21%) but improved significantly after intervention (36% and 54%) and was maintained through the follow-up period (32% and 51%). Throughout the study, postcontact hand hygiene was observed significantly more often than precontact hand hygiene. In both clinics, health care workers reported a preference for soap and water; yet observations showed that when the intervention made gel sanitizer available, sanitizer use predominated. Fifty percent of the surveyed health care workers considered the introduction of gel sanitizer to be an effective motivating tool for improving hand hygiene. ConclusionsHand hygiene performance by health care workers in outpatient clinics may be improved through promoting the use of gel sanitizer and using informational posters. Compared with surveys, direct observation by trained observers may provide more accurate information about worker preferences for hand hygiene tools.

Coverage of organic agriculture in North American newspapers: Media: linking food safety, the environment, human health and organic agriculture

Purpose – The project explored the ways in which the topics of organic food and agriculture are discussed in representative North American media outlets in reference to food safety, environmental concerns, and human health.Design/methodology/approach – Articles from five newspapers were collected and coded using the content analysis technique and analyzed for topic, tone, and theme.Findings – For a six‐year time period, 618 articles on organic food and organic agriculture are analyzed and the prominent topics are found to be genetic engineering, pesticides, and organic farming. Articles with a neutral tone with respect to organic agriculture and food accounted for 41.4 percent of the articles, while positively toned articles garnered 36.9 percent. The themes human health, food safety, and environmental concerns were discussed with positive reference to organic food and agriculture in 81, 50, and 90 percent, respectively, of comments pulled from the articles.Practical implications – Analysis of these artic...

Best practices for planning events encouraging human-animal interactions.

Educational events encouraging human–animal interaction include the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. It is estimated that 14% of all disease in the USA caused by Campylobacter spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157, non‐O157 STECs, Listeria monocytogenes, non‐typhoidal Salmonella enterica and Yersinia enterocolitica were attributable to animal contact. This article reviews best practices for organizing events where human–animal interactions are encouraged, with the objective of lowering the risk of zoonotic disease transmission.