Seafood safety at home: knowledge and practices

In this study, knowledge of Turkish consumers’ (n=1000) on food safety were surveyed, as well as their food handling practices at home, via street interviews. The participants were questioned as “do you cook at home?” and surveys applied to the positive responders. The survey was focused on seafood, since it is a high-risk food. Participants were asked about purchasing and storage practices, kitchen habits and personal hygiene. Since mostly the women prepare food at home kitchen, the men were not included to the survey and only the women were questioned.The positive responses to the statements leaving raw seafood on counter until cooking, using same cutting board for cooked and raw seafood and using a wooden cutting board, were 56.8%, 48.2% and 55.8%, respectively. Almost half of the respondents (47.7%) decaled they never or rarely pay attention whether the fish is chilled or not during shopping, and majority of them (57%) mostly ask fish retailer to eviscerate fish in the open bazaar.Consumer education is essential to improve knowledge and good practices. Consumer educators should primarily focus on the purchase conditions, equipment hygiene in home kitchen and preventing cross-contamination to improve food safety at home. Therefore, improving food safety at home will be possible.
Source: International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science - Category: Food Science Source Type: research