Characterization of raw egg and poultry handling practices among minority consumers

Purpose – Consumers of minority race/ethnicity in the US experience greater rates of foodborne illness, including Salmonellosis and Campylobacteriosis. Previous focus group research with minority consumers identified food handling and purchasing practices which might increase their risk for foodborne illness. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether practices identified in focus groups were common among a larger sample of the population. Design/methodology/approach – A survey including focus group-derived, culturally themed questions about food handling was developed and administered. Phone surveys were administered in English, Spanish, and Chinese from September-November of 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Findings – Minority consumers were significantly more likely than Caucasian consumers (p < 0.05) to purchase live poultry and to purchase eggs unrefrigerated. Minority consumers were also more likely to report cooking offals and cooking a whole turkey overnight. Washing raw poultry was found to a prevalent behavior (85.7-89.1 percent) among Caucasians as well as minority consumers (95.0-97.9 percent). Research limitations/implications – This research surveyed consumers in a limited geographic area therefore results may not be generalizable to other geographic areas. Originality/value – The existence of unique unsafe food handling practices among minority consumers highlights the need for researchers to understand food handling practices of minority consumers in their countries. It also highlights the need to develop culturally appropriate safe food handling messages for immigrant and minority consumers. Additionally there is a need to better advise all consumers not to wash raw poultry.