Consumer Home Refrigeration Practices: Results of a Web-Based Survey

2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (7) ◽  
pp. 1640-1649 ◽  
Author(s):  
KATHERINE M. KOSA ◽  
SHERYL C. CATES ◽  
SHAWN KARNS ◽  
SANDRIA L. GODWIN ◽  
DELORES CHAMBERS
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Bacterial Growth ◽  
Quality And Safety ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The U.S

To reduce bacterial growth and to ensure the quality and safety of food products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advise consumers to clean their refrigerators regularly, use a refrigerator thermometer, and keep refrigerator temperatures at 40°F (4.4°C) or below. We conducted a nationally representative Web-enabled survey (n = 2,060) to collect data on refrigerator thermometer ownership, home refrigerator temperatures, and the frequency of home refrigerator cleaning. We stratified the sample to provide results for pregnant women, older adults (60 years or older), and the remaining population. About half of all respondents had cleaned their refrigerators at least 1 month before the survey. Only 11% of all respondents had a thermometer in their refrigerator before the survey. Older adults (77.5%) were more likely than the remaining population (70.4%) to have their refrigerators at the recommended temperature (P < 0.01). Older adults who were not married and who lived alone were less likely to have refrigerator thermometers and to have their refrigerators at a recommended temperature (P < 0.05). For all respondents, those who had previously owned a refrigerator thermometer were more likely to have their refrigerators at the recommended temperature than were respondents who did not previously own a thermometer (P < 0.01). Food safety educators can use the survey findings and results of previous research to target educational materials and help consumers, especially those at risk for listeriosis, to safely store refrigerated foods at home.

scholarly journals THE DIFFERENTIAL INFLUENCE OF REGIONAL CONTEXT ON LATER-LIFE HEALTH AND MORTALITY

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S806-S806
Author(s):  
Alicia Riley
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Health Effect ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Life Course Perspective ◽  
The South ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Health And Mortality ◽  
The U.S

Abstract This study examines regional disparities in later life health from a life course perspective. To sort out when and how region influences health over the life course, I focus on the sharp contrast between the South and the rest of the U.S. in health and mortality. I draw on data from the National Life Health and Aging Project (NSHAP), a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults in the U.S., to estimate the differential risk of multiple health outcomes and mortality by regional trajectory. I find that older adults who leave the South are worse off in multiple outcomes than those who stay. I also find evidence of a protective health effect of community cohesion and dense social networks for the Southerners who stay in the South. My results suggest that regional trajectory influences health in later life through its associations with socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, and social rootedness.

Determination of Pentachlorophenol in Animal Tissues: A Canadian Perspective

1990 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 838-841
Author(s):  
James D Macneil ◽  
John R Patterson ◽  
Adrian C Fesser ◽  
Valerie K Martz
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Animal Tissue ◽  
Animal Tissues ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
National Surveys ◽  
Relative Standard ◽  
Canadian Perspective ◽  
Inspection Service ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Analytical methods for pentachlorophenol (PCP) residues In edible animal tissue have been reviewed, with particular reference to gas chromatographic methods of analysis. Results of analyses demonstrate that significant residues of PCP can persist for several weeks In animals exposed to contaminated bedding. National surveys In Canada have found that the incidence of PCP residues In pork in excess of 0.1 ppm was reduced from 32% of survey samples In 1981- 1982 to 6.6% of samples tested In 1987-1988. An Interlaboratory sample exchange among Canadian laboratories demonstrated that the PCP analytical method currently used by Agriculture Canada could be successfully transferred to other laboratories. An exchange of samples between regulatory laboratories of Agriculture Canada and the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) demonstrated equivalency of results for the 2 methods currently used in the respective laboratories, with relative standard deviations for analytical results ranging from 4.4 to 22.2%.

scholarly journals Consumer Behaviors, Knowledge, and Perceptions Related to the Nutrition Facts Label: Findings From the 2019 FDA Food Safety and Nutrition Survey (FSANS)

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 995-995
Author(s):  
Fanfan Wu ◽  
Amy Lando ◽  
Linda Verrill ◽  
Martine Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Drug Administration ◽  
Food And Drug Administration ◽  
General Idea ◽  
Nutrition Survey ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Future Data ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Data Collections ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Objectives To get a better understanding of consumers’ use, understanding, and perceptions of the Nutrition Facts label and to provide information to facilitate effective consumer education and ultimately encourage healthier dietary choices. Methods The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fielded the 2019 FDA Food Safety and Nutrition Survey (FSANS) in the fall of 2019, sampling from U.S. adult consumers to collect data on consumers’ self-reported practices, knowledge and attitudes related to food safety, health, diet, and nutrition. The survey is nationally representative and a total of 2199 respondents completed the nutrition questions. Frequencies and ANOVAs were performed on the nine Nutrition Facts label-related questions on the survey. Results We find that 87% of U.S. adult consumers reported having looked at the Nutrition Facts label on food packages. Overall, the top three common uses of the label include: to see how high or low the food is in things like calories, salt, vitamins, or fat; to get a general idea of the nutritional content of the food; and to compare different food items with each other. The top four items consumers look for while looking at the label are calories, total sugars, sodium, and serving size. We also find that consumers’ use, knowledge, and perceptions of the Nutrition Facts label differ by variables such as age, gender, education, and body mass index (BMI). Conclusions Our findings provide important information for education and other messaging efforts related to the Nutrition Facts label. Additionally, this is the first FDA survey where consumers were shown an image of the new Nutrition Facts label; therefore, these findings can serve as a reference point for future data collections. Funding Sources The 2019 FSANS was funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Self-reported disposal of leftover opioids among US adults 50–80

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (12) ◽  
pp. 949-954
Author(s):  
Calista M Harbaugh ◽  
Preeti Malani ◽  
Erica Solway ◽  
Matthias Kirch ◽  
Dianne Singer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Opioid Prescription ◽  
Web Based ◽  
The Past ◽  
National Poll ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Opioid Medications

ObjectiveTo test the association between self-reported opioid disposal education and self-reported disposal of leftover opioids among older adults.DesignWeb-based survey from the National Poll on Healthy Aging (March 2018) using population-based weighting for nationally representative estimates.SubjectsOlder adults aged 50–80 years who reported filling an opioid prescription within the past 2 years.MethodsRespondents were asked whether they received education from a prescriber or pharmacist on how to dispose of leftover opioids and whether they disposed of leftover opioids from recent prescriptions. The association between self-reported opioid disposal education and self-reported disposal of leftover opioids was estimated with multivariable logistic regression, testing for interactions with respondent demographics.ResultsAmong 2013 respondents (74% response rate), 596 (28.9% (26.8%–31.2%)) were prescribed opioids within the past 2 years. Education on opioid disposal was reported by 40.1% of respondents (35.8%–44.5%). Among 295 respondents with leftover medication, 19.0% (14.6%–24.5%) disposed of the leftover medications. Opioid disposal education was associated with a greater likelihood of self-reported disposal of leftover opioids among non-white respondents as compared with white non-Hispanic respondents (36.7% (16.8%–56.6%) vs 7.8% (0.1%–15.6%), p<0.01).ConclusionsIn this nationally representative survey, 49% had leftover opioids, yet only 20% of older adults reported disposal of leftover opioids. Opioid disposal education was variable in delivery, but was associated with disposal behaviors among certain populations. Strategies to promote disposal should integrate patient education on the risks of leftover opioid medications and explore additional barriers to accessing opioid disposal methods.

scholarly journals Consumer Education Needed on Norovirus Prevention and Control: Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey of U.S. Adults

2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 484-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHERYL C. CATES ◽  
KATHERINE M. KOSA ◽  
JENNA E. BROPHY ◽  
ARON J. HALL ◽  
ANGELA FRASER
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
The United States ◽  
Safety Education ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Food Safety Education ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Transmission Prevention ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
And Control

Noroviruses (NoVs) are the leading cause of foodborne disease in the United States; however, little is known about consumers' knowledge of NoV infection and their understanding of how to prevent and control associated illness. A nationally representative Web-enabled panel survey of U.S. adults (n = 1,051) was conducted to collect information on consumers' awareness and knowledge of NoVs. Respondents who had heard of NoVs were asked 22 true-and-false questions on the transmission, prevention, and control of NoVs. Forty-seven percent of respondents reported awareness of NoVs, and 85% of respondents had heard of the terms “cruise ship virus,” “the stomach bug,” or “the stomach flu,” which are commonly used to describe NoVs. Of those respondents who had previously heard of NoV or other terms used by consumers to describe NoV (n = 948), 36% correctly answered 11 or more of the 22 true-and-false questions, suggesting that consumers have limited knowledge on how to prevent and control NoV infection. Most consumers do not understand that the primary mode of transmission for NoV infection is fecal to oral, and many have the misperception that meat and poultry are sources of NoV infection. There is the need to educate consumers about how to prevent and control NoV infection. Although there is a proliferation of food safety education materials available, most focus on foodborne bacteria rather than viruses. The survey results will be used to revise existing consumer food safety educational materials to include information on NoV prevention and control.

An assessment of reference method selective broths and plating media using 19 Listeria spp. highlights the importance of including diverse species in Listeria spp. method evaluations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catharine R Carlin ◽  
Sherry Roof ◽  
Martin Wiedmann
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Growth ◽  
Reference Method ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Method Performance ◽  
The Media ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Selection Of

Reference methods developed for L. monocytogenes are commonly used for Listeria spp. detection. Improved method performance data are needed, since the genus Listeria has expanded from 6 to 26 species and now includes several Listeria sensu lato species, which can show phenotypes distinct from Listeria sensu stricto . Here, we evaluated growth of 19 Listeria spp., including 12 recently described sensu lato species, using the media specified by (i) the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Bacteriological Analytical Manual , (ii) the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook , and (iii) the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The FDA enrichment procedure allowed all species to grow to detectable levels (≥ 4 log 10 ), yielded the highest mean growth (7.58 log 10 ), and was the only procedure where no sensu lato species yielded significantly higher bacterial growth than a sensu stricto species. With the USDA or ISO enrichment procedures several sensu lato species yielded significantly higher bacterial growth than either L. seeligeri or L. ivanovii , suggesting that these two sensu stricto species could be outgrown by sensu lato species. On selective and differential agars, L. seeligeri, L. ivanovii, and L. grayi yielded atypical colony morphologies and/or showed inhibited growth (which may lead to incorrect classification of a sample as negative), while several newly described sensu lato species grew well and showed typical morphologies. Overall, our study shows that the ability to detect different Listeria spp. can be impacted by the specific broth and selective and differential agars used. Our data will aid with selection of media and detection methods for environmental Listeria monitoring programs and facilitate selection of methods that are most likely to detect the targeted Listeria groups (e.g., Listeria sensu stricto, which appear to be the most appropriate index organisms for the pathogen L. monocytogenes ).

Investigating the Suitability of Semicarbazide as an Indicator of Preharvest Nitrofurazone Use in Raw Chicken

2020 ◽  
Vol 83 (8) ◽  
pp. 1368-1373
Author(s):  
JOHN JOHNSTON ◽  
RANDOLPH DUVERNA ◽  
MICHAEL WILLIAMS ◽  
RITA KISHORE ◽  
CATALINA YEE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Contact Time ◽  
Frozen Storage ◽  
Trading Partner ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Antimicrobial Interventions ◽  
Inspection Service ◽  
Processing Steps ◽  
The U.S

ABSTRACT Semicarbazide (SEM) is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's official marker for nitrofurazone use in food animals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service conducted a study to evaluate the source of SEM that was identified by a U.S. trading partner in a subset of chicken samples presented for inspection, even though nitrofurazone has been banned from use in U.S. food-producing animals since 2002. The study design included analyses to detect and quantify total and bound SEM in chicken collected from the eight U.S. establishments that were associated with the reported detection of SEM. Samples were collected immediately following evisceration, chilling, and cutting carcass into parts (cut-up). Although antimicrobial interventions (processes to reduce pathogen concentrations) are typically used at all three of these processing steps, the product contact time during chilling is significantly longer (hours versus seconds) than during evisceration and cut-up. In addition, parts were analyzed after 0, 10, 20, and 30 days of frozen storage. No postevisceration samples tested positive for SEM; however, most samples collected postchilling and after cut-up tested positive. The absence of SEM in postevisceration samples and detection in the subsequent postchilling samples and after the cut-up samples suggest that the detection of SEM in the sampled products is not indicative of preharvest nitrofurazone use and may be a result of postharvest processing in these establishments. HIGHLIGHTS

scholarly journals Neighborhood age structure and cognitive function in a nationally-representative sample of older adults in the U.S.

2017 ◽  
Vol 174 ◽  
pp. 149-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther M. Friedman ◽  
Regina A. Shih ◽  
Mary E. Slaughter ◽  
Margaret M. Weden ◽  
Kathleen A. Cagney
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Representative Sample ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The U.S

Consumer Knowledge, Storage, and Handling Practices Regarding Listeria in Frankfurters and Deli Meats: Results of a Web-Based Survey

2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 1630-1639 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHERYL C. CATES ◽  
ROBERTA A. MORALES ◽  
SHAWN A. KARNS ◽  
LEE-ANN JAYKUS ◽  
KATHERINE M. KOSA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Predictive Models ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Consumer Knowledge ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Consumer Awareness ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Handling Practices ◽  
The U.S

Proper storage and handling of refrigerated ready-to-eat foods can help reduce the risk of listeriosis. A national Web-based survey was conducted to measure consumer awareness and knowledge of Listeria and to estimate the prevalence of the U.S. Department of Agriculture–recommended consumer storage and handling practices for frankfurters and deli meats. The demographic characteristics of consumers who are unaware of Listeria and who do not follow the recommended storage guidelines were also assessed. In addition, predictive models were developed to determine which consumers engage in risky storage practices. Less than half of the consumers surveyed were aware of Listeria, and most of those aware were unable to identify associated food vehicles. Awareness was lower among adults 60 years of age and older, an at-risk population for listeriosis, and individuals with relatively less education and lower incomes. Most households safely stored and prepared frankfurters. Most households stored unopened packages of vacuum-packed deli meats in the refrigerator within the U.S. Department of Agriculture–recommended storage guidelines (≤14 days); however, many stored opened packages of vacuum-packed deli meats and freshly sliced deli meats for longer than the recommended time (≤5 days). Men, more-educated individuals, and individuals living in metropolitan areas were more likely to engage in risky storage practices. This study identified the need to develop targeted educational initiatives on listeriosis prevention.

scholarly journals Associations Between Physical Activity and Living Alone: Are There Differences by Gender?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 495-496
Author(s):  
Jianjia Cheng ◽  
Emily Nicklett
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Health Behavior Change ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Metabolic Equivalents ◽  
Lifestyle Questionnaire ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Nearly one in three adults aged 65 and older live alone in the U.S. Despite this increasing trend, there remains little understanding regarding the relationship between living alone and physical activity (PA) in older adulthood. Is living alone a risk factor for lower levels of PA among older adults? The effects of living arrangements on health behaviors could differ by gender; however, findings from prior studies on this topic have been mixed or inconclusive. This is one of few studies to examine whether PA is associated with living alone (vs. living with others) and whether the association differs by gender using longitudinal data. Our data were drawn from 2006-2014 Psychosocial and Lifestyle Questionnaire of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative sample of older adults in the U.S. (N=17371, mean age=75.4). PA was measured repeatedly using metabolic equivalents of task (MET) estimated values accounting for the vigor and frequency of self-reported PA (range 0-31). Using mixed-effects linear regression, we found that living alone was significantly associated with higher levels of PA (Coeff.: 0.41, p&lt;0.001). When examined separately by gender, living alone was associated with significantly higher PA among women (Coeff.: 0.47, p&lt;0.001) but not among men (Coeff.: 0.29, p=0.14) after controlling for marital status, other sociodemographic characteristics, and health-related indicators. Our study provides evidence of gendered differences in initiating and maintaining health behavior change in relation to living arrangements. Findings provide implications for the design of PA promotion programs and policies for older adults.

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