North Carolina State University (NCSU) and RTI International were contracted by FSIS and USDA to conduct meal preparation studies in actual food preparation situations to better evaluate consumer food handling behaviors. In the first part of a 5 part study, researchers focused on consumer use of food thermometers when cooking ground turkey patties.
Six test kitchens were set up in both urban and rural areas of North Carolina. Before preparing a meal in the kitchen participants were randomized into the treatment or control group. A total of 383 people participated in the study, 201 in the control group and 182 in the treatment group. The treatment group watched a 3- minute USDA food safety video on using a food thermometer to check the internal temperatures of food when cooking while the control group received no information. Cameras in the kitchens observed participant activity, specifically looking at use of the thermometer to check temperatures, final cooking temperature of the turkey burger, potential points of cross contamination and handwashing practices.
The full article can be viewed at https://extension.psu.edu/