Page 93 - Petelin, Ana. 2020. Ed. Zdravje delovno aktivne populacije / Health of the Working-Age Population. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 93
wn in a survey of American consumers, where 42 % of respondents have a ensuring safe food preparation among slovenian consumers 91
thermometer in the refrigerator, with an average temperature of 3.6 °C (Food
and Drug Administration, 2010). The average temperature stated by the sur-
veyed consumers in our study is slightly higher and amounts to 5.4 °C. Half
of the respondents stated that they are not familiar with the temperatures in
home refrigerators. 40 % of the respondents never check the temperature, fol-
lowed by those who check the temperature when the food is too hot or too cold
to the touch.
The questionnaire results show that slightly less than half of the respond-
ents defrost food at room temperature, while the rest carry out the procedure
correctly, in the refrigerator, under running cold water or in the microwave ov-
en. Lower results were reported by Sterniša et al. (2018) and Jevšnik et al. (2008),
where almost three quarters (73 %) or half (50 %) of respondents thawed frozen
meat at room temperature. Studies from abroad found that meat is thawed at
room temperature by 44 % of Nigerian consumers (Adebowale et al., 2017), 47
% of African and Asian consumers (Odeyemi et al., 2019) and 73 % of consult-
ed Belgian consumers (Stratev et al., 2017), as well as more than half of Turkish
consumers (Ergonul, 2013).
The best knowledge of microorganisms that can cause foodborne diseas-
es is shown in consumers younger than 35 years, which can be attributed to the
fact that they have greater access to information than older consumers. In gen-
eral, the knowledge of pathogenic microorganisms is poor. More than half of
the surveyed consumers know only two types of bacteria, namely Salmonel-
la and Escherichia coli O157, which is more than noted by Gong et al. (2016), as
more than half of Chinese consumers have never heard of these bacteria.
Conclusion
The study provided insight into consumer knowledge about how to ensure
food safety when working with food at home. Deficiencies were found in the
consumers’ knowledge regarding food defrosting procedures, food hygiene,
knowledge about pathogenic microorganisms in food, the use of thermome-
ters in refrigerators and checking the core temperature of food during heat
treatment. The highest level of knowledge was shown by consumers aged 36 to
55, in particularly female showed better performance. Respondents are large-
ly convinced that foodborne infections occur primarily in restaurants, not at
home. Statistics by the European Food Safety Authority show just the opposite.
The largest share of infections occur at the end of the chain, on the consumers’
side. It is therefore necessary to raise the awareness in all age groups of con-
sumers and provide systemic education of children and adolescents about en-
suring food safety during the purchase and in handling food at home.
Only in this way will young consumers become responsible and aware of
the fact that they are the last link in the food safety chain, obliged to handle
food safely and in accordance with producers’ requirements.
thermometer in the refrigerator, with an average temperature of 3.6 °C (Food
and Drug Administration, 2010). The average temperature stated by the sur-
veyed consumers in our study is slightly higher and amounts to 5.4 °C. Half
of the respondents stated that they are not familiar with the temperatures in
home refrigerators. 40 % of the respondents never check the temperature, fol-
lowed by those who check the temperature when the food is too hot or too cold
to the touch.
The questionnaire results show that slightly less than half of the respond-
ents defrost food at room temperature, while the rest carry out the procedure
correctly, in the refrigerator, under running cold water or in the microwave ov-
en. Lower results were reported by Sterniša et al. (2018) and Jevšnik et al. (2008),
where almost three quarters (73 %) or half (50 %) of respondents thawed frozen
meat at room temperature. Studies from abroad found that meat is thawed at
room temperature by 44 % of Nigerian consumers (Adebowale et al., 2017), 47
% of African and Asian consumers (Odeyemi et al., 2019) and 73 % of consult-
ed Belgian consumers (Stratev et al., 2017), as well as more than half of Turkish
consumers (Ergonul, 2013).
The best knowledge of microorganisms that can cause foodborne diseas-
es is shown in consumers younger than 35 years, which can be attributed to the
fact that they have greater access to information than older consumers. In gen-
eral, the knowledge of pathogenic microorganisms is poor. More than half of
the surveyed consumers know only two types of bacteria, namely Salmonel-
la and Escherichia coli O157, which is more than noted by Gong et al. (2016), as
more than half of Chinese consumers have never heard of these bacteria.
Conclusion
The study provided insight into consumer knowledge about how to ensure
food safety when working with food at home. Deficiencies were found in the
consumers’ knowledge regarding food defrosting procedures, food hygiene,
knowledge about pathogenic microorganisms in food, the use of thermome-
ters in refrigerators and checking the core temperature of food during heat
treatment. The highest level of knowledge was shown by consumers aged 36 to
55, in particularly female showed better performance. Respondents are large-
ly convinced that foodborne infections occur primarily in restaurants, not at
home. Statistics by the European Food Safety Authority show just the opposite.
The largest share of infections occur at the end of the chain, on the consumers’
side. It is therefore necessary to raise the awareness in all age groups of con-
sumers and provide systemic education of children and adolescents about en-
suring food safety during the purchase and in handling food at home.
Only in this way will young consumers become responsible and aware of
the fact that they are the last link in the food safety chain, obliged to handle
food safely and in accordance with producers’ requirements.
