In the past, food safety topics of public concern appeared to be limited to chemical contamination, pesticide residues, and the occasional case of stomach flu that made the victim miserable for a few hours. In recent years, the public has come to recognize that microbiological safety can have serious, long-term consequences. This paper traces the history of consumer food safety educational programs over the past three decades by examining food safety references and the content of educational material. Over this period, advice to the consumer has evolved from general guidelines to specific targeted messages. Changes in consumer knowledge and behavior, as indicated by surveys and actual observation, indicate that programs have had a positive but limited effect. These findings suggest that additional measures are required by the food production/processing and retail/food service industries to reduce the incidence of life-threatening foodborne illness. While this article focuses on ground beef, the findings apply to many food categories, including fresh produce.
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