Content Analysis of Food Safety Practices on the Food Network
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1 Running head: Television food safety content 2 3 4 A Content Analysis of Food Safety Measures 5 on Television’s Food Network 6 7 Erica Goss Irlbeck, M.S.1* 8 Texas Tech University 9 Box 42131 10 Lubbock, TX 79409 11 12 Cindy Akers, Ed.D. 13 Texas Tech University 14 Box 42131 15 Lubbock, TX 79409 16 17 Mindy Brashears, Ph.D. 18 Texas Tech University 19 202 Animal and Food Sciences Building 20 Lubbock, TX 79409 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Television food safety keywords: food safety education, Food Network, television cooking shows.. 32 1 (806) 742-2816, (806) 742-2880—fax, [email protected] 1 Abstract 2 The popularity of television cooking shows has grown exponentially in the past few years (2). At the same 3 time, fewer Americans learn how to cook during childhood or high school; therefore, many turn to television 4 cooking shows for cooking lessons (4). This study aims to determine how well television cooking shows, 5 particularly those on the Food Network, demonstrate common consumer food safety measures. In May 2007, a total 6 of 49 episodes from 30 Minute Meals, The Essence of Emeril, Everyday Italian, Paula’s Home Cooking, and Semi 7 Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee were recorded, viewed, and coded for food safety measures by a panel of three 8 trained experts. A content analysis revealed a total of 460 poor food handling incidents, compared to 118 positive 9 food safety measures. Most commonly, the shows did not demonstrate washing fruits, vegetables, and herbs 10 properly; a lack of hand washing was also frequently observed. The hosts occasionally demonstrated proper 11 refrigeration, hand sanitation, and cross contamination prevention; additionally, the hosts sometimes discussed 12 proper food handling. 13 Although it is extremely difficult to demonstrate every food safety measure in a 30 minute television show, 14 demonstration of basic food safety measures could potentially educate the consumer about proper food handling. 15 16 2 1 The World Health Organization (11) reports the United States has an estimated 76 million cases of 2 foodborne diseases, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths each year. Although foodborne illness 3 outbreaks are commonly made public by the media, food safety experts believe sporadic cases and small outbreaks 4 in the home are far more common (3). Consumers probably think most foodborne illnesses are caused from foods 5 prepared outside the home, but many food safety-related illnesses are preventable with common food safety 6 practices (7). 7 In the past five years, many people have learned new food preparation techniques by watching food-related 8 television shows, particularly the Food Network. The Food Network is distributed to more than 85 million 9 households in the United States and is considered the giant in food programming, ranked number one out of 50 cable 10 channels (2). Many of the network’s shows have a very loyal following with an average viewership up by 4.6 11 percent from 2005 to 2006. The network has a viewership of more than three-quarters of a million Americans, a 12 large following for a cable channel (5). 13 Most previous research on food safety and television was conducted in Europe and Canada (3, 6, 9). A 14 British survey found 44% of respondents thought their in-home food preparation techniques were influenced by food 15 safety habits demonstrated on television cooking programs (9). A study in Wales found that information on 16 thorough cooking, proper cooling and storage, and complete reheating were poorly dealt with or ignored on 17 television cooking programs. The same study found practices to eliminate cross-contamination, such as hand 18 washing and cleaning dishes or utensils after handling foods, were not mentioned or shown (4). 19 WHO states that educating consumers and training food handlers about methods of safely preparing and 20 storing food is one of the most critical methods to prevent foodborne illnesses (11). The food handling mistakes 21 consumers commonly make at home are serving undercooked or raw food, cooking or heating food inadequately, 22 obtaining food from unsafe sources, cooling food inadequately, and having a colonized person handle implicated 23 food or practice poor hygiene (3). The Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) administers the “Fight 24 BAC!” campaign. It focuses on four messages: clean (wash hands and surfaces often), separate (don’t cross 25 contaminate), cook (cook to proper temperature), and chill (refrigerate promptly) (8). 26 More people than ever have access to satellite or cable television (1). In the summer of 2006, cable 27 viewership increased greatly as broadcasting networks dropped; ad-supported cable networks recorded a 61% share 28 of the audience while broadcast saw a 32.7% share over the same time span (10). 3 1 “Food Network has one of the most engaged audiences in television. …As the giant in food programming, 2 they are ranked number one out of 50 cable channels.” More than 85 million households in the United States 3 receive the Food Network (2). The Food Network claims an average viewership of 766,000. Revenue for the 4 network continues to grow, with tripled revenues since 2000. The network’s reported earnings in 2005 were $363 5 million, which is high for a cable channel (5). 6 In a survey conducted in the United Kingdom, 97% of the respondents said they watch television cooking 7 shows, and 44% thought their home food preparation behaviors were influenced by food safety habits shown on 8 television food shows. The respondents rated the behaviors of television chefs, and 88% considered the chefs’ food 9 safety practices good-to-average (9). 10 An early-1990s study analyzed the food safety practices of television cooking programs, finding some 11 practices, such as good personal habits, in 76% of the programs; however, other practices, such as the need for 12 thorough cooking, proper cooling, and thorough reheating, were poorly dealt with or ignored. Practices to eliminate 13 cross-contamination, such as washing hands or cleaning dishes and utensils after touching raw food, were not 14 mentioned or shown (4). 15 A similar study in Canada in 2002 and 2003 found that for each positive food handling behavior observed, 16 13 negative behaviors were observed. The most common unsafe practices were “inadequate hand washing, cross 17 contamination between raw and ready to eat food, failure to wash fresh fruits and vegetables, and inadequate 18 washing of cooking utensils and cutting boards” (6). 19 Griffith et al. (4) say that television can be a good vehicle to educate viewers on food safety practices since 20 the correct methods can be demonstrated effectively. Plus, television reaches a wide audience; of all media formats, 21 it has the largest audience and the greatest degree of interpersonal communication. Television can effectively 22 communicate this information and possibly change attitudes toward food safety; however, to be effective, cooking 23 programs need to contain specific information and illustrations on food safety measures in order to change attitudes 24 and practices (4). 25 Statement of the Problem. Cable and digital broadcast (satellite) television is gaining popularity each 26 year. According to Umstead (10), more viewers are turning to cable or satellite television and away from broadcast; 27 and ad-supported cable networks recorded a 61% share of the audience in the summer of 2006, beating the seven 28 broadcast networks’ 32.7% share. At the same time, fewer schools are offering food preparation courses, and many 4 1 people say they prefer to learn about food preparation through television (4). Yet British and Canadian research 2 found food preparation television programs similar to the Food Network do not always adhere to safe food handling 3 practices. 4 A study to evaluate safe food handling practices on the Food Network programs has not yet been conducted 5 in the United States. Since many people are learning new food cooking techniques through these shows, it is 6 important to determine if the shows teach correct methods of safe food handling, such as hand and surface washing, 7 cross-contamination, proper cooking temperatures, and correct food chilling and re-heating. 8 The purpose of this study was to determine how well television cooking shows on the Food Network in the 9 United States adhere to proper food safety procedures according to the Partnership for Food Safety Education (8). 10 Two research questions guided this study: 11 1. How frequently are positive or negative food handling practices demonstrated or mentioned on 12 television cooking shows? 13 2. What, if any, information do television cooking shows provide about safely handling food? 14 In order to determine if these television cooking programs are teaching proper food handling techniques, 15 this study is necessary. 16 Materials and Methods 17 This study replicates work conducted by Mathiassen, Chapman, LaCroix, and Powell in 2002 and 2003 on 18 Food Network Canada (6). A study of this nature has not yet been conducted in the United States. The Mathiassen 19 et al. (6) study analyzed 47 shows that aired over a two-week period and used 17 different coded categories: six 20 positive and 11 negative. The categories included hand washing, cleaning equipment, washing fruits and 21 vegetables, adequate refrigeration, use of thermometer, or other positives (positive categories) and food from unsafe 22 sources, failure to use thermometer, use of food from floor, failure to refrigerate perishables, failure to wash fruits or 23 vegetables, inadequately washing equipment, sampling food or licking fingers, cross contamination of ready-to-eat 24 or raw foods, touching the face, and no hand washing (negative categories).