Thesis
Flour handling behaviors: evaluation of selfreported U.S. consumer data and content analysis of popular recipes on YouTube and Cooking Blogs
Autor
Archila G., Juan C.
Resumen
Approximately 48 million people get sick from foodborne illness in the
U.S. Many people are unaware of the food safety risk of low moisture foods, like flour and
quick bread mix. The research study assessed food safety behavior, knowledge, and risk of
flour handling among consumers and evaluated food safety implications from popular
recipe sources. Phase I: An online survey (Qualtrics) was developed for data collection,
consisting of six areas: consumer and use of flour, safe flour handling knowledge, flour
recall knowledge and behavior, message effectiveness, trusted source for flour handling,
and demographic information. The participant selection criteria included: (1) primary food
handler and grocery shopper, and (2) use of flour or quick bread mix at least once a month.
Phase II: Recipes from an online source (blogs and YouTube videos) were selected and
coded to assess the food safety implications according to FDA’s flour handling
recommendations. People that consume or play with raw dough or batter miss hygiene
practices while handling flour. Popular recipes on YouTube and cooking blogs miss safety
handling of flour. They do not follow the recommendations given by government agencies.
Strategies of enhancing safe flour handling in popular recipes should be developed by the
consolidation of health educators, researchers, and policymakers.