Development and Evaluation of Food Safety Signs

Food borne disease continues to be a significant public health concern. The increasing awareness of food borne illness intensifies the need for proper food safety education among food handlers. The objectives of this study were to develop bilingual (English/Spanish) food safety signs, to determine their comprehensibility and most effective delivery mechanism for presentation to food handlers. The food safety concepts developed into images were: cross-contamination, proper use of thermometer to check temperatures of foods, proper cooling of foods, and do not work with food if ill. The four food safety concepts were designed into three different formats: pictures and words (English/Spanish), pictures only, and lenticular (images that shift when viewed from different angles). The food safety signs were evaluated using forty-five individuals working in the food retail industry. The participants were divided into two groups according to native language (English/ Spanish). For comprehensibility of the food safety signs, 69% responses were noted as correct. The ranking of comprehensibility of the signs was: cross-contamination (93%), thermometer (84%), cooling (64%) and not working if ill (33%). A gap in the understanding of the two lowest scoring food safety concepts (cooling and ill) calls for food safety educational programs and materials that emphasize these concepts. Correct responses for sign presentation were as follows: pictures and words with (80%), pictures only (65%) and lenticular (62%). Comparison of three different formats indicated pictures with words as the most effective presentation. The results obtained can be used as the basics for designing effective food signage for food handlers.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Life Sciences

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Food Science and Technology

Department dc:contributor.department

Food Science and Technology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• O'Connor, Sandra

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Eifert, Joseph D.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Boyer, Renee R.
• Boyd, Heather H.

• signs
• Education
• food handlers
• Spanish
• Food safety signs

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-08232009-173204

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/44420