Using stories to promote food safety

RALEIGH, N.C., Nov. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. and Canadian researchers say using short food safety stories with vibrant graphics helps train food service workers keep food safe.

Researchers at North Carolina State University, Kansas State University and the University of Guelph in Ontario say food safety advice may fail because it's too prescriptive -- "wash your hands," "use a thermometer" -- and it often doesn't include stories to make such information relevant.

The British Food Journal details the concept, creation and distribution of these type of food safety infosheets at foodsafetyinfosheets.com.

"Food safety infosheets were designed with the goal of communicating risk reduction messages with the objective of changing behavior," Ben Chapman of North Carolina State says in a statement. "These infosheets differ from much of what is currently used in training, because we focus on the consequences of mishandling food by providing real examples taken from recent events."

One recent food safety infosheet detailed an outbreak of E. coli O157 that occurred at a festival in Winnipeg, Canada, that sickened 40. Another focused on food preparation and cooling for large crowds after a church turkey dinner in Kansas sickened 159.

"Whether it's a waitress, a line cook or the stock boy, people learn through stories," Doug Powell, an associate professor of food safety at Kansas State University, says. "We want to reach out to the last person who touched your food and make it safer."