March 27, 1998 - Consumers Must Improve Household Practices to Enhance Meat Safety

by Bryan Salvage, Meat Marketing & Technology

Meat industry leaders have been preaching for years that although industry is responsible for the safety and wholesomeness of the products it produces, the consumer is the final line of defense to ensure that meat remains safe and wholesome.

Despite industry efforts to educate consumers on the important role they play in meat safety, scary stories still emerge about consumers who get sick or die as the result of improper handling or preparation of perishable products.

There's some good news regarding the never-ending battle to educate consumers on meat safety practices. Most Americans know the link between cleaning and health, according to a new national study conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide Research and released by New York City-based The Soap and Detergent Association. But closing a few knowledge gaps can increase their understanding of how the right cleaning practices can help protect them against the spread of common germs and allergens and result in a healthier indoor environment.

Peg Jordan, R.N., founder and editor of American Fitness Magazine, said that today's busy lifestyles put many people in contact more often with the very health risks they'd like to avoid. She adds that's why it's especially important for people to understand that following a few basic personal hygiene and household cleaning practices can help keep themselves and their families healthy.

Controlling health risks is a challenge that requires making knowledge and behavior more consistent. Results from the survey reveal that consumers need to improve their knowledge on cleaning practices to enhance their health. For example, 65 percent of adults don't understand that disinfectants have a "wait time" in order to work effectively.

Industry has been informing consumers for years that unsanitary food preparation areas, such as countertops, cutting boards and sinks, have a direct link to foodborne illnesses. When used as directed on the label, Environmental Protection Agency-registered disinfectants and disinfectant cleaners provide extra protection because they go beyond simple cleaning to kill or control the growth of microorganisms like Salmonella and E. coli.

The connection between germs and moisture is understood by most Americans (81 percent), according to survey results. Kitchens, bathrooms and other areas in the home where moisture collects are breeding grounds for common germs and allergens, Jordan said.

"Sponges and dish cloths are also a favored environment for foodborne bacteria," she added.

Keeping surfaces in these "hot spots" as dry and clean as possible, along with frequent laundering of sponges and dish cloths, will help control the growth of moisture-loving mold and mildew, bacteria and other potential health threats.

Eight out of 10 Americans know that hand washing is an important precaution against passing along germs, and more than 90 percent report that they wash their hands after going to the bathroom. But almost half can do a better job washing them.

"Americans are washing their hands too briefly-and under cold water," said Jordan.

People must wash the front and back of their hands, between fingers and under nails, scrubbing for at least 10 to 15 seconds with soap and warm water. Antibacterial soaps are also available.

"People need to understand that 'home health' is just as important as a nutritious diet and regular exercise to their overall health," said Jordan.

Certain lifestyle trends are placing increased importance on maintaining "home health." These include:

Children are spending more time in daycare and in school.

A greater number of adults are working at home: There are currently 7 million telecommuters and 30 million home-based businesses.

By 2010, 25 percent of the population will be 55 years or older. The importance of maintaining a healthy home grows as people age, since immune systems weaken over time.

The ubiquity of two-income families has dissolved the traditional housekeeping roles defined by earlier generations.

Americans are time-stressed-62 percent of workers report that they always or frequently feel rushed. Thus, cleaning and disinfecting often fall by the wayside, and not without ill effects, the survey claims.

The 1998 SDA National Cleaning Survey included interviews with approximately 1,000 adult Americans aged 18 years and older.

This article reprinted with permission from Meat Marketing & Technology.

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