FOOD PREPARATION, RISK COMMUNICATION AND THE CONSUMER

An observational method for estimating the risk of food poisoning foll owing domestic food preparation is described A total of 108 consumers prepared one of four recipes and the results are of use in risk assess ment. Whilst some consumers (4.6%) fully implemented appropriate food safety control measures, 3.7% prepared food in a way which seriously v iolated critical control points and exposed them to a high level of ri sk. The vast majority of consumers (95.4%) failed to implement one or more basic hygiene practices due to lack of knowledge or failure to im plement known food safety procedures. Some of these meals could have p osed a risk of food poisoning if eaten. The findings have implications for when and how food hygiene is taught and if extrapolated to food p reparation in general indicates a potential for further increases in f ood poisoning notifications. The results are discussed within the cont ext of risk communication. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.