Consumer practices for purchase, storage, and preparation of poultry and eggs in selected North and South American countries: a pilot study.

Background: Poultry, eggs, and their products represent a potential food safety hazard. Although consumer practices related to these foods have been studied in various countries, little data exists from Latin America. Objective: The objective of this pilot study was to provide initial data to characterize consumers’ purchase, storage, handling, and preparation of poultry products and eggs in three countries: Argentina, Colombia, and USA. Methods: Consumers (n = 425 total) in each location completed a questionnaire about poultry products and egg purchase locations, storage conditions (i.e. refrigerator or freezer), preparation and handling practices, and managing leftovers. Results: The results indicated that in the USA most surveyed consumers purchased refrigerated eggs, whereas in Argentina (91%) and Colombia (84%) eggs typically were purchased at room temperature. Furthermore, almost all consumers in the USA stored eggs in the refrigerator, but 23% of Argentinian and 45.9% of Colombian consumers stored eggs at room temperature, which is potentially an unsafe practice. Some practices supported possible cross-contamination, for example washing raw eggs and poultry prior to cooking. Conclusions: These results are a first comparison across countries in the Americas of consumer poultry and egg practices and can serve as the basis for further research and development of food safety educational messages

Koppel, K., Sosa, M., Gutierrez, N. G., Cardinal, P., Godwin, S. L., Cates, S., & Chambers, E. (2016). Consumer practices for purchase, storage, and preparation of poultry and eggs in selected North and South American countries: a pilot study. Vitae, 23(1), 58-64. DOI: 10.17533/udea.vitae.v23n1a02