Browsing by Author "Boyer, Renee R."
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- Acceptability and Shelf-Life of Fresh and Pasteurized Crab Meat Stored Under Different Environmental ConditionsTyler, Carla Gutierrez (Virginia Tech, 2009-02-02)Crab meat is important to the economy of coastal Virginia. The objectives of this study were to complete a shelf-life study on two different packaging styles of fresh crab meat and to test the inhibition capabilities of Carnobacterium piscicola against the pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes. In a shelf-life study, a 12 ounce food grade polyethylene traditional snap-lid container of fresh crab meat was compared to an 8 ounce SimpleStep® trays with Cryovac™ film of equally fresh crab meat sealed with 10,000 cc/m2/24hr oxygen transmission rate (OTR) film. Eleven g samples were used for the microbial shelf-life study conducted at 4°C for 12 days. Aerobic plate counts of crab meat indicated microbial growth from the SimpleStep® trays with Cryovac™ film in 10,000 cc/m2/24hr OTR versus the polyethylene snap-lid was not significant (P>0.05). In objective two, 25 g samples of fresh and pasteurized blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) meat were inoculated with 0.1ml of each, C. piscicola and L. monocytogenes. Three different concentrations of the inoculation levels were studied on select days at both 4°C and 10°C. Microbial spoilage was defined as 107 CFU/g. In fresh crab meat, at both 4°C and 10°C, crab meat spoilage occurred at 7 days or less. In the pasteurized crab meat, at 4°C and 10°C, spoilage did not occur prior to 26 days, and studies were terminated at 28 days of storage. The growth of the two organisms in fresh crab meat was found to be significant for the differing concentration levels and sampling days (P<0.05). The growth of the two organisms in pasteurized crab meat was significant for different concentration levels, sampling days and temperature (P<0.05). In both fresh and pasteurized crab meat, regardless of the inoculation ratios, the L. monocytogenes and C.piscicola followed similar growth trends, but L. monocytogenes was higher in the 2:2 CFU/g concentration and lower at the 6:2 CFU/g concentration level. Although C. piscicola did not completely inhibit L. monocytogenes growth at any concentration ratio, some inhibition was observed.
- Accessing Virginia Market Sectors: Establishing a Market PerspectiveVallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-27)Discusses marketing perspective, and emphasizes the importance of understanding the market, before investing lots of time, effort and money.
- Accessing Virginia's College & University Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety ConsiderationsVallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-27)Highlights from a 2015-2016 market assessment survey are discussed in this document.
- Accessing Virginia's Hospital Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety ConsiderationsVallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-27)Discusses hospitals as a potential market for locally grown foods and products. Identifies school purchasing priorities, and some of the likely barriers to purchasing.
- Accessing Virginia's Market Sectors: Fresh Produce Purchasing ConsiderationsVallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-17)Discusses the results of a survey of colleges and universities, direct-to-consumer markets, hospitals, public schools, restaurants, retailers and regional wholesalers.
- Accessing Virginia's Public School (K-12) Market Sector: Fresh Produce Safety ConsiderationsVallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-27)Discusses public schools as a potential market for locally grown foods and products. Identifies school purchasing priorities, and some of the likely barriers to purchasing.
- Accessing Virginia's Regional Wholesale Market Sector: Fresh Produce Safety ConsiderationsVallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-17)Discusses wholesale market distributors and regional food hubs, and how to market locally grown food crops to them. Also notes the results of a 2015-2016 a Virginia statewide market assessment survey.
- Accessing Virginia’s Restaurant Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety ConsiderationsVallotton, Amber D.; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-17)Despite the growing demand and support for local food, there can often be significant barriers for growers trying to tap into new markets, given specific food safety expectations, policies, and requirements. This trend is particularly true for institutional buyers, who are often constrained by far-reaching institutional and/or corporate policies. While there are lots of market opportunities in Virginia, navigating the landscape for growers can be daunting, since buyer food safety requirements are not a “one size fits all” standard for all markets. To better understand current expectations and perceptions across multiple market sectors in Virginia, and help producers better align their on-farm practices with these marketplaces, the Fresh Produce Food Safety Team conducted a state-wide market assessment survey in 2015-2016. The purpose of this factsheet is to provide you with the results of that work, especially if you are considering selling produce to restaurants.
- Accessing Virginia’s Retail Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety ConsiderationsVallotton, Amber D.; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-27)Despite the growing demand and support for local food, there can often be significant barriers for growers trying to tap into new markets, given specific food safety expectations, policies, and requirements. This trend is particularly true for institutional buyers, who are often constrained by far-reaching institutional and/or corporate policies. While there are lots of market opportunities in Virginia, navigating the landscape for growers can be daunting, since buyer food safety requirements are not a “one size fits all” standard for all markets. To better understand current expectations and perceptions across multiple market sectors in Virginia, and help producers better align their on-farm practices with these marketplaces, the Fresh Produce Food Safety Team conducted a state-wide market assessment survey in 2015-2016. The purpose of this factsheet is to provide you with the results of that work, especially if you are considering selling produce to retailers.
- Allyl isothiocyanate reduces Salmonella enterica Michigan and Listeria monocytogenes on the surface of whole cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.)Duckson, Margaret Anne (Virginia Tech, 2014-04-24)Since 2006 there have been four Salmonella enterica and one Listeria monocytogenes foodborne outbreaks linked to whole cantaloupe fruit. No post-harvest intervention to reduce potential contamination on cantaloupe currently exists. The complex surface topography of netted cantaloupes aids bacterial attachment. This research evaluates the use of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC; a natural antimicrobial) to reduce populations of S. enterica Michigan and L. monocytogenes on the surface of cantaloupe. Fifty μl of S. Michigan or L. monocytogenes was inoculated onto whole ‗Athena‘ or ‗Hales Best Jumbo‘ (‗HBJ‘) cantaloupe fruit in 22 mm diameter circles and allowed to dry for 90 min. resulting in 6.60 log CFU/g. Cantaloupe received either AITC liquid or vapor, sterile deionized water, 200 ppm sodium hypochlorite per circle, or no treatment. All cantaloupes were stored in separate sealed glass desiccators for 1 or 24 h at 25°C or 35°C. To enumerate the bacteria following treatment, 22 mm sections of the rind were removed, homogenized and plated onto appropriate agar. Headspace analysis using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) quantified the concentration of each AITC vapor treatment. The texture quality of the pericarp tissue of whole cantaloupes was evaluated after 24 h treatments, followed by two weeks of storage at 4°C. The concentration of vapor ranged from 3.4 to 19.6 μl AITC/L inside the desiccators. The liquid treatment reduced (P < 0.05) S. Michigan populations on ‗Athena‘ (3 log CFU/g) and L. monocytogenes on ‗HBJ‘ (2.6 log CFU/g). The longer exposure time to the AITC vapor (24 h versus 1 h) resulted in a greater reduction of both S. Michigan and L. monocytogenes on ‗Athena‘ and treatments at 35°C reduced microbial populations up to 4.5 times greater (P < 0.05). The highest vapor concentration reduced (P < 0.05) both pathogens at least 3.0 log CFU/g on ‗Athena‘ at 25°C. Generally, bacterial pathogens from the surface of ‗Athena‘ cantaloupe were reduced more than pathogens inoculated on the surface of ‗HBJ.‘ The application of AITC liquid or vapor is a natural alternative post-harvest treatment to 200 ppm free chlorine to reduce the level of bacterial contamination on cantaloupe surfaces for certified organic production.
- Antibacterial activity of jalapeño pepper (Capsicum annuum var. annuum) extract fractions against select foodborne pathogensBacon, Karleigh; Boyer, Renee R.; Denbow, Cynthia J.; O'Keefe, Sean F.; Neilson, Andrew P.; Williams, Robert (Wiley, 2017-01)Capsicum annuum fruits have been investigated for antimicrobial activity in a number of studies. Capsaicin or other cinnamic acid pathway intermediates are often suggested to be the antimicrobial component, however there are conflicting results. No research has specifically fractionated jalapeño pepper (Capsicum annuum var. annuum) extract to isolate and identify compound(s) responsible for inhibition. In this study, fractions were collected from jalapeño pepper extracts using reverse-phase HPLC and tested for antibacterial activity using the disk diffusion method. Following initial fractionation, two fractions (E and F) displayed antibacterial activity against all three pathogens (p > .05). Commercial standards were screened to determine when they elude and it was found that capsaicin elutes at the same time as fraction E. Fractions E and F were subject to further HPLC fractionation and antibacterial analysis using two methods. The only fraction to display clear inhibition using both was fraction E1, inhibiting the growth of L. monocytogenes. Fraction E1 was analyzed using HPLC-MS. The resulting mass spectra revealed fraction E1 contained compounds belonging to a group of C. annuum-specific compounds known as capsianosides. Limited research is available on antibacterial activity of capsianosides, and a pure commercial standard is not available. In order to confirm the potential antimicrobial activity of the compound(s) isolated, methods need to be developed to isolate and purify capsianosides specifically from jalapeño peppers.
- ApplesChase, Melissa W.; Brooks, Austin; Boyer, Renee R.; Rafie, Carlin; Carrington, Anne-Carter (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2015-06-16)Provides information about apples, including advise on storing, preparing and cooking. Also includes a recipe.
- Application and Characterization of Bioactive Compounds in Peanut Skins, a Waste Product of Virginia AgricultureSarnoski, Paul J. (Virginia Tech, 2010-12-07)Peanut skins have long been a waste product of the peanut industry. The aim of this project was to find suitable applications for this rich source of natural bioactive compounds. Solvent extracts of peanut skins and a multistep solvent extraction process to yield oligiomeric procyanidin (OPC) extracts were found to be inhibitory towards three types of yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Zygosaccharomyces bailli, and Zygosaccharomyces bisporus). All extracts were devoid of solvents that may have interfered with the results. The OPC extract exhibited the highest inhibitory effect, and was chosen for fractionation. Fractionation was conducted by means of a silica or size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column. Fractions were then subjected to a yeast growth curve assay to determine the active fractions. The fractions were then characterized by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Negative mode electrospray MS determined the fractions to contain mostly procyanidins but also proanthocyanidins. Since it is possible for multiple compounds to display the same molecular ion, multistep MS and retention time differences were utilized to tentatively identify the compounds based upon their fragmentation schemes. However, co-elution was prominent, thus specific compounds responsible for yeast growth inhibition could not be determined. The yeast inhibition assay demonstrated that the procyanidin dimers up to tetramers had the best anti-yeast capabilities.
- Application of Bacteriophage in Food Manufacturing Facilities for the Control of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria spReinhard, Robert Gordon (Virginia Tech, 2020-02-05)The purpose of this research was to determine if bacteriophage (phage) could be used to treat and reduce the incidence of Listeria in food manufacturing facilities, and thereby reduce the risk of food products being cross-contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria incidence in food manufacturing ready-to-eat environments was surveyed at 31 ready-to-eat (RTE) food plants. A total 4,829 samples were collected from all locations. Nine (29%) facilities had zero samples positive for Listeria spp., whereas 22 (71%) had one or more samples positive. The total incidence of Listeria spp. in all RTE food plants was 4.5%. The effectiveness of phage against Listeria was determined when applied to stainless steel, polyurethane thermoplastic, and epoxy. Each material was inoculated with a cocktail containing L. monocytogenes and L. innocua (4 to 5-log10 CFU/cm2) and treated with two different concentrations of phage (2x10^7 and 1x10^8 PFU/cm2). Treated samples were held at 4 or 20°C for 1 and 3h. After treatment with phage, Listeria reductions ranged from 1.27–3.33 log10 CFU/cm2 on stainless steel, 1.17–2.76 log10 CFU/cm2 on polyurethane thermoplastic, and 1.19–1.76 log10 CFU/cm2 on epoxy. Listeria reduction occurred on all materials tested, under all conditions. Higher phage concentration, longer time, and higher environmental temperatures led to significantly (P<0.05) greater reduction of Listeria on stainless-steel and polyurethane thermoplastic. The effectiveness of a phage against Listeria spp. was evaluated in two food manufacturing facilities, operating at either 4°C or 20°C. First, a moderate application of a 2x10^7 PFU/mL phage was applied once per day over three days and samples were collected and analyzed for Listeria at 0, 24, 48 and 72 h. This phage treatment led to a decrease in the incidence of Listeria by 67%. A second application method was studied with phage being applied in the food manufacturing environment in an intensified manner (3 times in 18 hours) at a higher concentration of phage (1x10^8 pfu/mL). This intensified application led to a 32% overall reduction in the incidence of Listeria in the production environment. Applications of Listeria specific phage can be an additional intervention strategy for controlling pathogenic Listeria organisms in food production facilities.
- Assessment Of Consumer Perceptions About Food Processing Technologies For Cooperative Extension Educational InitiativesArnold, Nicole Leanne (Virginia Tech, 2019-09-25)New food processing technologies are needed to create safe, high-quality food products that are still considered "fresh" by consumers. Despite the numerous benefits attributed to 'food processing', consumers continue to perceive the term negatively. Consumer acceptance of foods processed with different technologies generally increases when factual information is provided to the consumer. Educators working within Cooperative Extension are a resource for public dissemination of food information. By working directly in the community, Extension educators often cultivate positive relationships with local clientele. Therefore, Extension educators can dispel myths related to food processing technologies and deliver science-supported information to the general public. Consumer knowledge, perceptions, and purchasing intentions associated with both conventional and emerging food processing technologies were assessed through a nationwide telephone survey administered by Virginia Tech's Center for Survey Research Center. A similar version of the telephone survey was disseminated in an online format to Virginia Extension agents. An additional section of the online survey served as a needs assessment for educational materials related to food processing technologies. A grounded theory methodology was used for qualitative coding in both surveys. Approximately 67% of consumers expressed concerns towards the term "processed foods." The majority of Extension agents (67.4%) expressed concerns about foods that had been processed, citing additional ingredients, preservatives, and additives; safety; and health implications. Both the consumer and Extension agent groups were more likely to be supportive of light-exposed foods to enhance food safety and quality, in comparison to gas-exposed foods. Although agents may be familiar with some food processing technologies, they may not have the resources to understand the scientific mechanisms for which a technology is able to increase food safety. Consumer education regarding emerging technologies is necessary to anticipate potential consumer concerns; however, agents still lack resources and information about existing and frequently used food processing technologies. Educational interventions are needed to provide information to consumers and increase their acceptance of new and currently used processing technologies so that the food industry can effectively target emerging issues related to food.
- Assessment of consumers' knowledge, attitudes, awareness, and beliefs of food handling and beef safety handling behaviorsYang, Lily L. (Virginia Tech, 2018-08-03)Consumers desire tender, juicy, and flavorful cuts of beef. Mechanical tenderization (MT) and enhancement methods applied to lower valued beef cuts can improve tenderness, flavor or juiciness, increasing desirability for the consumer. However, these processes can introduce pathogens that may be present on the exterior of the meat into the sterile interior. This process renders an ‘intact’ product ‘non-intact’ and requires altered cooking methods to ensure safety. The primary pathogens of concern for beef products are Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC). STEC are associated with approximately 265,000 illnesses and 3,600 hospitalizations annually. Since 2006, there have been 6 STEC outbreaks in the United States and 18 cases in Canada attributed to MT beef (MTB). The pathogen has also been implicated in 136 non-intact beef-related recalls. Due to the potential food safety hazards associated with MTB, mandatory labeling of these products was mandated in 2015 to inform consumers on how to safely handle the product. While this is a good step to inform consumers, it is unclear how familiar they are with the terms associated with these processes. Consumer’s knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, awareness, and behaviors related to MTBs is quite limited. This study uses an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, to assess consumer knowledge of MTB. Qualitative focus groups conducted throughout urban and rural North Carolina and Virginia found that although participants purchased MTBs, they were unaware of the process, did not prepare MTBs properly, wanted to know more about the process, and wanted applicable risk messages. A nationwide survey developed from the focus group findings found that demographic differences were associated with knowledge of; and how participants interact with MTBs. How demographics influence consumer’s beef safety knowledge, practices, and risky behaviors was further explored. Demographic characteristics were highly correlated with consumers’ behaviors surrounding beef storage, refrigerator temperature knowledge, defrosting behaviors, meat washing, and meat preparation behaviors. Collectively, the mixed methods research design provided insight into specific demographic characteristics related to consumer attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors surrounding beef safety. This data will help inform the development of well-crafted, culturally, and socially relevant risk messaging that may promote safe handling behaviors.
- Assessment of Educational Needs and Current Practices of Front-line Grocery Employees in the Deli and BakeryRobertson, Lynn Ann (Virginia Tech, 2010-06-11)Grocery store associates in the deli-bakery departments serve and prepare an increasing amount of ready-to-eat foods. This increases the need for a detailed, effective food safety training program in retail grocery establishments to prevent food borne illness. This research examines food safety knowledge, training preferences, needs, and current practices of grocery stores deli-bakery employees in Southwest and Southern Virginia. This research had two phases. Phase I: employees completed a thirty-four question needs assessment survey concerning background, food safety training needs, preferences and knowledge. Phase 2: 15 employees (from phase 1 locations) food behaviors were observed for approximately six hours each (89.05 hours total). Observational data collection focused on glove use, cross-contamination, and hand washing. The results showed that most grocery food handlers desired hands-on, interactive and one-on-one training that occurs frequently, but is short: less than two hours in length. Overall, most grocery food handlers had general safe food handling knowledge; however, the observational behavior data indicates behaviors do not reflect their knowledge. Greater than 95% understanding was found on the subjects of hand washing and glove use; however, these items were observed practiced incorrectly the most with bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods and lack of hand washing prior to glove use. The creation of short, hands-on or interactive trainings for retail grocery food handlers that focuses on changing food handling and preparation behaviors may be more effective than current training.
- Association of foodborne pathogens with Capsicum annuum fruit and evaluation of the fruit for antimicrobial compoundsHuff, Karleigh Rose (Virginia Tech, 2011-09-07)Hot peppers are gaining popularity in the United States as both a vegetable and a spice. In 2008, jalapeño peppers were involved in a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul. This is the first outbreak implicating jalapeño as a vehicle for foodborne illness. Hot peppers contain many compounds thought to possess antimicrobial characteristics. This research was conducted to provide more information on the interactions of pathogenic bacteria and jalapeño peppers, as well as to identify properties of Capsicum annuum that affect bacterial survival, growth, and inhibition. Behavior of pathogens associated with jalapeños was investigated by inoculating jalapeño fruits with a cocktail of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, or Escherichia coli O157:H7 on the intact external surface, injured external surface, or intact internal cavity and storing the jalapeños at 7°C or 12°C. Intact external jalapeñosurfaces did not support the growth of the bacteria tested under storage conditions of 7°C. However, L. monocytogenes populations remained detectable throughout the 2 week study. At 7°C, pathogenic bacteria were able to survive but not grow on injured and internally inoculated jalapeño, but populations increased at 12°C (p=0.05). The most supportive growth environment for the pathogenic bacteria was the internal cavity of jalapeño held at 12°C. This study demonstrated the importance of intact uninjured produce and proper storage temperatures for food microbial safety. Inhibitory properties of jalapeños were studied by making extracts from fresh jalapeño peppers to test for antimicrobial activity. A disk diffusion assay determined that the extracts were capable of inhibiting the growth of the pathogenic bacteria tested. Listeria monocytogenes was especially sensitive to the extracts. jalapeño extracts were fractionated using HPLC and used for inhibition assays using disk diffusion and growth curve generation. Two fractions stimulated bacterial growth (p=0.05), while two other fractions inhibited bacterial growth. The inhibitory fractions were separated further using HPLC and tested for antimicrobial activity. Fraction E1 suppressed the growth of L. monocytogenes. HPLC-MS analysis revealed that Fraction E1 contained compounds known as capsianosides. To prove that inhibition is caused by capsianoside(s) and determine minimum inhibitory concentrations, a method to isolate the pure compound should be developed.
- Association of Salmonella enterica serotype Newport with Tomato Plants through Irrigation Water, Grown under Controlled Environmental ConditionsHintz, Leslie Diane (Virginia Tech, 2008-11-21)Tomato fruit have been associated with numerous outbreaks of salmonellosis in recent years. Trace back suggests tomato fruit may become contaminated during pre-harvest, however exact routes are unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the potential for Salmonella enterica serotype Newport to be associated with the roots, leaves, stems, and ultimately fruit of red round tomato plants through contaminated irrigation water, at various stages of plant development, when grown under controlled environmental conditions. Tomato plants were individually root irrigated with 250 or 350 ml (depending on growth stage) of 7 log CFU/ml S. Newport contaminated irrigation water every seven days. Presence of the pathogen in plant tissue was evaluated at five growth stages; 14 days post transplant, early fruit, mid fruit, full fruit, and terminal stages. At each stage, roots, stems, leaves, and two tomato fruit, if present, from four S. Newport and four water irrigated (negative control) tomato plants were sampled for S. Newport contamination. Association of S. Newport was detected in tomato roots and stems using both conventional plating and molecular techniques. Twenty-four samples were confirmed positive for S. enterica using PCR. Sixty-five percent of the roots, 40% of the stems, 5% of the leaves and 5% of the fruit sampled were confirmed to contain S. enterica. Overall, there was significant difference in the presence of S. Newport according to tissue sampled (roots > stems > leaves and fruit) (P > 0.05). There was no correlation between growth stage and presence of S. Newport in tissues (P > 0.05). Ultimately, irrigation with S. Newport has a low probability of contaminating tomato fruit.
- An awareness guideline on consumer food safety in SurinameZweevel, Mayra C. (Virginia Tech, 2021-12-01)The Nationaal Instituut voor Voedselveiligheid Suriname (NIVS) which is established in the context of general food safety and protecting consumers from dangers associated with all foods sold in Suriname, gives the opportunity to develop food safety rules, regulation and raise awareness on topics regarding food safety. One opportunity of this Institute is to create awareness among the consumers who are part of the food supply chain (known as the farm to fork continuum). Historical data show that Suriname is not excluded from foodborne illness. The goal of this project and report was to educate consumers in Suriname on food safety best practices. To the authors knowledge, no reports were found on consumers food safety behavior and knowledge in Suriname. Therefore, these guidelines were developed to educate consumers on food safety behavior, and also food safety best practices based on different international prior studies. These food safety best practices are described under several different topics related to consumer behavior and food handling.