Contrary to popular belief, food-borne ailments and diseases can emanate from our homes, although the need for good hygiene and good public health are imperative in public places, a researcher has said.
According to Sergio Motta, a PhD student at Massey University, there is a need to find about more about food safety practiced in New Zealand homes.
He is currently conducting a survey to compare with the findings of a similar survey that he recently completed in Brazil.
Global issue
His supervisor, Associate Professor Dr Steve Flint of the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health at the University, said that food manufacturers and retailers are often blamed for food poisoning incidents, but safety practices at homes (or lack of them) may also be responsible for ill health.
“Food-borne illness acquired in the home is a worldwide public health issue accounting for about 45% of all such illnesses and in New Zealand it represents almost 38% of all outbreaks notified by the Health Ministry,” he said.
Dr Flint said that food poisoning was increasing in many parts of the world and that New Zealand was no exception.
While our food manufacturers come under scrutiny to ensure their hygiene practices meet the requisite standards, we do not seem to give adequate and appropriate attention to food safety in our homes, he said.
Risk factors
A number of issues including the design of the kitchen, practices followed in handling and preparing food, influenced food safety, he said.
“Several studies have investigated aspects of consumer behaviour concerning food safety, mapping practices in the home, but we do not know how each stage of food handling can lead to food poisoning,” Dr Flint said.
Mr Motta hoped that his Survey would provide information for modelling food safety risk assessment in our homes.
He proposes to dispatch a questionnaire to about 3000 randomly selected households and hopes to receive at least 2000 responses.
The Survey would cover issues such as food buying and transportation practices, preparation and cooking, handling of leftovers and the types of utensils and appliances used.
Mr Motta said that in Brazil, the greatest risk faced by households were the way leftovers were handled and the way in which food was transported.
“Practices such as leaving food in the boot of the car for a long period while going shopping for other things and cooking large quantities of food, leaving it on the stove or bench top during the day and warming up in the microwave later are critical control points,” he said.
Public education
The study will also provide information to educate the public on aspects of food safety, and help influence kitchen designs, he said.
“Another useful application of findings of the Survey would be to drive innovation in the food production chain,” he said.
It is understood that the Primary Industries Ministry is interested in Mr Motta’s study and may use the results to review its food safety initiatives.
