Purpose: It was hypothesized that YouTube videos display an unfavorable ratio of negative to positive food safety behaviors and home cooks will present a greater ratio than professional cooks or chefs. Evaluating food handling on YouTube is important because modeled practices may have negative effects on consumer food safety behavior.
Methods: Content analysis was used to generate objective data from media to compare concepts, actions, instructions, and other information. Inclusion criteria were developed to select videos with similar number of views, length, and content specific to hamburgers. Coding schedule development was designed to record risk factors present, as well as modeling of positive food safety practices. Coding schedule was developed to include relevant food safety behaviors within the short format common to YouTube.
Results: Negative food safety behaviors were modeled in 100% of sample (n = 89) videos included for analysis. Videos modeled an average of 1.88 negative food safety behaviors, with cross-contamination present in 64 (72%) of the videos. Only 1 (1.1%) video modeled proper use of a food thermometer, with 103 instances of incorrect determination of doneness, and 11 (12.4%) videos utilized multiple risky methods. View counts averaged 170,831 with total view count of 15,204,020.
Significance: The Social Cognitive Theory posits learning occurs by modeling, or observing others behavior and the subsequent consequences. YouTube videos encompass verbal instruction and symbolic behavior that may influence food safety behaviors. Absence of positive behaviors and negative food safety behavior modeling creates learning opportunities that foster risky food safety practices.