Purpose: To determine the efficacy of a photonovella designed to educate and influence behavior related to meat and poultry food safety.
Methods: An educational photonovella was designed after performing focus groups with African Americans of low socioeconomic status. A food safety questionnaire was performed pre and post intervention. A 16-point weighted food safety score was calculated out of 12 questions. Comparisons of specific food safety issues were made to determine efficacy.
Results: Among 149 African American consumers interviewed, the overall mean baseline food safety score rose from 11.4 (71%) to 12.7 (79%) (P < 0.01) after reading the photonovella. The proportion of all consumers who said it was okay to thaw ground meat on the counter declined from 27% to 9% (P < 0.01). The proportion who knew how long to wash their hands increased from 58% to 69% (P = 0.01). Ninety-five (64%) reported making at least one change to their behavior since receiving the photonovella. Thirty-five percent and 16% of the consumers, respectively, said that someone else they lived with and someone else who doesn’t live with them also read it. Eighty-two percent of the consumers said they had not previously heard a chitterlings-related food safety educational message. Among 27 consumers who cooked or prepared chitterlings but did not follow the USDA recommendation to boil for 5 minutes before cleaning (preintervention), 10 (37%) reported that they changed their behavior - they now either boil (7) or do not cook (3) chitterlings (P < 0.01).
Significance: These data demonstrate that a photonovella on food safety may have a beneficial effect in African Americans of low socioeconomic status and even attract the interest of persons who encountered it outside the study.