Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use a multi-pronged approach to develop and evaluate minimal-text, visual-based posters depicting safe handling of leafy greens that would meet needs of a diverse foodservice workforce.
Methods: The poster development and evaluation process involved participants from Iowa and Kansas and multiple sets of data and reviews. The themes for the posters were identified through (a) microbial analyses of leafy greens and leafy greens contact surfaces at four types of foodservices establishments (n = 8 locations), (b) interviews with foodservice workers (n = 8), and (c) observations of leafy green handling (n = 8 locations). After a set of nine posters were developed in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese. An expert panel (n = 5), foodservice workers (n = 8), foodservice managers (n = 4), and undergraduate foodservice students (future managers, n = 120) provided feedback on the posters.
Results: Food safety experts’ reviews indicated posters were easy to understand, concise and delivered accurate science-based critical food safety messages. Foodservice workers and managers, and undergraduate students found the posters to provide information in a language that was understandable and liked the use of pictures depicting microbial growth on Petri dishes resulting from unsafe food handling practices.
Significance: Using a similar multi-pronged approach can aid in the development and evaluation of food safety training materials tools that can assist in conveying “quick” food safety messages that are “to the point” and promote safe handling of leafy greens in foodservice establishments.