Purpose: The objective of this study was to better prepare distance education students for a food safety career and to improve their planned food safety behaviors related to implementing HACCP by challenging them to a case study consisting of a series of interactive videos.
Methods: An interactive game and three documentary videos were produced to portray the Howling Cow dairy foods manufacturing facility. Students interacted with these videos through discussion forums, interactive questions, and a gamification module. Participants in a senior-level introductory HACCP course (n = 18) were the target audience. A pretest and posttest survey research instrument was developed and distributed electronically.
Results: Students experienced significantly higher gains in knowledge, attitude and intention (P < .05). One hundred percent of students agreed to some extent that the interactive videos aided in their understanding of a food safety concept.
Significance: These results suggest integrating case studies with interactive videos into food safety training programs enhances food safety behaviors and could therefore reduce the occurrence of foodborne illness and recall incidents in the food industry.