Mindful Attention and Awareness Predict Self-Reported Food Safety Practices in the Food Service Industry

Abstract

We examine relationships between dispositional mindfulness, food safety knowledge, and self-reported food safety practices in the food service industry. Mindfulness refers to the state of being attentive to and aware of what is taking place in the present. Mindfulness is relevant to food service work because employees often work in hectic environments that can detract attention and awareness away from threats to food safety and protocols that help manage such threats. Food service workers (N = 428) from a wide variety of establishments were surveyed to gather their dispositional mindfulness as well as food safety knowledge and practices. Analyses reveal that mindfulness explains variance in self-reported food safety practices beyond that of food safety knowledge, with stronger relationships for workers having lower levels of food safety knowledge. Implications are considered within the context of an emerging literature that emphasizes the relationship between psychological constructs and food safety practices.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Food Safety Knowledge Measure

Please select one of the responses that is the best answer by clicking the button/circle to indicate your response.

Please read each of the questions carefully.

The best way to clean your hands before preparing food is to:

• a) wipe them with a wet dishcloth or towel.

• b) wipe them on your clothes.

• c) rinse them under running water.

• d) wash them with soap and warm running water.

If you have diarrhea, it is okay to prepare food for others if you

• a) tell your supervisor first about your condition.

• b) wash your hands first.

• c) wear a mask over your mouth and nose.

• d) it isn’t okay to prepare food then

After shaping ground beef patties by hand, which of the following best describes what should be done next before continuing to cook?

• a) Wipe hands on a towel or cloth

• b) Rinse hands under warm running water

• c) Wash hands with soap and warm running water

• d) Continue to cook after transferring the patty to a clean surface

Which of the following reflects food that is safe to eat?

• a) Cookie dough that includes raw eggs in the recipe

• b) Hamburger patties that are cooked to 165 degree Fahrenheit

• c) Eggs that are cooked until both the yolk and white are firm

• d) A hamburger patty that is cooked until you can’t see any pink color inside

Cold foods must be held at or below what temperature?

• a) 32 degrees Fahrenheit

• b) 41 degrees Fahrenheit

• c) 56 degrees Fahrenheit

• d) Room temperature

What is the safest way to defrost meat, poultry, and fish products?

• a) By heating in an oven

• b) At room temperature

• c) In a refrigerator below 41 degrees

• d) In a clean sink

Uncooked meat in the refrigerator should be stored:

• a) on the floor.

• b) on higher shelves to prevent contamination.

• c) below other foods.

• d) It doesn’t matter where uncooked meat is stored in the refrigerator.

Which of the following should you choose to prevent the passing of bacteria from one food to another?

• a) Sanitize cutting boards between raw and cooked foods

• b) Turn cutting boards over between raw and cooked foods

• c) Rinse cutting boards with hot water between raw and cooked foods

• d) Use only wood cutting boards instead of synthetic cutting boards

Cooked foods must be held at or above what temperature?

• a) 45 degrees Fahrenheit

• b) 65 degrees Fahrenheit

• c) 100 degrees Fahrenheit

• d) 140 degrees Fahrenheit

Food service workers must wear gloves when:

• a) delivering food to customers.

• b) handling food that is ready to eat.

• c) handling money.

• d) taking out the garbage.

Gravy is cooked properly in a 4 gallon container. How should it be cooled?

• a) On the counter in the original container

• b) Placed in the refrigerator in its original container

• c) Transfer the gravy to a shallow pan and placed in the refrigerator

• d) On the counter after it is placed into a shallow pan

What is the temperature range over which bacteria grow most quickly?

• a) 80 degrees to 100 degrees Fahrenheit

• b) 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit

• c) 40 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit

• d) Higher than 140 degrees Fahrenheit

Appendix 2

Food Safety Practices Measure

Please click the button/circle or fill in the blank to indicate your response.

Please read each of the questions carefully.

I always wash my hands properly at work to avoid cross-contamination. (Strongly disagree to Strongly agree)

How often do you ignore or not follow the food safety rules that your company trained you to use? (Never to Always)

How often do you keep your equipment, utensils, or work area surfaces clean so that you avoid unsafe or unclean food? (Never to Always)

How often do you report your possible illnesses to your supervisor before or while working that might lead to unsafe or unclean food? (Never to Always)

After using the toilet, how often do you wash your hands before handling or preparing any food products? (Never to Always)

How often do you wear clean outer clothing to prevent contamination of exposed food, cleaning equipment and utensils, linens, unwrapping single-use articles? (Never to Always)

I always keep my work area clean and sanitized so that I avoid possible food contamination?(Strongly disagree to Strongly agree)

How often have you come to work when you were experiencing persistent sneezing, coughing, or a runny nose that causes discharges from the eyes, nose, or mouth? (Never to Always)

How often do you wash your hands at work when you are supposed to in order to keep the food safe and clean? (Never to Always)

“I rarely follow the company’s food safety methods or procedures”

(Strongly disagree to Strongly agree)

How often have you come to work while sick with diarrhea or vomiting? (Never to Always)