Survey finds declining awareness of safe food handling, preparation

OTTAWA — Canadians are becoming less aware of how to handle and prepare food safely to avoid food-borne illness and food poisoning, according to government-backed research.

The findings from the report, which cost the government $126,449, point to an overall deterioration over the past eight years in Canadians’ confidence that they can protect themselves and their families from foodborne illness and food poisoning. A majority of seniors and pregnant women in the survey didn’t consider themselves to be at any greater risk from food poisoning, even though they are.

The pollsters recommend the government gently target public awareness campaigns at those groups, among others, about how to properly handle food “without undermining the public’s confidence in agriculture or the agrifood industry, or Canada’s food safety system, which is reasonably good.”

The results of the survey are based on responses from 1,201 respondents through telephone interviews, and 1,613 people through an online panel. All work was done between Dec. 14, 2017, and Jan. 18, 2018.

A spokesperson for Health Canada said the department will update its safe food-handling advertising campaign based on the research report, as well as information from other sources.

The Liberals introduced new food safety rules last month, just a few weeks after the research report was delivered to Health Canada.

The regulations will come into force early next year and will require companies to keep detailed records about the path food takes from producer to consumer. Federal officials believe that being able to trace food to its source could speed up the pace of recalls. Consultations on the regulations are open until Sept. 7.

The survey provided to Health Canada in early May will now become the benchmark by which the government can measure the effects of public awareness efforts in the coming years, but also provide insight into how attitudes have changed since 2010.

Each year, about one in eight Canadians — or four million people — are affected by a foodborne illness like norovirus, salmonella or listeria, leading to about 11,500 hospitalizations and some 240 deaths.

Many small things can be done to avoid problems, but the survey found a broad lack of knowledge about washing reusable shopping bags, rinsing poultry before cooking, as well as properly storing, defrosting and cooking meat and seafood.

More pregnant people and parents of young children in 2018 than in 2010 defrost meat or poultry at room temperature rather than in the fridge. And seniors are more likely to view food as safe to consume past the bestbefore date.