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<OL> <LI> Determine the availability, accuracy and reliability of thermometers that are suitable for measuring temperatures of thin meat and are currently available to Washington and Idaho consumers. <LI> Test the adequacy of USDA recommendations to cook ground beef to 160 degrees F internal temperature, specifically related to recovery of injured cells that may remain infectious. <LI> Identify potentially unrecognized barriers that inhabit consumer use of food thermometer, as well as motivators to encourage thermometer use. <LI> Develop a valid, reliable measure of consumer' attitudes and beliefs about thermometer use, utilizing the Transtheoretical Model. <LI> Develop and pilot-test educational interventions by measuring consumer progression along the Stage of Change continuum.<LI> Determine how individuals at different Stages of Change respond to the educational intervention regarding thermometer use. <LI> Develop, implement and evaluate educational programs that will reach a variety of extension/outreach audiences and secondary school/university students. The goal of the educational programs will be to teach people to aviod risks of foodborne illness from undercooked meats by motivation them to use thermometers to test endpoint temperature when cooking meats.
Step 1. We will survey the types and prices of thermometers available to consumers living in Washington and Idaho. Step 2. We will study the heat destruction of E.coli O157 inoculated into ground beef patties with four consumer cooking methods (skillet on a burner, electric skillet, clam-shell grill and barbecue grill) using techniques to detect heat-injured E.coli O157. Step 3. Focus group participants will be given instructions for using thermometers to measure endpoint in thin foods and will cook thin meat items using several thermometers to assess the endpoint. The discussion that follows the cooking experience will focus on advantages, disadvantages, barriers and potential ways to overcome barriers to thermometer use. Step 4. We will develop an instrument using Stages of Change theory to assess the readiness of individuals to adopt thermometer use both before and after our intervention program. Stage classification questions will include the intent of consumers to use thermometer, how they use thermometer, and the frequency and correctness of current use. The questionnaire will be mailed to a sample of 1000 consumers as well as a group of consumers who have first-hand knowledge of foodborne illness. Returned surveys will be used to evaluate the validity and reliability of the measure. Step 5. A program to teach and motivate consumers to use thermometers when cooking thin meat foods will be developed. In order to reach consumers efficiently, yet deliver interesting and motivation information, a short video and a set of recipe cards will be produced as well as a fact sheet on using a thermometer. Step 6. The Stages of Change instrument (developed in Step 4) will be mailed to 1500 randomly selected consumers in order to assess their readiness to adopt the food safety behavior of thermometer use. Six weeks after the surveys have been sent out, participants who return the survey will be sent an attractively packaged set of educational materials, which includes: 1. printed information on use and availability of thermometers 2. printed information about cooking techniques for ground meat patties that are most effective in killing E.coli O157 3. video on use of a food thermometer, 4. illustrated recipe cards and 5. Thermy T materials purchased from USDA. Participants will be asked to view the video and read the materials. In follow-up mailing, we will assess whether participants have adopted the recommendations to use food thermometer when cooking thin meats as well as whether they have made progress toward action along the Stages of Change continuum. Step 7. The thermometer education and motivation materials developed and evaluated in Steps 1 to 6 will be used to develop community programs. These "Use a Thermometer" campaigns will include both educational and outreach (extension) components. Similar,but specifically targeted, educational modules will be developed for high school and college students and for consumers. Program evaluation will be via per- and post-test and 3-month follow-up of thermometer use by program participants; number of programs delivered will be recorded.