Beef Handling Practices Among Consumers in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Area of Science:

• Food Safety
• Consumer Behavior
• Public Health

Background:

• The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) imports over 95% of its food, posing supply chain challenges.
• Temperature control of protein foods is difficult for USVI consumers due to transportation limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize consumer beef handling practices in the USVI.
• To identify educational needs for improving food safety related to beef consumption.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 620 consumers in the USVI, with 334 completing a 30-question food handling questionnaire.
• Analysis included frequency counts and Pearson chi-square tests of independence.

Main Results:

• Many consumers exhibited unsafe practices, including improper thawing (44.6%), not checking doneness temperatures (80.1%), and inadequate hand hygiene (33% in households with vulnerable persons).
• Only 27.5% consistently used insulated bags, and 45.1% struggled to maintain cold temperatures during power outages.
• Beef is a popular meat, with 92% purchasing it from grocery stores.

Conclusions:

• Targeted consumer education is crucial in the USVI.
• Key areas for education include hand hygiene, temperature control during transport and storage, safe thawing methods, and using thermometers for cooking.
• Addressing these practices can mitigate foodborne illness risks.