Not washing hands with soap after touching meat, fish and poultry

Kitchen Life 2 explored meal occasions that involved the preparation of both raw and cooked meat, fish, and poultry (MFP). Where quantitative data from filming is reported (where video footage has been coded and counted), the results include both cooked and raw MFP. In qualitative elements of the study (case studies, behavioural analysis) the results focus purely on raw MFP. “Raw” or “raw/cooked” are clearly stated throughout this chapter. Overall, in households, 26% of meal occasions (80) where MFP (raw and cooked) was prepared involved someone not washing their hands for at least 45 minutes during the meal occasion, and 44% of occasions (136) where MFP (raw/cooked) was prepared involved someone washing their hands without soap. Hands were washed with soap on 39% of meal occasions where MFP (raw/cooked) was prepared (119)(footnote 1). In food business operators (FBOs), 25% of meal occasions (45) where MFP (raw and cooked) was prepared involved staff not washing their hands for at least 45 minutes during the meal occasion, and 39% of occasions (70) where MFP (raw/cooked) was prepared involved staff washing hands without soap. Hands were washed with soap on 37% of meal occasions (66), and 14% of occasions (26) involved staff wearing plastic gloves(footnote 2)(footnote 3). Handwashing with soap after touching raw meat, fish, and poultry (MFP) is an important way to prepare food hygienically and reduce the risk of microbial cross-contamination. During the Kitchen Life 2 (KL2) study, households and food business operators (FBOs) were observed to wash their hands with soap, briefly rinse their hands (with water only), and not wash their hands after handling raw MFP. Additionally, touching other kitchen items after touching raw MFP was frequently observed. There were a variety of factors that influenced washing hands with soap after touching raw MFP. In households, the key influences were: unconscious habits around handwashing, and emotionally driven cognitive effects, such as tiredness and distraction which were generally barriers to washing hands with soap (Automatic motivation). affective processes, such as disgust, which was an enabler of washing hands with soap (Automatic motivation). These were reinforced by the following contextual factors(footnote 4): beliefs about consequences and the high risk of foodborne disease encouraged good handwashing practices, but where participants perceived the risks to be low, it discouraged good practice (Reflective motivation). beliefs about what constitutes effective handwashing (for example, believing that a quick rinse was ‘good enough’), which acted as a barrier to washing hands with soap (Reflective motivation). an individual’s identity, such as being a good parent or having high personal hygiene standards, which was an enabler of washing hands with soap (Reflective motivation). In FBOs, the key influences were: unconscious habits including wiping hands on a tea towel rather than handwashing which acted as a barrier to washing hands with soap. Whether handwashing with soap routines were established in the business was particularly influential and could act as a barrier or enabler of the behaviour (Automatic motivation). the layout of the kitchen, together with the busyness of FBOs, and the time taken to wash hands acted as a barrier to washing hands with soap (Physical opportunity). These were reinforced by the following contextual factors(footnote 5): Beliefs about professional identity, including being compliant with basic food safety requirements, which enabled washing hands with soap. However, management also assumed (rather than checked) that hands were washed with soap when preparing raw MFP, which acted as a barrier to washing hands with soap in some FBOs (Reflective motivation). social norms which could be a barrier or enabler of washing hands with soap. FBOs often had a culture of either handwashing regularly or not often at all, depending on the norms present within the business kitchen (Social opportunity).