Table 3 Percent of University of Waterloo undergraduate student respondents (n = 485) selecting the correct answer, and the most frequently selected incorrect answer, to food safety knowledge questions
Question | Percent of Students Selecting a Given Answer | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Correct Answer | % | Most Frequent Incorrect Answer | % | |
What are microorganisms? | Small living things that are too small to be seen with our eyes | 96.8 | Poisons that can contaminate our food and water | 2.3 |
Which of the following is considered the most important way to prevent food poisoning? | Keep foods refrigerated until it’s time to cook or serve them | 84.3 | Clean kitchen counters with sanitizing solutions weekly | 11.7 |
Chilling or freezing eliminates harmful germs | False | 77.0 | True | 23.0 |
Which is the most hygienic way to wash your hands? | Run water, moisten hands, apply soap, rub hands together for 20Â s, rinse hands, dry hands | 71.5 | Apply soap, rub hands together for 20Â s, rinse hands under water, dry hands, apply sanitizer | 15.4 |
If a family member is going to be several hours late for a hot meal, how should you store the meal to keep it safe until this person is ready to eat it? | Store it in the refrigerator and reheat it when the person is ready to eat it | 65.7 | Store it a warm oven until the person is ready to eat it | 26.9 |
Imagine your electricity went off and the meat, chicken, and/or seafood in your freezer thawed and felt warm. What should you do? | Throw them away | 56.0 | See how they smell or look before deciding what to do | 30.1 |
Which method is the best way of determining whether hamburgers are cooked enough? | Measure the temperature with a food thermometer | 51.4 | Cut one to check the colour of the meat inside | 35.4 |
How long should leftovers be stored in the refrigerator? | 3–4 days | 37.2 | 1–2 days | 36.3 |
All foods (except whole poultry) are considered safe when cooked to an internal temperature of: | 165° F (74° C) | 41.6 | 150° F (66° C) | 31.0 |
To prevent food poisoning, how long should leftover foods be heated? | Until they are boiling hot | 31.8 | Just until they are hot, but not too hot to eat right away | 43.4 |
Which procedure for cleaning kitchen counter is best? | Wash with a detergent, rinse, then wipe with a sanitizing solution | 24.0 | Wipe with a sanitizing solution, then rinse with clean water and wipe dry | 44.2 |