Food and You 2: Northern Ireland Wave 3-4 Key Findings
FY2 Wave 3-4 NI: Chapter 6 Eating at home
Northern Ireland specific
This chapter provides an overview of respondent knowledge, attitudes and behaviours relating to food safety, diet, and other food-related behaviours.
The FSA is responsible for protecting the public from foodborne diseases. This involves working with farmers, food producers and processors, and the retail and hospitality sectors to ensure that the food people buy is safe.
Since people are responsible for the safe preparation and storage of food in their home, Food and You 2 asks respondents about their food-related behaviours in the home, including whether specific foods are eaten past their use-by date, and knowledge and reported behaviour in relation to five important aspects of food safety: cleaning, cooking, chilling, avoiding cross-contamination and use-by dates. The FSA gives practical guidance and recommendations to consumers on food safety and hygiene in the home. Food and You 2 also asks respondents about the frequency with which they prepare or consume certain types of food.
Two versions of the ‘Eating at home’ module have been created, a brief version which includes a limited number of key questions, and a full version which includes all related questions. The brief ‘Eating at home’ module was included in the Wave 4 survey and is reported in this chapter (footnote 1).
Cleaning
Handwashing in the home
The FSA recommends that everyone should wash their hands before they prepare, cook or eat food and after touching raw food, before handling ready-to-eat food.
The majority (73%) of respondents who cook reported that they always wash their hands before preparing or cooking food. However, 26% of respondents reported that they do not always (i.e., most of the time or less often) wash their hands before preparing or cooking food (footnote 2).
Most respondents (91%) who cook meat, poultry or fish reported that they always wash their hands immediately after handling raw meat, poultry, or fish. However, 9% of respondents reported that they do not always (i.e., most of the time or less often) wash their hands immediately after handling raw meat, poultry or fish (footnote 3).
Handwashing when eating out
Respondents were asked, how often, if at all, they washed their hands or used hand sanitising gel or wipes before eating when they ate outside of their home. Over half (55%) of respondents reported that they always washed their hands, used hand sanitising gel or wipes when they ate outside of their home, 41% did this less often (i.e., most of the time or less often) and 4% never did this (footnote 4).
Chilling
The FSA provides guidance on how to chill food properly to help stop harmful bacteria growing.
If and how respondents check fridge temperature
When asked what temperature the inside of a fridge should be, 64% of respondents reported that it should be between 0-5 degrees Celsius. Around 1 in 6 (17%) respondents reported that the temperature should be above 5 degrees, 4% reported that the temperature should be below 0 degrees, and 14% of respondents did not know what temperature the inside of their fridge should be (footnote 5).
Almost half of respondents who have a fridge reported that they monitored the temperature, either manually (49%) or via an internal temperature alarm (8%) (footnote 6). Of the respondents who manually check the temperature of their fridge, 81% reported that they check the temperature of their fridge at least once a month, as recommended by the FSA (footnote 7).
Cooking
The FSA recommends that cooking food at the right temperature and for the correct length of time will ensure that any harmful bacteria are killed. When cooking pork, poultry, and minced meat products the FSA recommends that the meat is steaming hot and cooked all the way through, that none of the meat is pink and that any juices run clear.
Respondents were asked to indicate how often they cook food until it is steaming hot and cooked all the way through. The majority (83%) of respondents who cook reported that they always cook food until it is steaming hot and cooked all the way through, however 17% reported that they do not always do this (footnote 8).
When respondents were asked to indicate how often they eat chicken or turkey when the meat is pink or has pink juices (footnote 9), the majority (92%) reported that they never eat chicken or turkey when it is pink or has pink juices. However, 7% of respondents reported eating chicken or turkey at least occasionally when it is pink (footnote 10).
Reheating
Figure 15 Methods used when reheating food to check it’s ready to eat
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Source: Food & You 2: Wave 4
Respondents were asked to indicate how they check food is ready to eat when they reheat it. The most common method was to check if the middle was hot (55%), and the least common method was to use a thermometer or probe (9%) (Figure 15) (footnote 11)
When respondents were asked how many times they would reheat food, the majority reported that they would only reheat food once (82%), 9% would reheat food twice, and 2% would reheat food more than twice (footnote 12).
Leftovers
Respondents were asked how long they would keep leftovers in the fridge for. Over two-thirds (77%) of respondents reported that they would eat leftovers within 2 days, 18% of respondents reported that they would eat leftovers within 3-5 days and only 1% would eat leftovers after 5 days or longer (footnote 13).
Avoiding cross-contamination
The FSA provides guidelines on how to avoid cross-contamination. The FSA recommends that people do not wash raw meat. Washing raw meat can spread harmful bacteria onto your hands, clothes, utensils, and worktops.
Almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents reported that they never wash raw chicken, whilst 35% of respondents wash raw chicken at least occasionally (i.e. occasionally or more often) (footnote 14).
How and where respondents store raw meat and poultry in the fridge
The FSA recommends that refrigerated raw meat and poultry is kept covered, separately from ready-to-eat foods and stored at the bottom of the fridge to avoid cross-contamination.
Respondents were asked to indicate, from a range of responses, how they store meat and poultry in the fridge. Respondents were most likely to report storing raw meat and poultry in its original packaging (64%) or away from cooked foods (58%). Over a third of respondents reported storing raw meat and poultry in a sealed container (38%), with a lower proportion covering it with film/foil (27%) or storing it on a plate (12%) (footnote 15).
Over two-thirds (70%) of respondents reported storing raw meat and poultry at the bottom of the fridge, as recommended by the FSA. However, 14% of respondents reported storing raw meat and poultry wherever there is space in the fridge, 10% of respondents reported storing raw meat and poultry in the middle of the fridge, and 7% at the top of the fridge (footnote 16).
Use-by and best before dates
Respondents were asked about their understanding of the different types of date labels and instructions on food packaging, as storing food for too long or at the wrong temperature can cause food poisoning. Use-by dates relate to food safety. Best before (BBE) dates relate to food quality, not safety.
Respondents were asked to indicate which date shows that food is no longer safe to eat. In accordance with FSA recommendations, over two-thirds (69%) of respondents identified the use-by date as the information which shows that food is no longer safe to eat. However, 10% of respondents identified the best before date as the date which shows food is no longer safe to eat (footnote 17).
Almost three-quarters (71%) of respondents reported that they always check use-by dates before they cook or prepare food and 22% of respondents did this 3Tmost of the time, 6% reported checking use-by less often (i.e. about half the time or occasionally), and just 1% reported never checking use-by dates (footnote 18).
Figure 16 Types of food which respondents had eaten past the use by date in the previous month
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Source: Food & You 2: Wave 4
Respondents who had eaten certain foods in the last month were asked to indicate if they had eaten that food past the use-by date. Of these respondents, most reported that they had not eaten shellfish (89%), other fish (86%), or smoked fish (80%) past the use-by date in the previous month (Figure 16) (footnote 19).
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The full ‘Eating at home’ module was reported in the Food and You 2: Wave 1 Key Findings report. The full module will be reported again in Wave 5.
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Question: When you are at home, how often, if at all, do you wash your hands before starting to prepare or cook food. Responses: Always, Most of the time, About half the time, Occasionally, Never, I don’t cook, Don’t know. Base is 1160, all online and all those who completed the `Eating at Home' postal questionnaire who ever do some food preparation or cooking for their household, excluding `I don't cook/prepare food’ in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: When you are at home, how often, if at all, do you wash your hands do you wash your hands immediately after handling raw meat, poultry or fish. Responses: Always, Most of the time, About half the time, Occasionally, Never, Don’t know. Base is 1133, all online respondents and those who completed the `Eating at home' postal questionnaire who ever do some food preparation or cooking for their household, excluding ‘I don't cook meat’, in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: When eating outside of the home, how often, if at all, do you wash your hands, or use hand sanitising gel or wipes before eating? Responses: Always, Most of the time, About half the time, Occasionally, Never, Don’t know. Base is 1329, all online respondents and those answering the Eating Out postal questionnaire in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: What do you think the temperature inside your fridge should be? Responses: Less than 0 degrees C (less than 32 degrees F), Between 0 and 5 degrees C (32 to 41 degrees F), More than 5 but less than 8 degrees C (42 to 46 degrees F), 8 to 10 degrees C (47 to 50 degrees F) (2%), More than 10 degrees C (over 50 degrees F), Other, Don’t know. Base is 1263, all online respondents and those answering the `Eating at Home' paper questionnaire, excluding those who don't have a fridge, in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: Do you, or anyone else in your household, ever check your fridge temperature? Responses: Yes, No, I don't need to - it has an alarm if it is too hot or cold, Don’t know. Base is 1260, all online respondents and those answering the `Eating at Home' paper questionnaire, excluding those who don't have a fridge, in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: How often, if at all, do you or someone else in your household check the temperature of the fridge? Responses: At least daily, 2-3 times a week, Once a week, Less than once a week but more than once a month, Once a month, four times a year, 1-2 times a year, Never, Don’t know. Base is 621, all online respondents and those who completed the `Eating at Home' postal questionnaire where someone in household checks fridge temperature in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: How often, if at all, do you cook food until it is steaming hot and cooked all the way through? Responses: Always, Most of the time, About half of the time, Occasionally, Never, Don’t know. Base is 1157, all online respondents who ever do some food preparation or cooking for their household, and all those who completed the `Eating at Home' postal paper questionnaire, excluding ‘I don't cook’ in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Data on the consumption of red meat, duck, beefburgers, sausages and pork when the meat is pink or has pink or red juices is available from Food and You 2: Wave 1 and is expected to be reported in Food and You 2: Wave 5.
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Question: How often, if at all, do you eat chicken or turkey when the meat is pink or has pink or red juices? Responses: Always, Most of the time, About half of the time, Occasionally, Never, Don’t know. Base is 1213, all respondents who are not vegan, pescatarian or vegetarian, and who do eat chicken/turkey in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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[09:18] Dave Beeson
Question: When reheating food, how do you know when it is ready to eat? (Choose all that apply). Responses: I check the middle is hot, I follow the instructions on the label, I can see its bubbling, I use a timer to ensure it has been cooked for a certain amount of time, I check it's an even temperature throughout, I can see steam coming from it, I can see steam coming from it, I taste it, I stir it, I put my hand over it or touch it, I use a thermometer or probe, None of the above, I don't check. Base is 1117, all online respondents and those who completed the 'Eating at Home' postal questionnaire who ever do some food preparation or cooking for their household, excluding 'I don't reheat food', in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: How many times would you consider reheating food after it was cooked for the first time? Responses: Not at all, Once, Twice, More than twice, Don’t know. Base is 1121, all online respondents and those who completed the `Eating at Home' postal questionnaire who reheat food using one of the methods in the previous question in Northern Ireland. Wave 4
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Question: When is the latest you would consume any leftovers stored in the fridge? Responses: The same day, Within 1-2 days, Within 3-5 days, More than 5 days later, It varies too much, Don't know. Base is 1263, all online respondents and those answering the ‘Eating at Home’ postal questionnaire in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: How often, if at all, do you do the following? Wash raw chicken. Responses: Always, Most of the time, About half of the time, Occasionally, Never, Don’t know. Base is 1153, all online respondents who ever do some food preparation or cooking for their household, and all those who completed the `Eating at Home' postal paper questionnaire, excluding ‘I don't cook’ and ‘not stated’ in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: How do you store raw meat and poultry in the fridge? Please select all the apply. Responses: Away from cooked foods, Covered with film/foil, In a sealed container, In its original packaging, On a plate. Base is 1177, all online respondents, and those answering the `Eating at Home' postal questionnaire except those who don't buy/store meat/poultry, don't store raw meat/poultry in the fridge, do not have a fridge or don't know, in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: Where in the fridge do you store raw meat and poultry? Responses: Wherever there is space, At the top of the fridge, In the middle of the fridge, At the bottom of the fridge. Base is 1157, all online respondents and those who completed the `Eating at Home' paper questionnaire, who store raw meat/poultry in the fridge except those who don't buy/store meat/poultry, don't have a fridge or don’t know, in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: Which of these shows when food is no longer safe to eat? Responses: Use-by date, Best before date Sell by date, Display until date, All of these, It depends, None of these, Don’t know. Base is 1263, all online respondents and those answering the ‘Eating at Home’ postal questionnaire, in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: How often, if at all, do you check use-by dates when you are about to cook or prepare food? Responses: Always, Most of the time, About half of the time, Occasionally, Never, It varies too much, Don’t know. Base is 1157, all online respondents who ever do some food preparation or cooking for their household, and all those who completed the Eating at Home postal questionnaire, excluding I don't cook / prepare food and not stated in Northern Ireland. Wave 4.
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Question: In the last month, have you eaten this food past its use by date? A Cooked meats, B Smoked fish, C Bagged salads, D Cheese, E Milk, F Raw meat, G Shellfish, H Any other fish, I Yoghurt. Responses: Yes, this happened every week, Yes, this happened some weeks but not every week, Yes, this happened just one week in the last month, No, never, Don’t know/can’t remember, Prefer not to say. Base A 926, B 720, C 877, D 930, E 948, F 936, G 694, H 818, I 877, all online respondents who had eaten the type of food in the previous month in Northern Ireland. Wave 4. Please note: base description varies by food type, further information is available in the data tables.