The majority of consumers are confident they can safely prepare food.
Some consumer food safety practices do not match confidence. Cook to required temperature (such as 165 degrees F for poultry)
To what extent, if at all, do you feel confident that you know how to safely prepare foods for yourself or your family?
7%
12%
Unconfident
76%
82%
Neither Confident Nor Unconfident
Confident
Use a food thermometer to check the doneness of meat and poultry items
29%
2008 (n=1000) 2008 (n=1000)
Which of the following actions do you perform regularly when cooking, preparing, and consuming food products?
IFIC Foundation Food & Health Survey 2008
IFIC Foundation Food & Health Survey 2008
Consumers implement some but not all microwave cooking practices. Follow all the cooking instructions
Check microwave wattage
Use a food thermometer to make sure the food reaches the required temperature
79%
2 – Counting Calories
15%
7%
2008 (n=1000) Which of the following actions do you perform regularly when preparing microwavable meals (e.g., frozen meals, pre-packaged meals that contain cooking instructions) at home? IFIC Foundation Food & Health Survey 2008
The majority of Americans have made changes to improve the healthfulness of their diet in the past six months.
Losing weight (and improving health) is a top driver of dietary change. 69%
To lose weight
↑’06
2008
↓’06
67%
33%
Yes
No
To improve my overall well-being *
69%
To improve my physical health *
64%
Specific health condition Maintain my weight
↑’06
34% 11%
↓’07/’06
2008 (n=669)
2008 (n=1000) Over the past six months, have you made any changes in an effort to improve the healthfulness of your diet?
* Modification from 2006: “To improve my overall health” (69%) was changed to two items, including “To improve my overall wellbeing” and “To improve my physical health”.
For which of the following reasons, if any, are you trying to improve the healthfulness of your diet? ↑ Significant increase from year indicated ↓ Significant decrease from year indicated
IFIC Foundation Food & Health Survey 2008
↑ Significant increase from year indicated ↓ Significant decrease from year indicated
IFIC Foundation Food & Health Survey 2008