A new study, conducted by a team of UK based researchers led by the University of Liverpool known as the ENIGMA Project, has revealed the levels of bad behaviors in UK kitchens which increase the publics risk of getting food poisoning.

The survey of over 200 chefs has revealed that:

• a third of chefs had worked in kitchens which served meat on the turn
• over 30% had worked in a kitchen within 48 hours of suffering from diarrhea and/or vomiting
• 16% had served barbeque chicken when not sure it was fully cooked
• 7% did not always wash their hands immediately after handling raw meat or fish
• Led by Professor Sarah OBrien, from the Universitys Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, the ENIGMA Project is a large collaborative program of research, into the most common bacterial cause of diarrheal disease in the developed world, Campylobacter.

Undercooked barbeque chicken is associated with Campylobacter, and in addition, chefs returning to work too soon after suffering from diarrhea and/or vomiting have been implicated in high-profile food poisoning outbreaks such as the one at Heston Blumenthals Fat Duck restaurant.

Risky Behaviors
The research, published in journal PLOS ONE, found that avoiding eating wher such behaviors take place is not easy for the public, because chefs working in award-winning kitchens were more likely to have returned to work within 48 hours of suffering from diarrhea and vomiting, and not washing hands was more likely in upmarket establishments - despite over a third of the public agreeing that the more expensive a meal was, the safer they would expect it to be.

Chefs working in restaurants with a good Food Hygiene Rating Scheme score were just as likely to have committed, the risky behaviors, at some time in their career or to have worked with others who had.

Among the public sample, the team found:

• Over 20% had served meat on the turn
• 13% had served chicken at a barbeque when not sure it was fully cooked
• 14% did not always wash their hands immediately after handling raw meat or fish
• Dark kitchen secrets

The behaviors involved were embarrassing or potentially incriminating to reveal, so the researchers used something called the Randomized Response Technique (RRT) to cope with the fact that people might not want to reveal the truth about their dark kitchen secrets.

This involved those surveyed rolling two dice in secret, and switching their answers (Yes to No; No to Yes) according to the values they rolled. The technique makes people more prepared to reveal the truth than just asking them directly, and the researchers were able to recover the true rates of the bad behaviors from the data.

Professor Sarah OBrien, said: “We know that food handling behaviors can create or worsen food safety hazards. By bringing together researchers from different scientific disciplines in the ENIGMA project we now have a much better idea of what really goes on.”

Huge Burden
Professor Dan Rigby from the University of Manchester, one of the lead authors of the study, said: “Foodborne illnesses impose a huge burden to the UK population, and these results indicate a high prevalence of behaviors which can give people food poisoning.”

“Masking the smell and taste of meat on the turn is an old industry trick, and the ability to do it means restaurants can cut costs. Showing you can do it shows a potential employer you are experienced in the industry.”

“It is notable that chefs in fine dining establishments were more likely to have returned to work too soon after suffering diarrhea and/or vomiting, contravening UK regulations - this may be that fear of losing a prestigious job, or a desire not to let the team down, is causing people to not to stay away for long enough, putting the public at risk.”

“Staff currently working in kitchens with higher prices, more awards or a good Food Hygiene Rating Scheme were no less likely to have committed the bad behaviors , or have worked with colleagues who had in the past - meaning that the public face a difficult challenge to protect themselves from these bad kitchen behaviors.”

Dice Rolling
Commenting on the dice rolling technique, Dr Paul Cross from Bangor University, said: “Whilst this may appear to be an unexpected use of dice, it has been repeatedly demonstrated that it is the most effective method for obtaining honest answers to very sensitive questions.”

“Were therefore confident in the reliability of the data weve collected and the implications this holds for food safety practices.”