USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service          Institute of Food Science and Engineering - Texas A&M University

CSREES-USDA: National Integrated Food Safety Initiative Study
2004 High School Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Survey

Thank you for your interest in this survey. All data collection has ceased.
If you would like a similar survey posted to this portal, please contact us.

The goal of this survey is to determine the perceptions of Family and Consumer Sciences teachers who participated in a Food Irradiation workshop on food safety and food irradiation.
Perceptions of Food Safety and Food Irradiation
From the responses available, please select the ONE that best represents how you feel about the statement by checking the appropriate column. All statements in this section refer to the following scale.

SD = Strongly Disagree; D = Disagree; U = Uncertain; A = Agree; SA = Strongly Agree

Statements SD D U A SA

1.   I believe foodborne illness caused from bacteria in meats is a problem in the U.S.

2.   I believe foodborne illness caused from bacteria in fruits and vegetables is a problem in the U.S.

3.   I am interested in learning more about food safety technologies.

4.   Not enough research has been done to prove that food irradiation is safe.

5.   Irradiation can be used to make spoiled food marketable.

6.   Irradiation will make food radioactive.

7.   Food irradiation destroys the nutritional content of food more than other processing techniques.

8.   Irradiation can effectively eliminate pathogens in food.

9.   Consuming irradiated food could be harmful to me in the future.

10. I would buy irradiated food if it was available.

11. Irradiation facilities give off radiation to the surrounding community.

12. I feel competent teaching about food irradiation.

13. Food that has been irradiated is safe to eat.

14. Food that has been irradiated can become re-contaminated.

15. Irradiated food causes cancer.

16. I would serve irradiated food to my family.

17. Students will benefit from knowing about food irradiation.

18. I am interested in learning more about food irradiation..

19. I feel confident teaching about food irradiation.

Using the following scale, please check the ONE column that best represents how you feel about these statements.

P = Poor; F = Fair; G = Good; E = Excellent

Statements P F G E
20. How would you rate your knowledge of food safety?
21. How would you rate your knowledge of food irradiation?
22. How would you rate your understanding of the technology behind food irradiation?

Rate your level of concern with the following food safety issues by checking ONE column. The scale (1-10) indicates levels of No Concern (1), to the Highest Level of Concern (10)

Not at All Concerned<------------>Very Concerned
Issues 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
23. Hormones in food
24. Pesticide residues
25. Artificial additives
26. Electricity-based food irradiation
27. Genetically modified food ingredients
28. Radioactive isotope-based food irradiation
29. Bacteria in food such as E-coli or Salmonella

Please select the best answer for each question by clicking the appropriate button.

30. Food irradiation:

a. is an additional food safety processing step.
b. can be used to make spoiled food marketable.
c. is a substitute for good manufacturing practices (GMP).
d. can replace the need for good hygienic practices in a processing plant.
31. Irradiation:
a. deposits toxic residues on food.
b. damages the DNA of microorganisms.
c. decreases available water for microorganisms.
d. raises temperature of food to eliminate microorganisms.
32. Consumption of irradiated food is associated with an:
a. increased risk of cancer.
b. increased risk of vitamin deficiency.
c. decreased risk of foodborne illness.
d. decreased risk of heart disease.
33. Irradiation can:
a. destroy the nutrients in food.
b. destroy pathogens in food.
c. improve the taste of spoiled food.
d. improve the appearance of spoiled food.
34. Compared to cooked or frozen food, food that is irradiated at approved doses has:
a. higher pathogen counts.
b. higher levels of radioactivity.
c. more toxic compounds.
d. similar nutritional value.
35. What is "food irradiation?"
a. The sterilization of food products.
b. A process to increase the radioactivity in food.
c. The exposure of food to ionizing energy.
d. The measure of radioactivity levels in food.

Please select the most appropriate answer.

36. BEFORE attending the 3-day professional development workshop at Texas A&M University, did you provide education about food irradiation in any of the Family and Consumer Sciences classes you teach?

Yes
No

37. AFTER attending the 3-day professional development workshop at Texas A&M University, have you provided education about food irradiation in any of the Family and Consumer Sciences classes you teach?

Yes
No

38. Did the amount of food irradiation education that you provided in your classes increase after you attended the 3-day professional development workshop at Texas A&M University?

Yes
No

39. If you have NOT provided education about food irradiation in any of your Family and Consumer Sciences classes, do you plan to within the next school year?

Yes
No
N/A

40. AFTER attending the 3-day professional development workshop at Texas A&M University, if you have provided education about food irradiation to individuals or groups other than your students, please describe or list those individuals or groups.

41. If you currently provide education about food irradiation, please describe:

What food irradiation topics you teach (e.g. history, technology, nutritional and quality effects on food, safety & consumer acceptance, etc.):

How much food irradiation education you provide (e.g. one lesson, one unit, one course period, etc.):

The most effective strategies you have used to teach about food irradiation (e.g. computer animation models, web searches, in-class discussions, student reports, student debates, etc.):

42. If you do not provide education about food irradiation, please explain the barriers you have experienced.

Thank you for your time and participation!

Thank you for your interest in this survey. All data collection has ceased.
If you would like a similar survey posted to this portal, please contact us.