Americans Responses to the Spinach E' coli Contamination of 2006

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Americans Responses to the Spinach E. coli
Contamination of 2006

• Cara L. Cuite, Ph.D.
• Sarah C. Condry
• William K. Hallman, Ph.D.
• Food Policy Institute
• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

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Contamination timeline

• September 14, 2006 FDA issues nationwide
  advisory against eating bagged fresh spinach
• September 15-21, 2006 Voluntary recall results
  in removal of fresh spinach from retail outlets
• September 22, 2006 The public can be confident
  that spinach grown in the non-implicated areas
  can be consumed.

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Nationwide telephone survey

• Data Collection
• November 8 - November 29, 2006
• Taco Bell contamination was in early December,
  2006
• Random Digit Dialing
• 1,200 American adults in final sample
• Sampling error 2.8
• Data weighted using appropriate U.S. census
  weights for gender, age, race, ethnicity, and
  education
• Funded through the USDA, CSREES

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Word recall used in survey

• Chose to use the word recall in the survey
• Technically an advisory from the FDA
• Media used recall
• Search of 9 newspapers across the country from
  9/15 to 9/22
• RECALL 107 times
• ADVISORY 30 times

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Awareness of recall
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Survey wording

• Recently there was a national food recall in the
  United States. Did you hear about this food
  recall?
• Can you tell me what food was recalled, or do you
  not you know?
• There was a spinach recall in September. Did you
  hear about this recall?

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What did you want to know when you first heard
about the spinach recall?

• What happened? (26)
• Where geographically did the contaminated product
  come from? (10)
• What brands/sell by dates were affected? (9)
• Where was the spinach being sold? (7)
• Was the spinach I purchased affected? (5)
• When will spinach be safe to eat again? (5)

Open-ended Percent of total mentions N636
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Many say they had heard a lot about it.
How much would you say you have heard or read
about the spinach recall?
n1038
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Where did people first hear about spinach recall?
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Spinach was a topic of conversation.
How often would you say youve talked with others
about the spinach recall?
Among those who had heard of recall, 84 say they
talked about the spinach recall with others
1n1045 (155 not aware of recall) 2n1200
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What types of spinach were recalled?
Was recalled.
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Spinach recall knowledge

• 52 of the respondents who had heard about the
  recall were able to correctly identify E. coli as
  the contaminant.
• 35 said they didnt know.
• 52 knew the contaminated spinach was grown in
  California.
• 41 said they didnt know.

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Knowledge of recall status
More than one month after the spinach recall. . .
The spinach recall is still in effect.
n 1029
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Likelihood of E.coli infection from eating spinach
Extremely likely
Not at all likely
Americans report their likelihood of E. coli
infection from eating spinach during the recall
as significantly higher than before the recall
or now.
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Most see spinach as safe

• Fresh bagged spinach is reported to be safe to
  eat right now (M6.8)
• But not as safe as other foods often contaminated
  with E. coli

How safe would you say it is right now, to eat. .
.
n 1200
19
Eating spinach Before, during and after the
recall
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Eating spinach Before the recall
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What did you eat during the recall?

• 33 report they ate spinach other than fresh
  spinach.

n 522 (spinach eaters and aware of recall)
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How likely are you to eat spinach now that the
recall is over?
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Likelihood of eating spinach as of November, 2006
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Belief about recall status by having eaten
spinach since recall
30
Percentage who will avoid purchasing
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Generalization to other foods

• 18 reported they stopped eating OTHER bagged
  produce as a result of the spinach recall.
• 48 said they washed their food more thoroughly
  as a result of the spinach recall.
• Note This was not recommended as a way of making
  spinach safe to eat.

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Trust

• How much do you trust the following to ensure the
  safety of the U.S. food supply?

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Conclusions

• Looking back
• Recall information effectively reached the
  public.
• Most people heard about the recall.
• But, more detailed information was less well
  remembered.
• Most people reported that they stopped eating
  spinach during the recall.
• A small percentage ate spinach knowing that the
  recall was in effect.
• Even people who dont eat spinach changed some
  behaviors as a result of the recall.

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Conclusions

• Looking forward
• A significant number of people were unsure about
  whether the spinach recall had ended.
• How can we effectively get the message out to
  this group of people?
• Most people seem to believe that spinach is now
  safe.
• Less likely to get sick from spinach now.
• Most people have eaten or will go back to eating
  it.
• However, 5 say they will never go back to eating
  it.

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Ongoing research

• FPI currently analyzing
• media coverage of spinach recall
• institutional communication regarding spinach
  recall
• www.foodpolicyinstitute.com

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For more information, contact

• Cara L. Cuite, Ph.D.
• Research Associate
• Food Policy Institute
• cuite_at_aesop.rutgers.edu
• 732-932-1966 ext. 3044