Knowledge, Health, and Social Drivers of Frozen Vegetable Consumption in Women of Childbearing Age

Consumer behavior, and regulations that anticipate that behavior, are integral components in food safety and disease prevention. Listeriosis, caused by food-borne pathogens, is particularly concerning in pregnant women and can cause miscarriage and fetal death. There are currently no FDA guidelines regarding Listeria monocytogenes (LM) contamination in frozen foods. This research investigates how women of childbearing age prepare frozen vegetable products to assess consumer behaviors that could be risky for LM exposure. To study frozen vegetable preparation and what factors influence this behavior, a questionnaire survey will be developed and distributed using the Google Survey Methodology (after obtaining research approval from Cornel IRB).