Integrating Food Science into High School Agricultural Education in Tennessee

One in six Americans are affected by foodborne illnesses, but agricultural education can do its part to reduce these instances. Raw and undercooked poultry and eggs are often associated with foodborne illnesses. Educating consumers about the safe handling of poultry and eggs is an important component of reducing foodborne illnesses. Secondary agricultural education can help with this issue. in [State] there are a number of pathways and courses integrating food safety/science in high school agricultural education programs, and a new pathway, Food Science. It is important to assess teachers' integration of food science and their desire to teach in the new pathway of Food Science. It is also important to understand teachers' current food safety knowledge. [University] assessed teachers' reported importance ratings and ability levels for certain food safety practices to identify potential training priorities. According to the assessment, teachers need the most professional development in safely transporting packaged food products to market, creating a clean and safe environment for slaughter and packaging, and safely storing packaged food products while at market. Teachers also indicated that food safety lessons could be incorporated into existing pathways in secondary agricultural education.