Determinants of safe food handling behaviors among middle school youth Virginia Quick University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA Carol Byrd-Bredbenner Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, and Kirsten W. Corda University of Texas, San Antonio, Texas, USA Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine key determinants (i.e. knowledge, perceived susceptibility, attitudes, confidence, behavioral intentions) associated with practicing health-protective behaviors that could inform development of programs and strategies for improving food handling behaviors of middle school youth. Design/methodology/approach – Middle schoolers (n ¼ 1,102; 50 percent boys) completed a questionnaire with the following topics: demographics, food safety knowledge, usual food safety behaviors, perceived susceptibility to foodborne illness, attitude toward food safety, confidence (self-efficacy) in practicing safe food handling procedures, and intended safe food handling behaviors. Findings – Middle schoolers had insufficient food safety knowledge ( ˜50 percent incorrect responses) even though most reported washing their hands before making a snack and washing fruits and vegetables before eating them. Spearman correlation analyses indicated that food safety knowledge and perceived susceptibility to foodborne illness was weakly correlated (r s # 0.18) and in some instances not significantly correlated with actual behaviors, attitudes, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions. Attitudes, behavioral intentions, and self-efficacy were key determinants that were significantly and highly correlated (r s , 0.70) with each other. Additionally, knowing when to wash hands was significantly correlated (r s # 0.13) with actual handwashing behaviors, and attitudes, behavioral intentions, and self-efficacy whereas knowing how to wash hands was not. Originality/value – Food safety interventions for youth should aim to increase knowledge, challenge perceptions of susceptibility to foodborne illness, and motivate adoption of new safe food handling behaviors, while supporting their already positive food safety attitudes, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions. Keywords Attitudes, Food safety, Youth Paper type Research paper Food safety cognitions and behaviors middle school youth in the USA Government agencies have been providing food safety education for several decades (Healthy People 2020, n.d.), yet relatively few educational programs have specifically targeted youth. This may be because it was expected that safe food handling practices would be passed down to youth by adults either informally at home or in more formal settings, such as schools. However, societal changes, including households in which The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0034-6659.htm The research is supported by USDA, National Food Safety Initiative 2007-51110-03813. Received 7 August 2012 Revised 13 August 2012 Accepted 17 August 2012 Nutrition & Food Science Vol. 43 No. 6, 2013 pp. 543-553 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0034-6659 DOI 10.1108/NFS-08-2012-0086 Safe food handling behaviors 543