Consumer Food Safety Practices: Raw Milk Consumption and Food Thermometer Use

 r\Researchers investigate the application of two Food and Drug Administration-recommended food-safety practices by taking a closer look at the estimated 14 percent of at-home meal preparers who use meat thermometers when preparing meat and the 2 percent who use nonpasteurized raw milk in a typical week.Each week, an estimated 2 percent of at-home meal preparers, or 3.2 million people (1.3 percent of the U.S. population age 18 or over) consumed or served raw milk. • Of at-home meal preparers that consumed or served raw milk, 80 percent or 2.6 million people lived with at least 1 other person; 44 percent or 1.4 million had a spouse; 36 percent or 1.1 million lived with at least 1 child; and 28 percent or 0.9 million lived in a household with at least 1 person age 62 or older. • Each week, an estimated 14 percent of at-home meal preparers, or 19.5 million people (7.9 percent of the U.S. population age 18 or over) used a food thermometer when preparing meals with meat, poultry, or seafood. • Of at-home meal preparers who used a food thermometer, 87 percent or 17 million lived with at least 1 other person; 65 percent or 12.6 million had a spouse; 39 percent or 7.5 million lived with at least 1 child; and 30 percent or 5.8 million lived in a household with at least 1 person age 62 or older