039 The Consumer Cold-Chain: A Survey on Consumer Handling Behaviors on Fresh Beef Products during Vehicular Transport from Retail to Residence

Abstract Unlike the controlled and highly regulated systematic steps in the production and handling of a fresh red meat product prior to purchase, a consumer's handling behavior cannot be controlled after the product has left the retail setting. A critical problem in the field of meat science is the lack of understanding of consumer handling practices during transport from retail to residence. A 13 item questionnaire utilizing the Qualtrics survey platform was randomly distributed across the United States through electronic media. A 43 day response period generated 1,554 responses with 1,484 completed questionnaires yielding a 95.5% response rate. All data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 22. The survey revealed 46.9% of respondents shop between 5:00 P.M. and 8:59 P.M. Exactly 42.5% of respondents' checkout between 11 and 20 minutes after fresh beef product selection and placement. Upon check-out, 79.6% of respondents return home from the grocery store in 20 minutes or less. Fresh beef products are most commonly placed in either the rear seat/floor of the vehicle or the trunk/cargo space for transport. Of the 25.8% of respondents who ran errands with a fresh beef product left in the vehicle, 60.6% admitted to leaving the fresh beef product in the vehicle between 6 and 20 minutes. Approximately, 55.7% do not use an insulted-product to transport fresh beef products. An insulated bag is most commonly used for temperature abuse protection during vehicular transport. The questionnaire revealed age influenced the time of day grocery shopping occurred, time between fresh beef product selection and checkout, transport time from grocer to residence, fresh beef product placement in vehicle during transport, occurrence of running errands with a fresh beef products left sitting in vehicle, and the use and type of an insulted product to prevent temperature abuse (P < 0.05). Sex type influenced the time of day grocery shopping occurred, time between fresh product selection and checkout, fresh beef product placement in vehicle during transport, and the use and type of an insulted product to prevent temperature abuse (P < 0.05). Ethnicity influenced the time between fresh beef product selection and checkout in addition to the occurrence and period of time running errands with a fresh beef product left sitting in the vehicle (P < 0.05). Level of attained education influenced transport time from grocer to residence (P < 0.05). Results indicate the continued need for c