Meat and greet
Published 3:52 pm Saturday, March 12, 2016
Focus groups on beef this month
People who purchase, prepare or consume beef are needed to participate in a focus group near the end of this month.
The focus groups are part of a much larger study of food safety sponsored by a U.S. Department of Agriculture Grant.
“We really want to know what consumers are thinking,” said Lily Yang, a doctoral student in the Department of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Tech. “We want to open a discussion with consumers. We’re interested in knowing what do you look for when you go and buy a beef product, how do you prepare it, how do you interact with your meat?”
Yang said the study is aiming to find better ways to communicate with consumers about food safety risks and how to mitigate them.
“We want to be able to determine different ways of communication,” Yang said.
Focus group participants should be over age 18 and not having previously worked in the meat industry, or in a deli directly with meat. All participants will receive a $30 gift card to a major retailer at the end of the focus group.
Planned dates include March 25 and 26 and possibly March 27, Yang said. The focus group will meet at the Virginia Tech Extension office. Participants must sign up in advance.
To sign up, visit www.tinyurl.com/beefstudy.