Navigating Consumer Food-Safety with Neurodiversity: Challenges and Adjustment Mechanisms.

Background: Neurodiversity has been defined as the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioural traits, regarded as part of normal variation among consumers. Indeed, neurodiverse tendencies have been associated with food-related challenges, however, little is known about the potential impact upon food-preparation capabilities and food-safety in the home.
Purpose: To explore domestic food-safety behaviours potentially associated with neurodiverse conditions and understand consumer challenges and adjustment mechanisms undertaken during food-preparation in the home.
Methods: Key neurodiverse conditions and tendencies (traits/strengths) were analysed and associated with WHO-recommended food-safety practices. Analyses informed the structure of qualitative in-depth interviews with neurodiverse consumers (n=11) to explore current domestic food preparation behaviours, food-safety challenges encountered and strategies, support and adaptations made to overcome such challenges.
Results: Sensory sensitivities, executive functioning, communication challenges, preference for routine, hyperfocus and cognitive rigidity were conditions that maybe associated with recommended domestic food-safety behaviours. Potential challenges were identified, such as difficulty in understanding food-preparation instructions, for example, “I’ve read an instruction and I’ve misunderstood what it said”. Some participants indicated they “don’t like….having touched raw meat” with “spongy and moist textures” due to the “feeling of it on your hands"; others reportedly wore gloves to avoid contact during raw chicken/meat preparation; handwashing was described as a “horrible feeling”, thus such cognitions/behaviours may present potential cross-contamination risks. “Time blindness”, which may impact upon the potential for inadequate cooking efficacy, was also reported. Positive associations related to organisation during food-preparation “everything is super-duper organised” to prevent being “stressed or confused”.
Significance: Understanding the domestic food-safety challenges and adjustment mechanisms implemented by neurodiverse consumers will be of value to educators, caregivers and health professionals. Data can inform development of practically applicable, targeted food-safety education approaches, tailored to the unique needs of neurodiverse consumers to reduce food-safety risks and promote safe food-handling practices at home.