Twelfth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

Food safety is one of the most important dimensions of food. With the growing number of food-borne illnesses, it is imperative to design curricula that address this important issue and equip students with the necessary knowledge to combat food-borne illnesses. Scholars have discussed the idea of using third spaces to bridge the gap between students’ primary and secondary discourses. This idea that these kinds of informal and formal discourses can be welcomed in the classroom not only builds a fertile ground for dialogue on the safety of food but also gives students agency. When it comes to issues of food, it is important to note that food is very personal and specific in nature. What is food to one person can very well be poison to the next. Food also has cultural and historical dimensions. Encouraging students to bring their cultural selves to the classroom can foster inclusivity, and achieve high retention of knowledge taught, whilst instilling lifelong behaviors necessary for the prevention of food-borne illnesses. In this discussion, we describe third space and how it can be used to promote food safety learning.