Abstract
In 2014, Brazil hosted one of the most popular sport competitions in the world, the FIFA World Cup. Concerned about the intense migration of tourists, the Brazilian government decided to deploy a food safety strategy based on inspection scores and a grading system applied to food services. The present study aimed to evaluate the results of the food safety strategy deployed during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. To assess food safety, an evaluation instrument was applied twice in 1927 food service establishments from 26 cities before the start of the competition. This instrument generated a food safety score for each establishment that ranged from 0.0 (no flaws observed) to 2565.95, with four possible grades: A (0.0–13.2); B (13.3–502.6); C (502.7–1152.2); and pending (more than 1152.3). Each food service received a stamp with the grade of the second evaluation. After the end of the World Cup, a study was conducted with different groups of the public to evaluate the acceptance of the strategy. To this end, 221 consumers, 998 food service owners or managers, 150 health surveillance auditors, and 27 health surveillance coordinators were enrolled. These participants completed a survey with positive and negative responses about the inspection score system through a 5-point Likert scale. A reduction in violation scores from 393.1 to 224.4 (p < 0.001) was observed between the first and second evaluation cycles. Of the food services evaluated, 38.7% received the A stamp, 41.4% the B stamp, and 13.9% the C stamp. All positive responses on “system reliability” presented a mean of 4.0 or more, indicating that the public believed this strategy is reliable for communicating risks and promoting food safety. The strategy showed positive results regarding food safety and public acceptance. The deployed strategy promoted improvements in the food safety of food services. The implementation of a permanent policy may be well accepted by the public and may greatly contribute to a reduction in foodborne diseases (FBDs).
Highlights
Brazil has emerged on the global stage for sporting events, hosting major competitions such as the FIFA Confederations Cup and Robotic Cup in 2013, the FIFA World Cup in 2014, the World Indigenous Games in 2015, and the Olympic Games in 2016
The present study aimed to evaluate the results of the food safety strategy deployed during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil by analyzing the change of violation scores and public acceptance
The creation and deployment of a food safety strategy based on an inspection score and grading system was prompted by three premises: (a) inspection scores may successfully predict foodborne outbreaks, as observed from experiences in other places (Irwin et al, 1989; Buchholz et al, 2002; Zablotsky Kufel et al, 2011); (b) they may be able to communicate risks effectively to the consumer in honest and unbiased way, which is a duty of the government; and (c) an inspection score and grading system may promote a “healthy competition” among food service owners and managers
Summary
Brazil has emerged on the global stage for sporting events, hosting major competitions such as the FIFA Confederations Cup and Robotic Cup in 2013, the FIFA World Cup in 2014, the World Indigenous Games in 2015, and the Olympic Games in 2016. According to data from the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, Brazil received approximately one million foreign tourists of 203 nationalities during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. three million Brazilian tourists traveled around the country during the competition (Brazil Tourism Ministry, 2014). The FIFA World Cup can be classified as a mass-gathering event due the high number of people in a specific location for a specific purpose. A high concentration of people may increase the risk of transmission of emerging diseases and of outbreaks of food and waterborne diseases (Abubakar et al, 2012). Foodborne disease (FBD) outbreaks caused by norovirus were documented in Germany during the World Cup of 2006 (Schenkel et al, 2006) and during the Olympic Summer Games in Greece in 2011 (Mellou et al, 2012)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
