Survey on the Ratio of Kitchen to Total Space and Ventilation System Capacity of Kitchens through Case Studies in Korean Foods Restaurants

Abstract

Abstract For the globalization of Korean food restaurants, the kitchens should be equipped with proper ventilation systems and space to keep clean and ensure food safety. This study aimed to examine the ratio of kitchen to total space of restaurant and the suitability of the ventilation systems employed at Korean food restaurants. Data were collected by on-site surv ey of 12 Korean foods restaurants i n Seoul. Length and width of the restaurants were measured with scale. Temperatures and air velocity around the heating equipment, working area, and hood were measured with a thermal imaging camera anemometer and thermometer. Statistical analyses were conducted with the SPSS program. The average space of the restaurants was 25.7 m 2 . The ratio of kitchen to space was 0.22 for restaurants sized 32 m 2 , 0.28 for 33-66 m 2 , 0.21 for 66.1-99 m 2 , 0.16 for 99.1-148.5 m 2 , and 0.35 for those above 148.5 m 2 . Average maximum and minimum air velocity around the hood were 0.28 m/sec and 0.22 m/sec, respectively. Under these conditions, the temperature of the working a rea was 41°C, presenting an uncomfortable indoor temperature for kitchen employees to work. When classifying 3 groups based on the minimum and maximum air velocity, the temperatures near the cooking area and in the hood of the restaurants showed significant differences among the three groups. When the maximum air velocity was over 0.3 m/sec, the temperature of the cooking area was as 30.1°C, showing a significantly lower temperature (p<0.01). Based on these results, the kitchen space rate of 0.25 to the total space and a ventilation system maintaining a maximum air velocity over 0.3 m/sec were recommended for ensuring the food safety of Korean foods restaurants sized 66 to 99 m