Foodservice Organizations Research Articles

Evaluating Food Procurement against the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet in a Sample of U.S. Universities.

Aligning institutional food procurement with planetary health targets offers opportunities to improve nutrition and reduce food-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study compared foods procured by 19 university dining programs in the U.S. in 2022 with the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet. Each university's procurement was then modeled to align with the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet, and changes to Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores and GHG emissions were evaluated. For a subset of universities that provided cost data, changes in annual total food costs were also estimated. Universities in this study exceeded EAT-Lancet planetary health targets for beef (x- = 657% of target), pork (x- = 587%), poultry (x- = 379%), and eggs (x- = 293%). All universities failed to achieve planetary health targets for legumes and nuts (x- = 39% of the target) and vegetables (x- = 68%). Aligning food procurement with the planetary health diet would result in an estimated average 46.1% reduction in GHG emissions and a 19.7 point increase in HEI scores. Universities that provided cost data saw an average 9.7% reduction in food costs in the EAT-Lancet-aligned scenario. The procurement metrics assessed in this study can help university dining programs and other institutional food service organizations set goals and monitor progress toward planetary health targets.

The opportunities and challenges of provisioning low pesticide risk fresh produce by smallholder farmers to hospitality and foodservice organizations

ABSTRACT This study explores how hospitality businesses source low pesticide risk fresh produce from smallholder farmers. Stakeholder interviews across Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia (n=19) reveal a lack of standardisation for low-pesticide fresh produce. Despite concerns about potential pesticide contamination, local, seasonal and low-carbon options are prioritized, and intermediaries are considered as providers of food safety reassurance. Collaboration with smallholder farmers is limited due to unpredictable supply and capacity. The study calls for the set-up of industry standards on low pesticide risk fresh produce and smallholder collaboration capacity building, potentially through technology, to improve food safety, sustainability, and supply chain resilience.

Steering the path to safer food: The role of transformational leadership in food services to combat against foodborne illness

This paper zeroes in on transformational leadership as a central aspect in the promotion of food safety behavior within the food service industry of China, which is an important context in its fast-growing food sector. and global concern for foodborne diseases. Finding a void in the existing literature about the direct and indirect impacts of leadership styles on food safety practices, particularly in non-Western settings, our research examines how transformational leadership is related to food safety behavior via intrinsic motivation and food safety commitment of employees. Based on structural equation modeling through SMART-PLS, our study covers a comprehensive path analysis of the relationships between transformational leadership, employee intrinsic motivation, employee commitment towards food safety, and food safety behaviors among Chinese food service workers. The results show that transformational leadership has a noticeable direct impact on the food safety behavior of employees, that indirectly depends on intrinsic motivation and food safety commitment. The results highlight the role of leadership, which creates an organizational culture that values food safety and consequently decreases the risk of foodborne illnesses. The practical insights of our study are profound, providing a clear mechanism for food service organizations to improve food safety by providing leadership development and motivational programs. By filling different voids in the literature with empirical data from a non-Western context, our study not only furthers the theoretical body but also provides practical approaches to combating foodborne illnesses through effective leadership in the food service sector.

MZ세대 외식서비스 종사자의 개인-환경 적합성이 직무열의, 이직의도에 미치는 영향

This study, grounded in previous research, explores the impact of person-environment fit on the work engagement and turnover intentions of Generation MZ workers in the food service industry. It seeks to understand how this fit influences the development of an organization's environment. The study identifies factors of personal-environment compatibility and examines the psychological and emotional states related to job enthusiasm and turnover intention, which are critical to organizational performance. This analysis aims to provide valuable insights for internal customer management and effective operations in restaurant service companies. The results supported Hypotheses 1 and 2, while Hypothesis 3 was partially supported. The findings suggest that food service organizations should comprehend the unique characteristics of Generation MZ workers and offer job training and engagement development programs tailored to them, enhancing their professional competencies. Additionally, fostering open communication channels and encouraging the free exchange of opinions and ideas between food service organizations, supervisors, and Generation MZ employees could potentially reduce their turnover intentions.

Perspectives on Disaster Preparedness and Resiliency from Non-profit Foodservice Organizations in a Multi-disaster Region: A Qualitative Study

Perspectives on Disaster Preparedness and Resiliency from Non-profit Foodservice Organizations in a Multi-disaster Region: A Qualitative Study

The moments of truth: A qualitative exploration of service interactions between employees with disabilities in the food service industry, and their customers

This research, using in-depth qualitative interviews, aimed to disentangle the meanings of service interactions perceived by both employees with disabilities (EWDs), and their customers, based on their own experiences. The interviews were conducted with a total of twenty participants including ten EWDs and ten customers from foodservice organizations (e.g., restaurants and cafés) in Vietnam. The findings of the thematic analysis revealed that EWDs perceived service interactions with customers as opportunities to provide services characterized by ‘total attentiveness’, 'impressing customers’, and ‘social connection’, while their customers perceived the interactions as both opportunities for ‘genuine hospitality’, and ‘contributions to social change’. The implications of the findings are important for hospitality researchers and practitioners alike.

The influence of diversity management initiatives on firm-level diversity: evidence from the restaurant and foodservice industry

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to extend the findings from a very limited number of studies that have focused on the potential antecedents of firm diversity. Specifically, the authors examined the extent to which a set of firm-level diversity management initiatives, which included diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) policies and oversight structures, senior leader values and utility perceptions about DE&I and DE&I dissemination strategies, may be related to firm-level reported diversity – overall, and that which is specific to gender, ethnicity, race and disability.Design/methodology/approachThe data for this study were gathered from a national sample of 200 US restaurant and foodservice companies during the third quarter of 2021 by an independent data collection firm.FindingsAfter controlling for firm size, age, ownership structure and chain affiliation, the results from a series of regression analyses showed that formal diversity management policies and procedures (e.g. policies beyond those legally mandated), structural oversight of diversity management initiatives (e.g. designated diversity leader) and beliefs among senior leaders regarding the utility of diversity management initiatives, were positively related to firm-level diversity. There were also several notable differences in the significance of the findings across the four diversity groups, indicating support for a contingency explanation.Originality/valueThere are two unique contributions to this study. First, by considering a more support-based (vs compliance and control) approach to managing DE&I that is authenticated by senior leadership’s beliefs about the utility of DE&I, the findings advance the understanding of the nature and scope of diversity management initiatives that may influence firm-level diversity – in general, as well as that which may be specific to restaurant and foodservice settings. Additionally, the findings offer industry-specific insights regarding the extent and relevance of DE&I policies and practices that have been adopted by restaurants and foodservice organizations and prescriptive guidance for future inquiry on this topic.

Exploring the spatial distribution of community resources focusing on municipalities: A multilevel analysis of the greater Los Angeles area

ABSTRACT Community resources that meet the basic daily needs of residents have been primarily examined at the neighborhood level while the municipal-level contexts have been overlooked. Therefore, focusing on 180 municipalities in the Los Angeles–Long Beach Combined Statistical Area (CSA), this study explores whether municipal boundaries are influential in the spatial distribution of community resources—related to food, education, healthcare, recreation, and social service and civic organizations—and investigates the multilevel determinants of this distribution. Using the K-means clustering method, this study classifies municipalities into three groups by their socioeconomic, fiscal, and physical features. Then, by employing the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multilevel logistic regression, this study finds an unequal distribution of community resources related to the municipal-level socioeconomic status (SES) when the community resources of adjacent municipalities are considered. The results of this study suggest that more contextualized policies based on municipal SES may address the spatial inequality of community resources.

Exploring the Public Health and Safety Importance of a Corporate Chief Public Health Officer in Food Service and Food Production Organizations

The U.S. federal government has deemed workers in the food and agricultural sectors an essential part of the country’s national infrastructure. In the United States 3.4 million people work in food production businesses. While most of the food production employees are White (51%), Hispanic workers (34%) comprise more than double as many food manufacturing employees equated to their share of all workers (17%). These statistics stress the organizational and community value of having a prominent public health professional in organizations to create holistic corporate public health strategies that protect the employees and the communities they inhabit. With emergence of food poisoning outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for a Chief Public Health Officer in various organizations has never been more critical. Having a chief public health officer is essential for public health and safety because many food production workers in restaurants, food manufacturing facilities, resorts, and on cruise ships need training, clear policies, and resources to protect themselves and customers.

From Old Habits to New Routines—A Case Study of Food Waste Generation and Reduction in Four Swedish Schools

Public food service organizations are large producers of food waste, which leads to greenhouse gas emissions and the waste of natural resources. The aim of the present article was to gain insight into reasons for food waste and possible solutions for lowering food waste in schools in Sweden. In order to do so, food waste quantification in school canteens in two Swedish municipalities and nine qualitative interviews with key actors were conducted. Both municipalities displayed a high degree of variation in food waste, but the common pattern was that serving waste constituted the largest fraction of food waste, followed by plate waste and storage waste, as well as a gradual decrease in food waste over time. Food waste was mainly a result of old, disadvantageous habits, such as overproduction due to forecasting difficulties, whereas new, better routines such as serving fewer options, better planning, and a less stressful environment are the key to lowering food waste. Because food waste varies from one case to the next, it becomes important to identify and measure the causes of food waste in each school in order to be able to establish tailor-made, conscious, and flexible food waste mitigation routines.

Leftover Consumption as a Means of Food Waste Reduction in Public Space? Qualitative Insights from Online Discussions

A considerable amount of food is discarded in canteens every day. This waste has created a countermovement, where groups of mainly students purposefully choose to eat other consumers’ plate leftovers instead of buying fresh meals. This phenomenon highlights two opposing narratives: leftovers as food waste versus leftovers as edible food resources. Using a thematic analysis, we investigated 1579 comments from German news sites and their corresponding Facebook sites related to this countermovement. Thereby, we aim to better understand what consumers associate with the consumption of other consumers’ plate leftovers. Our study demonstrates that the consumption of plate leftovers is shaped by the regulatory, normative, and cultural-cognitive system. Furthermore, associations with the consumption of plate leftovers depend on whether this food decision is perceived as a collective or individual consumer decision. From a consumer movement perspective, food leftover consumption is associated with a sense of community and food waste reduction for idealistic or environmental and social reasons. From an individual consumer behavior perspective, food leftover consumption is associated with satisfying hunger but considered a threat to health and social order. Our findings can inspire food service organizations to develop targeted interventions for plate leftover reduction.

High commitment HRM and burnout of frontline food service employees: a moderated mediation model

PurposeDrawing from the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the authors’ study examines the impact of high commitment HR management (HCHRM) practices and psychological capital (PsyCap) on job autonomy and job demands in predicting burnout in frontline food service employees.Design/methodology/approachA moderated mediation model was developed and tested on 257 Australian workers employed in the food service industry. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.FindingsThere was support for the mediation effect of HCHRM on burnout, via two sequential mediators: job autonomy and job demands. PsyCap was found to buffer (moderation) the effect of job demands on burnout. Frontline employees also perceived HCHRM to be a “negative signal” that was implemented for the good of management.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors are aware of the potential of common method variance due to the cross-sectional research design. Future research should adopt a longitudinal research design or collect data from several sources of informants. As the authors did not find support for the optimistic perspective hypothesis, despite its theoretical and empirical relevance under JD-R and COR perspectives, they call for further research exploring the link between HRM, job design and psychological conditions in promoting employee wellbeing.Practical implicationsBurnout is one of the most common and critical health issues faced by frontline food service employees. Food service organizations have to strategize their management practices to reduce employees' experience with burnout by implementing high commitment enhancing HR practices and developing employees' PsyCap.Originality/valueThis study provided a better understanding of how (macro) HCHRM practices as an organizational resource reduce burnout of frontline food service employees via two (micro) mediators: job autonomy and job demands. PsyCap is an important personal resource that lessens burnout, consistent with the COR theory. These findings contribute to the literature on strategic HRM and its relationship to employee wellbeing.

A predictive growth model for Clostridium botulinum during cooling of cooked uncured ground beef

A dynamic model to predict the germination and outgrowth of Clostridium botulinum spores in cooked ground beef was presented. Raw ground beef was inoculated with a ten-strain C. botulinum spore cocktail to achieve approximately 2 log spores/g. The inoculated ground beef was vacuum packaged, cooked to 71 °C to heat shock the spores, cooled to below 10 °C, and incubated isothermally at temperatures from 10 to 46 °C. C. botulinum growth was quantified and fitted into the primary Baranyi Model. Secondary models were fitted to maximum specific growth rate and lag phase duration using Modified Ratkowsky equation (R2 0.96) and hyperbolic function (R2 0.94), respectively. Similar experiments were also performed under non-isothermal (cooling) conditions. Acceptable zone prediction (APZ) analysis was conducted on growth data collected over 3 linear cooling regimes from the current study. The model performance (prediction errors) for all 22 validation data points collected in the current work were within the APZ limits (−1.0 to +0.5 log CFU/g). Additionally, two other growth data sets of C. botulinum reported in the literature were also subjected to the APZ analysis. In these validations, 20/22 and 10/14 predictions fell within the APZ limits. The model presented in this work can be employed to predict C. botulinum spore germination and growth in cooked uncured beef under non-isothermal conditions. The beef industry processors and food service organizations can utilize this predictive microbial model for cooling deviations and temperature abused situations and in developing customized process schedules for cooked, uncured beef products.

위탁 급식 영양사의 고객 관련 스트레스가 고객 지향성과 직무 만족에 미치는 영향

위탁 급식 영양사의 고객 관련 스트레스가 고객 지향성과 직무 만족에 미치는 영향

Sustainable Development of Coastal Food Services

Coastal food services are an important segment within ‘sea and sun’ tourism. They have a direct impact on the environment from liquid and solid waste generation, air contamination, and excessive energy and water consumption. Mass tourism and the contemporary threat of climate change enhance the anthropogenic intrusion, especially in vulnerable coastal zones. To prevent overexploitation of the coastal zones, the adaptation of the sustainable principles by coastal stakeholders is an urgent matter. Thus, this study aims to design a model of sustainable development for restaurants and to examine the level of its adoption by seaside restaurant owners in two touristic beach areas of Cadiz province, Spain. A questionnaire was performed during the high summer season in 2018. The obtained data was analysed by IBM SPSS software. The survey results showed that the model of sustainable development has been poorly adopted by restaurant managers. Foreign managers of international restaurants are less involved in the adoption of the sustainable model in comparison to Spanish restaurant owners. Moreover, restaurants that have been opened more than 10–20 years provide a more sustainable way of business operation in comparison with newly established food service organizations.

Connecting local food to foodservice businesses: An exploratory qualitative study on wholesale distributors‘ perceived benefits and challenges

ABSTRACTWholesale distributors play a vital role in the foodservice industry. However, despite growing interest in local food systems, little research has considered the motivations and challenges of wholesale distributors in developing and maintaining direct relationships with local farmers. This exploratory study investigates wholesale distributors’ perceptions, motivations, and constraints in buying local food products from local farmers in a study conducted in Vancouver, Canada, and Christchurch, New Zealand. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 wholesale distributors. Results indicate that purchasing of local foods was perceived as beneficial by wholesale distributors, but they experienced challenges with purchasing. Based on the findings, strategies are posited for both wholesale distributors and farmers to better serve foodservice organizations.

The impact of workplace spirituality on food service worker turnover intention

In 2015, employee turnover was a significant problem in the food service industry. In order to reduce employee turnover, researchers have examined the relationship between workplace spirituality and turnover intention in limited industries and geographic areas. The purpose of this quantitative experimental two group pretest–posttest study was to determine whether the implementation of a workplace spirituality program impacted turnover intention in food service organizations. The sample consisted of 53 employees of a multi-location quick-service restaurant in the state of Florida. An ANCOVA showed that when controlling for pretest, the effect of a workplace spirituality program on turnover intention was not significant (p = .274), suggesting workplace spirituality interventions may not be an appropriate turnover intention mitigation method within the food service industry. The current findings add to the literature suggesting industry differences should be considered when examining the impact of workplace spirituality on turnover intention.

Consumer perceptions on sustainable practices implemented in foodservice organizations in Korea.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESSustainable practices in foodservice organizations including commercial and noncommercial ones are critical to ensure the protection of the environment for the future. With the rapid growth of the foodservice industry, wiser usage of input sources such as food, utilities, and single use packaging should be reconsidered for future generations. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the customer's perceptions on sustainable practices and to identify the relationship among sustainable practices, social contribution and purchase intention.SUBJECTS/METHODSThe study was conducted using content analyses by reviewing articles on sustainable food service practices published domestically and abroad. Thereafter, data were collected with a face-to-face survey using a questionnaire and analyzed with factor analyses and multiple regressions.RESULTSSustainable practices classified with factor analysis consisted of 6 dimensions of green food material procurement, sustainable food preparation, green packaging, preservation of energy, waste management, and public relations on green activity, with a total of 25 green activities in foodservice operations. Consumers were not very familiar with the green activities implemented in the foodservice unit, with the lowest awareness of "green food material procurement (2.46 out of 5 points)", and the highest awareness of "green packaging (3.74)" and "waste management (3.28). The factors influencing the perception of social contribution by foodservice organizations among 6 sustainable practice dimensions were found to be public relations on green activity (β = 0.154), waste management (β = 0.204) and sustainable food preparation (β = 0.183). Green packaging (β = 0.107) and the social contribution of the foodservice organization (β = 0.761) had strong relationships with the image of the organization. The purchase intentions of customers was affected only by the foodservice image (β = 0.775).CONCLUSIONSThe results of this study suggest that sustainable practices by foodservice organization present a good image to customers and increase the awareness of valuable contributions that benefit the customer as well as the community.

Motivating Foodservice Employees to Follow Safe Food Handling Practices: Perspectives From a Multigenerational Workforce

Hospitality managers deal with a very diverse workforce, employing workers from up to four different generations, which poses a challenge for managers as they attempt to train and motivate employees. Food safety is of particular concern in foodservice organizations. This study assessed the generational differences related to foodservice employees’ perceptions of their supervisors’ roles in food safety and how supervisors could improve their effectiveness. A mixed methods approach (survey and focus groups) was used. Qualitative data analysis revealed four themes: Consistency, training, managers’ behaviors, and employees’ behaviors. Based on these, best practices are suggested for motivating a multigenerational workforce.

Getting a Taste for Food Waste: A Mixed Methods Ethnographic Study into Hospital Food Waste before Patient Consumption Conducted at Three New Zealand Foodservice Facilities

Foodservice organizations, particularly those in hospitals, are large producers of food waste. To date, research on waste in hospitals has focused primarily on plate waste and the affect of food waste on patient nutrition outcomes. Less focus has been placed on waste generation at the kitchen end of the hospital food system. We used a novel approach to understand reasons for hospital food waste before consumption and offer recommendations on waste minimization within foodservices. A mixed methods ethnographic research approach was adopted. Three New Zealand hospital foodservices were selected as research sites, all of which were contracted to an external foodservice provider. Data collection techniques included document analyses, observations, focus groups with kitchen staff, and one-on-one interviews with managers. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate common themes. Most food waste occurred during service and as a result of overproduction. Attitudes and habits of foodservice personnel were considered influential factors of waste generation. Implications of food waste were perceived differently by different levels of staff. Whereas managers raised discussion from a financial perspective, kitchen staff drew upon social implications. Organizational plans, controls, and use of pre-prepared ingredients assisted in waste minimization. An array of factors influenced waste generation in hospital foodservices. Exploring attitudes and practices of foodservice personnel allowed an understanding of reasons behind hospital food waste and ways in which it could be minimized. This study provides a foundation for further research on sustainable behavior within the wider foodservice sector and dietetics practice.