Food Service Staff Research Articles

Key determinants to school breakfast program implementation in Philadelphia public schools: Implications for the role of SNAP-Ed.

BackgroundPolicies addressing food insecurity are only effective if they are implemented successfully, serving those most at risk. Universal school meals provide a key intervention to schools that serve predominantly low-income families by providing free school breakfast and lunch to all. Unfortunately, low uptake of such provisions among students is concerning especially regarding school breakfast, warranting key implementation support for schools to ensure student nutrition needs are met. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the determinants of implementing two different school breakfast programs and pragmatic strategies for serving breakfast in ways that maximize student participation.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted between 2018 and 2020 within the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) comprising surveys, interviews, and observations to assess contextual determinants of two distinctive breakfast models: Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) and Cafeteria after the Bell (CAB). Principals and lead kitchen staff completed surveys to assess determinants of breakfast model adoption. Principals, lead kitchen staff, classroom teachers, climate (i.e., social emotional wellbeing), and facilities staff subsequently participated in interviews to discuss implementation determinants (i.e., facilitators and challenges) and strategies for maximizing student participation. Observations provided rich data to triangulate interviews and survey data. Survey data were analyzed using frequency analysis, and observation and interview data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Presentation of themes was framed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.ResultsResults highlighted several positive determinants to participation including addressing student and family needs, making data-informed decisions, and providing hot meals and fruit based on student tastes. Negative determinants to implementation comprised challenges to SNAP-Ed-funded policy changes to promote student breakfast participation, lack of communication between administration, and staff and turnover among food service staff. Strategies included modifying school entrance procedures and combining breakfast with other education-related tasks to minimize instructional time lost through breakfast after the bell schedules.DiscussionData highlight the need to include implementation partner expertise when designing interventions for increasing reach and effectiveness of school meal programs. Future research that directly tests implementation strategies and key outcomes of reach/participation, among others, is critical to bridging the policy to practice gap in school nutrition programs.

Hospital healthy cafeteria initiatives: a systematic review of consumer behaviour related studies

Unhealthy food has become a concerning issue in the context of hospital cafeterias. Cafeterias in hospitals have been value-added with healthy menu offerings and safe eating practices to promote healthy eating to customers. Research in food service operation precisely in hospital healthy cafeterias is abundant. However, the scope of the study, study design and study setting varied. This paper aimed to present a systematic review of hospital healthy cafeteria initiatives-based research within the context of consumer behaviour. Published research between the year 2000 through 2020, conducted within the hospital cafeteria was assessed. The main criteria of selection were the existence of a comprehensive description of the instrument, questionnaire, or interviews used to gather the relevant data. Initial 53 articles underwent careful evaluation independently to ensure that they were empirical research carried out within the context of healthy cafeterias at hospitals. As a result, 29 articles were reviewed. The scope of the study includes consumer behaviour, the effect of promotion on sales in healthy cafeterias, management and service personnel, the audit of the compliance of healthy cafeterias and the effects of food category or nutrition labelling intervention. Quantitative research design has been used in most research compared to qualitative and mixed methods and the subject of studies involved hospital staff, visitors and food service managers. The findings of this review implied that healthy cafeteria initiatives have been introduced in the hospital food service. But more consumer behaviour research, continuous food service staff training, strategic promotion and intervention programs for healthy menus, eating habits and lifestyles could be implemented to make hospital healthy cafeterias successful.

Mississippi Farmers' Interest in and Experience with Farm to School.

The study’s purpose was to collect demographic and farm characteristics from Mississippi small farmers and to determine their abilities, experiences, and desires to engage in Farm to School (F2S) activities. The online survey was created using items taken from existing F2S surveys. Invitations to participate were sent via email to farmers beginning in October 2021 and ending in January 2022. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Of the 258 individuals with valid email addresses, 43 (17%) completed the online survey, and 38 fit the definition of small farm (<USD 250,000 in gross cash farm income). Mean farm acreage was 68 (range 1–480 acres). Twenty-six (70%) farms did not have any certifications. Common selling practices included farm stands/stores (n = 18; 49%) and farmers markets (n = 16; 43%). Only 4 farmers (11%) sold to schools with half indicating the experience was difficult. Common challenges included no relationship with school staff (n = 14; 44%) and guarantying quantity/date (n = 11; 34%). Twenty-six (68%) farmers expressed an interest in at least one F2S activity. To facilitate mutually beneficial relationships between small farmers and school food service staff, work is needed to connect the two groups and guide farmers in navigating school procurement rules and regulations.

Assessment of Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Food Service Staff in Bangladeshi Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices among hospital food service staff are crucial in the prevention of foodborne disease outbreaks, as hospitalized patients are more vulnerable to potential hazards. This study, therefore, sought to assess the food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices of food service staff in Bangladeshi hospitals. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 191 food service staff from seven different hospitals in Dhaka and Chattogram from October 2021 to March 2022 using pretested questionnaires. Multiple linear regression was used to identify the factors associated with the food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices. The findings showed moderate knowledge but high levels of attitudes and practices of food safety among hospital food handlers. Food safety knowledge was significantly higher among males, participants from private hospitals and participants working in a hospital that had a food service supervisor and dietitian in charge of food service operations. Moreover, participants from private hospitals and participants working in a hospital that had a food service supervisor and dietitian in charge of food service operations had more positive attitudes and better practices regarding food safety. Hospital management should consider these factors for enhancing food handlers’ knowledge and increase training and supervision on food safety practices to reduce foodborne diseases and outbreaks.

How to influence restaurant employees’ food safety behaviour: an application of the theory of planned behavior and norm activation model

ABSTRACT Foodborne illnesses caused by food service establishments can be prevented by shaping employees’ behavior. This study examines factors influencing the food service staff’s compliance of safety procedures regarding food and hygiene at restaurants by integrating the theory of planned behavior with the norm activation model. It also investigates the moderating role of job burnout on the relationship between food safety behavior and its antecedents. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data from 325 restaurant employees in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Using structural equation modeling and multiple group analysis, this study confirms that employees’ behavior regarding adoption of food safety standards is directly influenced by behavioral intention and moral norms. Subjective norm is the strongest predictor of behavioral intention and has a significant impact on moral norms. Furthermore, job burnout plays a significant moderating role by weakening the effect of behavioral intention on food safety behavior.

A PILOT STUDY ON EVALUATION OF PATIENT SATISFACTION THROUGH DIETARY SERVICES IN GOVERNMENT MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL, SECTOR-32 CHANDIGARH, INDIA

Various research studies on hospital food services and patient satisfaction have been conducted globally. The quality of dietary services is one of the important aspects of health care. Indian studies in this field are very few, thus this pilot study was conducted as an insight for a similar future study on a large scale. A cross sectional study was carried out in Government Medical College and Hospital, sector 32, Chandigarh. Fifty-nine patients were selected randomly from private and general wards- mainly Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oncology and Burn unit. A self-structured questionnaire was prepared for assessing satisfaction of the patients regarding food quality and food services. The data was collected and analyzed for all parameters of demographic profile of hospital patients selected, and their interview responses. Most patients (96.3%) were satisfied with the food and food service staff according to their responses. Correlations between most parameters were positive and highly significant at (p is less than 0.01) and (Pis less than 0.05) level. No impact of Age and BMI was seen on any of the variable at 95% confidence level as probability value greater than 0.05. Chi-square test of patient satisfaction responses showed asymptotic significance as p-value was 0.00. Effectiveness of results of this pilot study were understood as potential effectiveness. Focus was on feasibility and not on statistical significance. It also shows that the large-scale study will be feasible without changes in protocol. Confidence intervals showed that the pilot study testing can significantly reduce any flaws in the research approach. Amendments for future study are that the questions are properly framed to ensure that patients eat well, and leave the hospital with improved physical and mental health; and all aspects of dietary services should be well organized.

‘I don't do it for the money, I do it for the kids’: Examining school foodservice staff and student interactions using the lens of school connectedness

AbstractThis study investigated social interactions between students and school foodservice staff in six US school districts. Qualitative data was analysed from 23 in‐depth interviews with school foodservice managers and 17 focus groups in five high schools, seven middle schools and five elementary schools. Applying the lens of school connectedness, findings highlight the various forms of care experienced by students and staff. However, structural constraints limit opportunities for staff and students to interact and demonstrate care, suggesting potential opportunities for interventions to enhance the role of the cafeteria in contributing to students’ social‐emotional well‐being.

The effect of training of food handlers in hospitals kitchen in Khartoum State, Sudan

An interventional research was conducted in the kitchens of Khartoum state hospitals 2021 on the impact of training of food handlers in (12) hospitals with (56) food handlers to identify food hygiene requirement. Training was done before and interventions training after. Questionnaires were filled out with food handlers and interview with nutrition supervisor about kitchens. The data was statistically analyzed by using the Statistic Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program version 25; the Paired Samples T Test and Chi-Square Test was used and there is an improvement at the level of indication 0.000 at the level (0.05). The results showed that the majority of food handlers were females (75%), the lack of quality of kitchens in buildings, equipment, utensils, hand facilities, no periodic inspection for raw materials and no any training about food safety and hygiene for all food services staff. The study concluded that training has an effective impact on kitchen quality. The study recommended that the ministry of health and hospitals to design kitchens with standardization and provide training to all workers periodically.

A systematic review of food waste audit methods in hospital foodservices: development of a consensus pathway food waste audit tool.

To understand, monitor and compare the scope of food waste in hospital foodservices, it is essential to measure food waste using a standardised method. The aims of this systematic review were to: (i) describe and critique the methodological features of waste audits used in hospital foodservice settings that measure aggregate food and food-related waste and (ii) develop a consensus tool for conducting a food waste audit in a hospital foodservice setting. Seven electronic databases were searched for peer reviewed literature, and 17 Google Advanced searches located grey literature that described food waste audit methods previously used or developed for hospital foodservices. Study selection and quality assessment occurred in duplicate. Data describing the audit method, its feasibility, and strengths and limitations were extracted and synthesised to develop a consensus tool. Eight peer reviewed and nine grey literature documents describing a variety of food waste audit methods were found. The most common practices were 2-week data collection (n=5), foodservice staff collecting data (n=6), measuring food waste only (n=11), measuring food waste at main meals (n=5) and using electronic scales to measure waste (n=12). A consensus tool was developed that proposes a method for preparing, conducting and analysing data from a food waste audit. This review used published evidence to develop the first ever food waste audit consensus tool for hospital foodservices to use and measure food and food-related waste. Future research is needed to apply and test this tool in practice.

Knowledge, attitudes and practice of food services staff on food hygiene at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Food hygiene must be observed in production, storage, supply, and sales to obtain healthy foods with desirable quality. The purpose of present study was to evaluate the awareness, attitudes, and practices of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences food services staff toward food hygiene. A questionnaire consisting of 46 questions was completed by 40 food services staff from February to March 2019. Based on the results, respondents had an acceptable awareness (92.5% to 100% general sanitary awareness and 37.5% to 95% awareness about microbial food hazards), excellent attitudes (97.5% to 100%), and moderate practices regarding food hygiene (17.5% to 97.5%). Although all participants had a relatively high level of awareness and attitude and participated in food safety education courses, their practices were somewhat poor.

Parents of Children With Medical Complexity Are Essential Health Care Personnel

* Abbreviations: CDC — : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CMC — : children with medical complexity COVID-19 — : coronavirus disease 2019 The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created a national and global crisis. The United States has invested tremendous effort and resources to fast track severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccines from conception to market in 1 year, an amazing scientific achievement. Public health experts are now leading the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that health care personnel be offered COVID-19 vaccination during the early phases of distribution. Health care personnel are broadly defined and include emergency medical service personnel, nurses and nursing assistants, physicians, technicians, therapists, dentists, dental hygienists and assistants, phlebotomists, pharmacists, students and trainees, contractual staff, dietary and food services staff, environmental services staff, and administrative staff. We strongly recommend that parents and family caregivers (collectively referred to as parents in this article) of children with medical complexity (CMC) be included in the early phases of vaccine distribution because they serve as essential frontline health care personnel. CMC have significant chronic health conditions that involve multiple organ systems, substantial health service needs, major functional limitations, and high health resource use. They have high levels of medical fragility, technology dependencies (tracheostomies, ventilators, feeding tubes, intrathecal baclofen infusion systems, and others), and psychosocial complexities. We identify CMC as those who have ≥3 organ systems affected (≥3 Feudtner … Address correspondence to Nancy A. Murphy, MD, FAAP, FAAPMR, Division of Pediatric Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Utah, 81 North Mario Capecchi Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84113. E-mail: nancy.murphy{at}hsc.utah.edu

Universal free schools meals through the Community Eligibility Provision: Maryland food service provider perspectives

`Since 2014, the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school meal funding option has enabled high-poverty schools nationwide to serve universal free breakfast and lunch. Evidence suggests that CEP has benefits for student meal participation, behavior, and academic performance. This qualitative study explores perspectives among food service staff (n=28) in CEP-participating school districts in Maryland on (1) implementation barriers, (2) implementation best practices, and (3) impacts on students, school operations, and the broader food system. Perceived benefits of CEP include increased meal participation, reduced student stigma and financial stress among parents, and improved staff morale. Most participants did not report any change in wasted food or relationships with local or regional farms associated with CEP adoption. Implementation barriers, including concerns regarding CEP’s impact on federal, state, and grant education funding, provide insight into potential policy interventions that may promote uptake. Best practices, including strong communication with parents and creative strategies to boost student meal participation, can be adopted by other districts.

Evaluation of Food Waste at a Portuguese Geriatric Institution

Care institutions attending to older adults are responsible for their food supply, which influences their health and quality of life. Food waste at care institutions has been reported to be a matter of great concern, that requires regular monitoring. In this study, we aim to quantify food waste in the food service of an elderly institution, both as leftovers and plate waste. Data collection was performed over 15 consecutive days, at lunch and dinner served to older adults. The aggregate weighing of food was performed before and after distribution, as well as after consumption. Leftovers and plate waste were calculated by the differences in weight. During the study period, 2987 meals were evaluated, corresponding to 1830 kg of food produced, of which only 67% was consumed. For each meal, approximately 610 g of food was produced per older adult, and only about 410 g were consumed, corresponding to 150 g of leftovers and 50 g of plate waste. Food waste represented 36.1% of meals served, composed of 24.1% leftovers and 12.0% plate waste. The wasted meals would be enough to feed 1486 older adults and would correspond to annual losses of approximately €107,112. Leftovers and plate waste were above the limits of acceptability (below 6% and 10%, respectively), indicating excessive food waste. High values of leftovers are related to the food service system and staff, pointing to the need for improvements during the planning and processing of meals. On the other hand, high plate waste values are associated with consumers, indicating the low adequacy of the menu regarding to older adults’ habits and preferences.

School canteens and the food waste challenge: Which public initiatives can help?

Foodservice is estimated to produce 12% of the total food waste in Europe, and it is a major target for policies against food waste. The amount of food lost during foodservice operations has been assessed in the literature as a figure ranging from 10% to 41% of the quantity prepared in the kitchen, either as non-served food or as plate waste. In this paper, a systematization of the current initiatives against food waste in EU school foodservice is provided. This background is used as a base to discuss the results of a direct assessment of food waste conducted in 78 primary schools in Italy, where 28.6% of the food prepared was not consumed by the diners. Part of it was saved for reuse, while the rest was disposed and treated as organic waste or, to a lesser extent, as unsorted waste. The flows of food waste, represented by a Sankey diagram, show that some actions may be implemented in order to save more food from disposal; for example, implementing donation programmes for non-served food or using doggy bags to avoid the disposal of plate waste. A greater effort shall be put on preventive actions, aimed at avoiding the generation of food waste; in this sense regular monitoring at schools may act as a first preventive measure as it can increase the awareness of students, teachers and foodservice staff over the issue of food waste.

Influence of Nutritive Value Quality on Chefs’ Food Preparation and Consumption

Nutritive value as part of food quality is the degree of a well-balanced vital nutrients of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals in relation to the consumers’ nutrient requirements. Choosing the right preparation methods and ingredients that contain high nutritive value is an important aspect of healthy eating in daily food consumption. Within food industries, food quality is acquainted especially among the food handlers, food service staff and chefs. Many people believe that most chefs with knowledge and skills of culinary education have awareness and concern regarding food quality, nutritional value, safety and hygiene in their daily food preparation and consumption. Thus, this study empirically examined the importance and influence of food nutritive value quality in terms of ingredients and cooking methods on chefs’ daily food preparation and consumption. A descriptive research design using a quantitative approach was applied. A questionnaire-based survey was distributed to chefs who were directly involved in the food sectors within Klang Valley and had culinary educational background and experience. The findings showed that the quality of nutritive value in terms of ingredients and cooking methods played an important role in chefs’ daily food preparation and consumption. Hence, it is important for the chefs to enhance the quality and taste of the food by using fresh ingredients and practice healthy cooking method. Besides that, their skills and knowledge can help to convey the information and promote the awareness of good eating habits to the society.

Estimation of the Scale of Food Waste in Hotel Food Services—A Case Study

The problem of food waste in food services, which is global and essentially affects the entire world, is a major challenge for the hospitality industry. At the same time, it should be noted that this problem has not been sufficiently studied, which makes it difficult to reduce it effectively. The study was carried out in four hotels in late 2019 and early 2020. In order to determine the scale of food waste, the diary method was used, which consists of systematically recording, for seven days, in forms prepared for workstations, the weight of all food products and unused food, including the stage of the technological process. In the hotels under study, most food was wasted in the serving department, i.e., in the buffet in the dining room or in the form of plate waste (on average 72.55% of wasted food). After taking into account the number of hotel guests served, it was found that in the investigated facilities, an average of 0.046 kg was wasted from each serving offered to guests in the form of plate waste, which constituted 5.8% of its weight. In sum, it should be stated that in order to reduce food waste, it is necessary to educate both food services staff and consumers. Employees should be trained in the proper handling of food. Consumer education, on the other hand, should be directed toward raising awareness of the negative impact of food waste, such as that on the natural environment. In addition, it should indicate what action everyone can take to limit this negative phenomenon, whether at home, in the workplace, or in a food service establishment.

Training Preferences of School Food Service Staff Vary by Role in the School Nutrition Program.

Professional development has been identified as a critical component for school nutrition professionals (SNPs) to successfully implement school meal standards in the United States. However, training needs may vary based on different factors. This study examined (1) the topics of highest priority for SNPs; (2) preferred learning methods; (3) where and when trainings should be conducted; and (4) whether responses differ according to important factors including position type, school locale (urban vs. rural), or job experience. Participants completed surveys that included questions on demographics and preferences for learning methods and training topics (n = 492). Descriptive statistics characterized survey responses. Chi square tests assessed differences in learning method and training topic preferences by participant role, locale, and job experience; Cramer’s V assessed the strength of association for each chi square result. Qualitative responses to open-ended questions were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis method. Nearly all training topic preferences were significantly different (p < 0.001 using Bonferroni method) when stratified by role. Significant differences were also observed for school locale and years of experience, but to a lesser degree. There was less variation in learning method preferences across staff role. Qualitative results (n = 93) identified three key themes related to training needs: role-specific trainings, innovative learning methods, and geographic access. The combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis indicate that professional development for SNPs should mostly be conducted in-person, be easily accessible, and include hands-on activities. Further, training should be tailored by job role and address situational barriers unique to the geographic area.

An analysis of Austria's food service sector in the context of climate change

The food service industry and its relation to climate change have recently gained attention, as the greenhouse gas intensity of food production and consumption has become better understood. Food services – including restaurants, canteens, or catering - have great relevance for emissions as a result of the purchasing decisions they make as well as their influence on consumer choices. This paper provides an overview of the existing knowledge on these interrelationships, with a specific focus on Austria. Specifically, it investigates whether there are opportunities for the Austrian food service sector to contribute to mitigation. The paper also discusses the role of policies and waste management in changing food use patterns. The paper has an applied nature and is part of the Austrian Special Report on Tourism and Climate Change. In many cases the implementation of measures requires - a raised awareness and better knowledge about climate change and low-carbon food systems. In this context energy saving campaigns might be helpful to enhance the awareness - a commitment of managers, employees, and guests. Funding opportunities may encourage business and customers to move forward on climate-friendlier food choices. - a specific training for food service owners, managers, chefs, kitchen and service staff. The integration of climate-related content into the curricula of hospitality schools, universities and food programs will also be essential for mainstreaming food climate knowledge.

Barriers to Nutrition Interventions in Army Dining Facilities: A Qualitative Study.

Interventions that encourage good nutrition-related behaviors in the dining environment can potentially influence the health of large numbers of military personnel. Thus, the Army has studied the effectiveness of implementing nutrition education and dining facility (DFAC) changes that included healthier recipes, revised menus, and population-specific point-of-choice labeling, but successful intervention implementation largely depends on the foodservice employees' understanding, knowledge, and desire to sustain changes. This phenomenological, qualitative study aimed to better understand common barriers to the implementation and sustainment of DFAC-based nutrition interventions at two U.S. Army DFACs. Focus group sessions (n = 168 participants) ranging from 60 to 90 minutes in length were conducted at two large DFACs on three separate occasions every 4 months from May 2015 to January 2016 among the foodservice staff during intervention implementation. Focus group transcripts were analyzed using NVivo 11 software. Researchers conducted multiple rounds of coding following an iterative process until four principal themes emerged. Principal themes related to the foodservice employees' experience during the nutrition intervention revealed barriers to a successful implementation related to (1) nutrition knowledge deficits, (2) inadequate culinary training, (3) poor management practices, and (4) low staff morale. A lack of foodservice staff training and education is a significant contributor to implementation barriers. Future interventions should increase engagement with foodservice employees during intervention planning and implementation phases with a structured and tailored nutrition education and culinary skill training program. Addressing these barriers may enhance staff morale and promote intervention adherence.

Descriptive study of COVID-19 outbreak among passengers and crew on Diamond Princess cruise ship, Yokohama Port, Japan, 20 January to 9 February 2020

An outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) occurred on the Diamond Princess cruise ship making an international journey, which led to quarantine of the ship at Yokohama Port, Japan. A suspected COVID-19 case was defined as a passenger or crew member who developed a fever or respiratory symptoms, and a confirmed COVID-19 case had laboratory-confirmation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Between 3 and 9 February 2020, 490 individuals were tested for SARS-CoV-2 and 172 were positive (152 passengers (median age: 70 years; interquartile range (IQR): 64–75; males: 45%) and 20 crew (median age: 40 years; IQR: 35–48.5; males: 80%). Other than the Hong Kong-related index case, symptom onset for the earliest confirmed case was 22 January, 2 days after the cruise ship left port. Attack rates among passengers were similar across the decks, while beverage (3.3%, 2/61) and food service staff (5.7%, 14/245) were most affected. Attack rates tended to increase with age. A comprehensive outbreak response was implemented, including surveillance, provision of essential medical care, food and medicine delivery, isolation, infection prevention and control, sampling and disembarkation.