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Goal: This proposal seeks to improve and standardize the food safety training in hot/cold self-serve bars and increase consumer confidence in the safety of the food supply at retail stores. <P>
Objective 1<BR> Conduct an assessment (observational and knowledge) on the current state of food safety compliance and practices in self-serve hot/cold bars in grocery stores at different locations throughout the USA <BR><BR>Objective 2 <BR>a. Develop training modules to improve food handling behavior for hot/cold self-serve bars that complement SuperSafeMark training, <BR>b. Conduct onsite training for retail food managers of select grocery stores and evaluate the training <BR><BR>Objective 3 <BR>a. Conduct a re-assessment (observational and knowledge) of the hot/cold self-serve bars following training (developed in Objective 2). <BR>b. Revise the training modules based on the assessment to optimize the training experience for participants <BR><BR>Objective 4 <BR> a. Develop online educational training materials specific for hot/cold self-serve bars and make this training available for all grocery stores <BR>b. Develop information for consumers, in the form of signs and pamphlets, which describe best practices for reducing risks at self-serve bars in grocery stores <BR><BR>Outputs: Online educational training materials (modules) specific for hot/cold self-serve bars and information for consumers, in the form of signs and pamphlets, which describe best practices for reducing risks at self-serve bars in grocery stores
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The safety of food served to the public should be a major concern for consumers and the grocery industry. Unsafe food results in consequences that are devastating and costly in economic terms of health care, litigation, and judgments. Studies from the FDA found that the deli section of retail establishments were often out of compliance when compared to other retail segments. Food safety knowledge and training of grocery store employees in hot/cold self-serve bars is extremely important since no training is currently available except SuperSafeMark and ServeSafe which are not specific for hot/cold self serve bars. Since, these bars are popular with consumers, and the trend in using these bars is growing, there needs to be more emphasis placed on this potential food safety risk. Based on this lack of standardized training across the United States, the objectives of this study include an assessment (observational, knowledge) of the current state of food safety compliance in self-serve hot/cold bars in several grocery stores across the USA and to develop online training modules for grocery store employees and managers. This online training module will be made available to all grocery stores that have hot/sold self-serve bars. This module will also increase availability and standardization of training across the USA. This proposal will improve and standardize the food safety training in hot and cold self-serve bars and increase consumer confidence in the safety of the food supply at retail stores. <P>
APPROACH: This proposed project period is two years using a total of 45 grocery stores within 3 major chains in Texas and Ohio. Each location will first be evaluated for food safety knowledge and observational practices. The observational assessment will include both a review of the establishments hot/cold food bar procedures and practices and an observational assessment to monitor if the establishments procedures and practices are being followed. This review will act as a third party audit of the establishments hot/cold self-serve bar. The knowledge assessment will include a questionnaire for the employees and managers to determine level of food safety knowledge. Training modules will be developed that specifically target food safety concerns and regulations in self-serve bars. This module can be used to standardize training in self serve bars for grocery stores and supermarkets across the USA. Training seminars will be conducted at strategic locations to ensure designated managers from participating grocery stores are trained. The evaluation of the manager training will serve as a measure of consistency between participating stores on the implementation of the program. Additionally, reaction data will identify effective and non-effective characteristics of the program that can be used to modify the training program. Measures of central tendency and variability will be used to analyze individual scale items. Finally, the data will be used to calculate a reaction index to be used in modeling food safety results. The reaction index will be calculated using summated scale items pertaining to workshop content and items pertaining to workshop delivery. An observational and knowledge assessment (as in Objective 1) will be conducted in the post-training objective. The results of these audits will then be used for a final revision of the training modules and to compile the needed training material for Objective 4. The training modules will be available in English with other languages provided based on need. The course lectures will be developed on PowerPoint with notes. The presentations and will be video-taped and the video will be converted into streaming video to accompany the lectures and notes online. Each set of lectures will have objectives, review materials and activities to enforce what is learned in the presentations. The following components will be integrated into the each of the on-line modules: Introduction, Module objectives, How to proceed, Discussion, Review exercises, and Evaluation. Since safety of consumers is a concern in hot/cold self-serve bars, signs will be developed and posted on the food bar in strategic locations to inform consumers of best practices to reduce contamination when serving themselves. In addition, labels will be provided for the to-go boxes which consumers use to take food home. These labels will be automatically printed when weighing the food or will be placed on the container at check out.