92D-7 |
Evaluating food safety needs in the food industry using a “Worker-based Model” |
S. NIETO-MONTENEGRO1, J. L. Brown1, L. F. LaBorde1, C. N. Cutter1, and R. B. Radhakrishna2. (1) Dept. of Food Science, Pennsylvania State Univ., 8-F Borland Lab., University Park, PA 16802-2503, (2) Agricultural & Extension Education Dept., Pennsylvania State Univ., 318 Agricultural Administration Bldg., University Park, PA 16802 Although food safety is an industry-wide issue, the same food safety program cannot be applied universally. To implement a customized and successful food safety program, each company’s food safety needs must be carefully evaluated. Management, workers and facilities should be assessed regardless of the method used. Direct observations have been widely used in fields such as education, psychology and behavioral sciences and in assessing consumer food safety behaviors. Our “Worker-based Model” uses direct observations of a company’s operations by a third person acting as “worker” assigned to the companies’ different stations. Our objective was to test the “Worker-based Model” for evaluating food safety needs within companies handling the same commodity. An observer conducted all observations in participating companies (N=12) at all operation levels. Depending on company size, this required two or three full days in order to spend a 1-3 hour period at each employee workstation. Observations were recorded using anecdotal reports, a semi-structured data gathering procedure. The observer recorded information about food safety related practices followed by the managers and workers (personal hygiene, food safety signs and company rules, product handling, hand washing stations), about facilities (restrooms, machinery, equipment, trash handling, and cleaning and sanitizing tasks), and about the working environment and the workplace food safety related norms. Although all companies had food safety standards and were following good manufacturing practices, the degree of adequacy varied with each company. Observations highlighted current strengths and weaknesses, valuable information for designing food safety programs. An outsider who views the food facility with fresh eyes is more likely to note lapses and weaknesses than current employees. Using this model also avoids short-term modification of behavior as often occurs during an audit or plant inspection. Food professionals could use this model to obtain reliable information regarding food safety needs in their operations.
Session 92D, Quality Assurance: General
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