Food Service Technology最新文献

Refrigerator biofilm formation in food environments can result in spoilage and food safety problems. Biofouling of food contact surfaces are difficult to combat, and while there are significant risks involved with tolerating their presence, methods for their removal are not commonly available. In this study, biofilms were grown on plastic refrigerator trays. Cultures of mixed wild strains were started using kitchen scraps suspended in nutrient broth. Biofilms were allowed to mature with approximately 10⁹ CFU per tray test area. Spoilage species identified included Pseudomonas putida, Sphingobacterium multivorum, Citrobacter freundii and Proteus vulgaris. A series of 39 different treatment interventions were trialed during three different biofilm test runs. Results obtained from treatments ranged from a less than 1 log₁₀ reduction for light duty cleaning operations to over a 5 log₁₀ reduction involving more complex treatment methods. The latter included combinations of hot soapy water (75 °C), scrubbing, treatment with high pH (12.0) cleaners followed by acetic acid (vinegar) exposure and included pre- and post-treatment wiping with paper towels.

Various hand hygiene techniques have been recommended by sanitarians. In the USA, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) ServSafe^® program guidelines include a recommended hand washing regime. The ServSafe regime was compared to rinsing with warm and cool water and no washing/rinsing for bare hands and gloves after exposure to ground beef (approximately 10⁶ cells/g) or liquid solution (approximately 10⁶ cells/mL) contaminated with an ampicillin-resistant Escherichia coli JM 109 strain. The efficacy of alcohol-based hand sanitizers to replace hand washing was also evaluated. ServSafe, warm water rinse and cool water rinse reduced E. coli cells on hands by 98.0, 64.4 and 42.8% log₁₀ cfu/mL, resulting in <1, 1.4, and 2,1 log₁₀ cfu/mL E. coli on hands, respectively, from 3.6 log₁₀ cfu/mL on unwashed hands. When vinyl food service gloves were worn during the hand washing treatments, gloves retained more bacteria than when only hands were rinsed or washed. From 2.9 to 3.4 log₁₀ cfu/mL remained on hands when ethanol-based sanitizers were used instead of hand washing. Of all hand washing treatments tested in these experiments, the US NRA recommended method was most effective (P < 0.05) in removing E. coli from hands and the levels remaining after this method were below the threshold of detection (<10 cfu/hand).

In many countries people are eating out more often and the food service industry has encouraged/reacted to this with business activities such as ‘super-sizing’, product bundling and ‘all you can eat buffets’. At the same time, the incidence of overweight and obesity has increased throughout the world and the food service industry has been implicated if not blamed entirely for this situation. However, is the food service industry rightly condemned as the obesity villain? This article considers some of the factors in the obesity debate and concludes that it is not a ‘one-way street’ and both the food service industry and consumer alike bear responsibility for the current situation.

Food service systems allow the decoupling of food production from service and offer economies of scale. However, the multiple steps in processing introduce additional safety risks in comparison with the traditional preparation. Operators need to be aware of the preservation principles and the type of data available in food safety research. This paper provides justification and describes the link between different types of studies in the field: surveys of background microflora, challenge studies, food safety design, predictive modelling, hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) and good manufacturing practices (GMP). The needs and directions for further research are identified.

The aim of this study was to examine the trend of workplace cafeteria use among Finnish adults between 1979 and 2001. Data from annually collected cross-sectional surveys on health behaviour, conducted since 1978, were used. Subjects were 24 292 employed men and 24 746 women aged 25–64. Frequency of workplace cafeteria use has been stable in Finland over the two decades under study. Women used the cafeterias more often than men. Differences by years of education and place of residence have remained relatively stable. People living in the capital area and having more years of education used the cafeterias more often. The Finnish habit of having a mid-day lunch at the cafeteria of one's respective workplace has resisted major changes in working and living conditions and social structures during the past two decades.

This study assesses the microbial and carotenoid quality of juice and salad obtained from carrots washed in water with the addition of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in various concentrations, and for various lengths of treatment. The carrots were dipped in 1, 5 and 10% solutions of H₂O₂ for 1 or 2 min, and quality assessments made on the basis of the degree of microbial contamination, by determining total bacteria count and the most probable count of coliforms. Changes in the content of caroteinoid pigments, that is, α-carotene, β-carotene and lutein, were determined by the HPLC method as well as retinol equivalents. From the results obtained, it was deduced that the washing of carrots in 5 and 10% solutions of H₂O₂ for 2 min had the strongest antimicrobial effect, because it resulted in a reduction of microbial contamination by two logarithmic cycles. The same solutions produced a limited decrease in α-carotene and β-carotene content and the retinol equivalent in carrot juice, but they had no effect on the level of these constituents in salads.

The research combined quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) trained panel (n = 10) and consumer acceptance testing (n = 106) to better identify the sensory characteristics that were particularly influential in determining consumer choice of a range of eight chilled lasagne products. Significant differences were found between the samples, with potential for further sensory improvement. Three distinctive consumer segments were established, each with particular demographic characteristics and associated product preferences. External preference mapping confirmed that attributes pertaining to the quality of the meat sauce element, vegetable inclusion and cheese flavour had the greatest influence on consumer preferences. While not without some limitations, the study confirmed that an integrated research approach offered a more detailed explanation of consumer acceptance of chilled ready meals, to assist in better identifying and optimizing product development opportunities in the marketplace. There is scope for further study of more complex food products (such as ready meals) than has been the case in the past.