scholarly journals Food allergy and food intolerance knowledge of foodservice workers in Hungarian schools

10.5219/1111 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 318-324
Author(s):  
Anna Dunay ◽  
Anikó Kovács ◽  
Csaba Bálint Illés ◽  
András Tóth ◽  
András Bittsánszky

To provide food for children with food allergy or food intolerances represents an increasingly important role in school catering services. The number of children with food intolerances is growing continuously; therefore, it is necessary to improve the knowledge of foodservice workers, who are responsible for food provision in school catering units in relation with food intolerances, food allergies. The main goal of our research is to assess and analyze the knowledge of food service workers and food handlers on food intolerances and to determine those factors, which may influence their knowledge. Our research was conducted by using paper and pencil questionnaires. The mean of test results was 89,16% while deviation was 12,26%. There were no correlations between the test results and respondents’ education level, age group and the number of years working in food catering sector, and only partial correlation was detected with the job of the respondents. Based on the answers the food handling techniques of diet foods represented the poorest results. Our findings proved that the knowledge and food handling practice of food handlers regarding food intolerances and the preparation of diet meals should be improved.

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Liz Martins ◽  
I Estrela

Abstract Background Food allergy becomes a public health problem whose prevalence in children is increasing. Due to the daily number of children using school canteens, these settings play an important role on allergic reactions prevention, being essential to know the knowledge level of food handlers. Methods This study focused on Portuguese schools of the city of Porto, that daily offer 6500 lunches to children aged 3 to 10 years old. The study was performed in all school canteens having children with food allergies (n = 25). To evaluate knowledge level on food allergy, a questionnaire was applied to all food handlers responsible for meals serving, considering hot topics related to food allergy and cross contamination practices. Each question was scored: 0 (lack); 1 (correct); -1 (incorrect), ranged 0 to 20 points. The knowledge level was converted in a 4-level scale: <50% (non-acceptable); 50-74% (acceptable); 75-89% (good); 90-100% (very good). Results Despite of 44.9% of food handlers presented a good level knowledge, it was observed that 38.8% of participants showed non-acceptable values. The knowledge mean level was 11.9 (±4.1) points. A high knowledge was observed for cooks (13.8±3.0) and canteen managers (20.0±0.0) (p = 0.006), as well as, for a high school level. Only 36.7% of participants had training on food allergy, with no influence on knowledge level (0.610). Participants having training on food safety has a higher knowledge level (13.0±3.9) than food handlers having no training (9.8±3.7) (p = 0.008). The majority of respondents showed to know food handling good practices when exposed to case studies related to food allergy. Conclusions A positive level of knowledge on food allergies was observed for the majority of food handlers. Nevertheless, a high number of participants had no training on food allergy. This work has a potential impact on children's health, awareness for the need to implement regular training actions and surveillance systems at school canteens. Key messages A large number of food handlers showed non-acceptable knowledge levels and no training on food allergy. Professional category influenced knowledge, being important the motivation and training of all employees.


2019 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
CĂLIN JIANU ◽  
IONUŢ GOLEŢ

ABSTRACT The purpose of our study was to determine the knowledge and practices regarding food allergies among food service workers operating in western Romania (Timiş, Arad, and Caraş-Severin counties). A self-administered, multiple-choice questionnaire was completed by 121 Romanian food service workers from 23 food service units from July to September 2016. The food service workers interviewed had a moderate level of knowledge and practices regarding food allergies. The results highlight knowledge gaps in the areas of cross-contact and control of anaphylaxis emergencies, indicating the need to retrain food service workers. Our study revealed positive results according to education level, better practices used by more experienced staff, and differences between job positions and eating places. Higher knowledge levels of trained employees coexisted with better practices reported by employees who attended specific courses on allergens. All of these findings (significant at the 5% level) support the hypothesis that training programs must be adapted to the participants' needs and characteristics (professional experience, field of activity, and food service education level) to be easily accessible and to lower costs.


2014 ◽  
Vol 133 (2) ◽  
pp. AB207
Author(s):  
Bruce M. Prenner ◽  
John Hollingsworth ◽  
Ron Oliver ◽  
Linnet Brew

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (11) ◽  
pp. 2681-2694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce McAdams ◽  
Allison Deng ◽  
Tanya MacLaurin

Purpose Restaurants are unique and challenging environments for accommodating food allergies. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate food allergy knowledge, attitudes and resources among restaurant employees, and identify differences based on restaurant mode of operation. Design/methodology/approach A total of 209 food-service workers were surveyed in full-service restaurants across Southern Ontario, Canada. A paper-based questionnaire was used to evaluate participants’ food allergy knowledge, attitudes toward handling food allergy requests and emergencies, and the availability of food allergen resources at the restaurant. Findings Most participants were knowledgeable about food allergies, and valued being able to provide safe meals. However, there was a general lack of access to important food allergy risk management resources and training. Food allergy attitudes were significantly different between restaurant modes of operation. Also, food allergy training and resources were positively correlated with employee attitudes toward food allergies. Practical implications The results of this study show that engaging employees in food allergy training can contribute to greater levels in employee awareness and confidence in protecting health and safety of restaurant patrons with food allergies. Restaurants that demonstrate a strong preparedness toward handling food allergy requests can deliver a better customer experience and increase customer loyalty. Originality/value The findings of this study underscore the need for the restaurant industry, policy makers and food safety educators to work together to develop training programs and relevant resources to support and facilitate food allergy risk management in restaurants.


Author(s):  
Dick Steinberg ◽  
Dan Donohoo ◽  
Laura Strater ◽  
Alice Diggs

Human performance modeling (HPM) can be an effective tool to use for determining crew designs. Crew design includes determining the number of operators needed, the role of automation, and member task responsibilities required to operate a system. Without effective measures of performance and thresholds for assessing success, design decisions from HPM will be erroneous. Operator tasks can be assigned and allocated to crew members in a simulation to estimate the workload for each operator during a period of performance. The methods for determining when an operator exceeds workload thresholds create challenges for those using HPM for crew design. Some types of analysis have more clearly defined thresholds. For example, if a military operator has too many tasks to complete to effectively initiate countermeasures between the times they receive a warning until the time the threat arrives, they are overloaded and cannot complete their mission. However, many missions do not have such a severe penalty for not completing the tasks within a given time. For example, pharmacists, satellite managers, traffic managers, food service workers do not have such stringent task timing completion thresholds. For example, the penalty for a food service provider to be overloaded is typically extended wait times rather than risk of a loss of life. For these types of operational situations, determining overload is much more challenging. This paper describes a new workload thresholds for operator workflow models. It incorporates the vigilance effort, the maximum time a crew member will be fully loaded, and determining the maximum time worked without a break.


10.1068/d344 ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Houston ◽  
Laura Pulido

In this paper we offer an alternative reading of the role of performativity and everyday forms of resistance in current geographic literature. We make a case for thinking about performativity as a form of embodied dialectical praxis via a discussion of the ways in which performativity has been recently understood in geography. Turning to the tradition of Marxist revolutionary theater, we argue for the continued importance of thinking about the power of performativity as a socially transformative, imaginative, and collective political engagement that works simultaneously as a space of social critique and as a space for creating social change. We illustrate our point by examining two different performative strategies employed by food service workers at the University of Southern California in their struggle for a fair work contract and justice on the job.


2021 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruna Vieira de Lima Costa ◽  
Ada Ávila Assunção ◽  
Jennifer Elaine Santos ◽  
Larissa Andreza França da Silva ◽  
Sabrina Alves Ramos ◽  
...  

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