Serving Food Safely to Consumers
Patricia Steiner and Barbara Anderson

Problem:
Iowa consumers are very concerned about safe food when eating out. Serving safe food is an obligation for food service establishments. A food-borne illness outbreak can cost an establishment not only dollars, but reputation as well. Since most food-borne illness can be avoided through safe food-handling practices, training in food safety is essential to any establishment serving food. Providing up-to-date, research-based training on food safety is important for food service workers and part of the mission of ISU Extension staff.

Response:
ISUE Nutrition and Health Field Specialists Barbara Anderson and Patricia Steiner are certified instructors with the National Restaurant Association to teach the ServSafe Food Protection Manager course. Three of the training sessions taught in 2005 in Burlington and Fort Madison were attended by more than fifty food service workers. Post meeting evaluations at the time indicated that ……

Impact:
To determine whether any of the practices were adopted by food service workers after they completed the course, a follow-up telephone survey of twenty-four participants was conducted five to twelve months later. A total of 24 persons (nearly half of those participating) were interviewed by telephone. When asked which safe food handling practices they adopted as a result of taking the class, nine said better storage of foods; four said better sanitizing; four said greater awareness of safe temperatures. Half of those surveyed (12) said a practice that they followed before the class but now have improved upon is following safe temperatures. Also three improved on hand washing and four on sanitizing surfaces.

Personal benefits acknowledged by seven respondents are better food handling and more awareness and caution about safe food handling. When asked how they felt their customers benefited as a result of their taking the class, seventy-nine percent (10 out of 24) said customers now have safer food provided to them. A couple of interviewees commented that everyone preparing or serving foods should be require to take the ServSafe class. Based on the telephone interviews, it appears that the ServSafe classroom teaching does motivate food preparers to improve their food safety practices. Safer food leads to a healthier workforce and less absenteeism because of foodborne illness and to lower health care costs.

Contacts:

Patricia Steiner Nutrition & Health Field Specialist Iowa State University Extension 900 Osborn Street Burlington IA 52601 Phone 319-754-7556; Fax 319-754-6721 Email psteiner@iastate.edu

Barbara Anderson Family Nutrition and Health Specialist Wapello County Extension Office 101 North Court Ottumwa, Iowa 52501 Phone 641-682-5491; Fax 641- 682-5148 Email bjanders@iastate.edu