Training in Food Safety is Essential for Foodservice Employees Research Paper

Training in Food Safety is Essential for Foodservice Employees - Research Paper Example   Probable undesirable compounds found in foods span a broad range, from environmental contaminants such as dioxins and natural contaminants such as mycotoxins to agrichemicals such as pesticides. A vast majority of incidences of foodborne illnesses are preventable if all food safety principles are adhered to from food production to consumption. Given that it is presently relatively impossible for food producers to guarantee a pathogen free supply of food, foodservice employees serve as critical links in the chain to deter foodborne illnesses. This paper will examine what foodservice employees need to be aware as effective strategies of minimizing the existence and consequences of pathogens or their inherent toxins in food. Food safety is a crucial issue that engulfs the foodservice industry. An in-depth understanding of the procedures encompassed in food safety, as well as the potential causes of foodborne illnesses is quite pertinent for all persons who handle food. It is only kn owledgeable, skilled and highly motivated foodservice employees trained to adhere to the proper procedures coupled with management that effectively keep an eye on employee performances can guarantee food safety (Chapman, Eversley, Fillion, MacLaurin & Powell, 2010). Foodservice employees play quite an integral role in deterring, as well as controlling or managing the epidemics of food borne illnesses. Foodservice managers typically employ the services of a massive number of part-time, as well as full-time employees, to offer food services. Part-time employees are typically aimed at providing flexibility in the workforce. It is, therefore, quite common that foodservice managers hire a large number of part-time, as well as international student employees who have no foodservice history or experience. In addition, many part-time employees work in the foodservice industry for only a brief timeframe before leaving for employment in other fields and industries. As a consequence, part-time employees may typically have lowered awareness of, as well as concern regarding the principles of food safety compared to full-time employees. It is, therefore, critical that managers educate both part-time and full-time employees regarding the issue of food safety, train them to ensure that they make use of appropriate food handling procedures, and assess their overall performance. A number of studies have been carried out to investigate part-time and full-time foodservice employees’ knowledge, practices, training, as well as attitudes, towards food safety. For instance, Chapman (2013) examined food handling practices, the presence of precondition food safety programs, as well as safety knowledge among foodservice scholars at least 40 Iowa schools. The researchers aimed at determining the readiness of foodservice students to implement hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) programs within their foodservice undertakings.