Microbiological Contamination and Disinfection Procedures of Kitchen Sponges used in Food Services

Kitchen sponges continue to be heavily used in Brazilian food services, even though they may be very contaminated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological contamination and the efficacy of two procedures for the disinfection of kitchen sponges used in Brazilian food services. Eighty sponges were collected from food services and then analyzed for the quantification heterotrophic microorganisms (HM), fecal coliforms (CF), Staphylococcus coagulase-positive (SA) microorganisms and to the investigation of the presence of Salmonella sp. (SAM). After that, the sponges were disinfected, separately, by either boiling water for five minutes or immersed in 200ppm sodium hypochlorite, for 10 minutes, added to a rinse with potable water. The results showed that sponges presented HM counts between 3.4 and 10.4 log CFU/sponge, with an average of 9.1 log CFU/sponge, and 76.25% of them presented CF with average counts of 8.4 log CFU/sponge. SA and SAM were found in 2.5% of samples. Both disinfection procedures were able to significantly reduce the bacterial counts, but the boiling method showed a greater reduction (99.9999%) than the method of disinfection by 200 ppm sodium hypochlorite (99.9%). Based on the results it was possible to conclude that kitchen sponges can be very contaminated, but simple disinfection procedure can be applied to significantly reduce the microbial contamination.

The Role of Cooking for Hospital Food Service in Cancer Care-Units: Nutrition Is a Supportive Care While Cooking Appears to Be a Prescription

Cancer cachexia and treatment-induced side effects can contribute to deterioration in nutritional status in patients declining the quality of life and survival rates. Culinary practices may provide new strategies to minimize the symptoms. NEODIA (learning to live with a cancer on a day-to-day basis) is an observational program whose objective is to better understand the occurrence of treatment-related side effects as well as culinary and dietary habits in cancer patients followed in the Cancer Unit of the Beauvais City Hospital, France. First study step in 2010 has investigated culinary solutions to improve the quality of life of the patient at home. The present part tries in particular to answer the question if the culinary advising is transposable to the offer of restoration proposed by institutions of care in oncology. We first conducted an investigation on the determinants of quality of life in patients currently treated in a hospital service involving 41 people. In a second step, we are collecting information on the food supply itself, using advising of some patient’s specially prepared to test meals as a translational research expertise. The results of our survey show that patient’s remarks constitute real guidelines to adapt the practices in culinary production and healthy catering management. Based on these results, the consistency of frozen prepared meals has been analyzed regarding their potential to regulate the under nutrition-inducing treatment-related side effects. Conducted by the patient’s panel of the translational research group the study highlights the benefits of agro-food products and margins of progress.

Assessment of Food Service Quality of Chicken Republic and Mega Chicken Restaurants, Lagos, Nigeria

In this project, assessment of food service quality of two restaurants in Lagos was carried out. The study assessed quality of food served in Chicken Republic compared with Mega Chicken. Three hundred (300) copies of questionnaires were administered to the customers in Chicken Republic Restaurant while two hundred (200) copies questionnaires were administered to the customer in Mega Chicken Restaurant. In order to analyze the data, simple percentage method was adopted in which the respondents responded to variables like, quality of services, quality of food, healthy food, price and value and condition of environment as factors that determine their patronage. The result of the study showed that the customers prefer Mega Chicken. It also showed that there is a relationship between the customers’ satisfaction and customer patronage in a choice of restaurant. The result of the project could be of use to the intending restaurants’ operators to understand the trend and determinants of customers’ patronage. Recommendation is made that restaurant’s operation should intensify effort for training and retraining of the staff on customer delight.

Innovative Business Model Canvas for Foreign Entrepreneurship in Food Service Industry

This study aims to utilize the business model canvas to explore foreign entrepreneurial strategies in Taiwan.The contribution of business model canvas is expected to assist entrepreneurs to build up more effective decisions and judgements as well as increase the probability of success.This study is divided into three major phases.First,the research framework and interview outline were established on the basis of relevant literatures review.Next,this paper used semi-structured interviews for six foreign entrepreneurs.Through the content analysis of interview results,a new 10 building blocks of business model canvas in the food service industry for foreign entrepreneurship was thereafter developed.The results of the analysis would enable foreign entrepreneurs who would like to establish business in Taiwan to review as potential strategies,as well as a further reference to attract foreigners who would like to start new business ventures in Taiwan.

Tianjin Goubuli Baozi Food Service Group Co.

Goubuli baozi (steamed stuffed bun) originated in 1858. At that time there was a peasant named Gao in Wuqing County, Hebei province. At the age of 40, he got a son. In order to ensure the boy’s safety, he named him "Gouzi" (meaning: small dog), so he would be fed easily, like a small dog.

Carbon, Water, Ecological Footprints, Energy and Nutritional Densities of Omnivore and Vegan Culinary Preparations

This study aimed to evaluate energy and nutritional densities, water, carbon and ecological footprints, cost, of omnivorous and vegan main courses served in a university restaurant in the city of Rio de Janeiro. A cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted with 40 main dish-type preparations, 20 of which are omnivorous and 20 vegans, served at lunch, to assess energy and nutritional densities, carbon, water and ecological footprints and cost of preparations. We propose a healthy and sustainable preparation index (HSPI) to evaluate from the list, the best preparation options considering the nutritional quality combined with the impact that the food causes on the environment. Preparations with the highest HSPI were considered the best options because they have a good relation between the nutritional profile and the environmental impact. Results: Regarding energy (ED), nutritional (ND) densities and water, carbon and ecological footprints, omnivorous preparations presented much higher values when compared to the vegan ones. The omnivorous preparations had the highest average cost (R$ 3.44). Regarding the HSPI, vegan preparations showed better rates than omnivorous preparations. Food services should promote healthy and sustainable choices by offering menus with low energy density preparations, high nutritional density, and low environmental impact, considering local realities and customer needs. Conclusion: This study was able to evaluate the best preparation options, considering the nutritional profile and the food impact on the environment, using health and sustainable indicators. Obtaining indicators of preparations regarding healthiness and sustainability, in practice, translates environmental aspects in menu planning, which contribute to changes in food consumption patterns in food services, in addition to contributing to the reduction of the environmental impact. In this way, they can be used as tools added to the menu planning process for the analysis of the environmental impact of menus, in addition to nutritional and qualitative aspects.

The likely impact of genetically modified soybeans in the Brazilian collective feeding service

Objective: To expose the likely impact of genetically modified foods in Collective Feeding. Methods: This was a case study conducted on a steel company (SC) in Rio de Janeiro State. The likely impact recognition began with the preparation of a soy food products’ list. Then, we verified these products’ frequency on the Food and Nutrition Unit (FNU) menu from the SC, outlining the offer profile. We calculated odds ratios and binomial distribution probability for assessing exposure to soy that may be transgenic. Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) regarding soy products was applied. The convergence of daily products’ relative frequency of this population and the population from a reference study about FFQ validation in Rio de Janeiro was verified. Confrontation took place between the classification of foods by the consumers’ likely exposure to soy and the percentage deviation between observed relative frequency of products’ intake offered on the FNU and on the reference study. Results: A list of 51 products were created and 16 of them integrated the menu, e.g. flour, chicken, sausage, maize, instant pudding, bologna, hot dogs and peanuts. Food usually consumed by FNU users and concomitantly consumed in reference study were cookies, flour, spaghetti, bread, cake, instant pudding, sausage and hot dogs. By the classification and percentage deviations results, cookies, breads and pasta were the “villains” of soy’s susceptibility. Coclusion: It was possible to show the likely impact of genetically modified foods in Collective Feeding, confirming that these consumers were exposed to soybeans that may be transgenic.