Start Date
8-1-2011 10:30 AM
End Date
8-1-2011 11:45 AM
Track
1. Track 1 – Formal Paper Presentation
Subject Area
Food Service
Faculty Member
Dr. Barbara Almanza almanzab@purdue.edu Dr. Douglas Nelson nelsond@purdue.edu
Abstract
The importance of the cleanliness of the food contact surface has been recognized however, the cleanliness of non-food contact surface such as menus is thought to be under-estimated. The aim of this study is to determine the cleanliness of menus at a restaurant, evaluate current cleaning protocol and provide recommendation for improving menu cleanliness. This study will use microbiological data to analyze the cleanliness of the menus. A pretest will verify the most commonly touched areas of the menu by consumers. Based on the result of the pretest, menus will be collected from casual-family dining restaurants and analyzed for total microbial counts. Anticipated results will help guide restaurant managers establish effective cleaning protocols and improve food safety for the general public.
Keywords
restaurant menus, cleanliness, hygiene standards, microbiological data analyses
A Microbiological Assessment of Restaurant Menu Contamination
The importance of the cleanliness of the food contact surface has been recognized however, the cleanliness of non-food contact surface such as menus is thought to be under-estimated. The aim of this study is to determine the cleanliness of menus at a restaurant, evaluate current cleaning protocol and provide recommendation for improving menu cleanliness. This study will use microbiological data to analyze the cleanliness of the menus. A pretest will verify the most commonly touched areas of the menu by consumers. Based on the result of the pretest, menus will be collected from casual-family dining restaurants and analyzed for total microbial counts. Anticipated results will help guide restaurant managers establish effective cleaning protocols and improve food safety for the general public.