Assessment of Educational Needs and Current Practices of Front-line Grocery Employees in the Deli and Bakery

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dc.contributor.authorRobertson, Lynn Annen
dc.contributor.committeechairBoyer, Renee R.en
dc.contributor.committeememberEifert, Joseph D.en
dc.contributor.committeememberFranz, Nancy K.en
dc.contributor.committeememberChapman, Benjaminen
dc.contributor.departmentFood Science and Technologyen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:39:12Zen
dc.date.adate2010-07-29en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:39:12Zen
dc.date.issued2010-06-11en
dc.date.rdate2010-07-29en
dc.date.sdate2010-06-25en
dc.description.abstractGrocery store associates in the deli-bakery departments serve and prepare an increasing amount of ready-to-eat foods. This increases the need for a detailed, effective food safety training program in retail grocery establishments to prevent food borne illness. This research examines food safety knowledge, training preferences, needs, and current practices of grocery stores deli-bakery employees in Southwest and Southern Virginia. This research had two phases. Phase I: employees completed a thirty-four question needs assessment survey concerning background, food safety training needs, preferences and knowledge. Phase 2: 15 employees (from phase 1 locations) food behaviors were observed for approximately six hours each (89.05 hours total). Observational data collection focused on glove use, cross-contamination, and hand washing. The results showed that most grocery food handlers desired hands-on, interactive and one-on-one training that occurs frequently, but is short: less than two hours in length. Overall, most grocery food handlers had general safe food handling knowledge; however, the observational behavior data indicates behaviors do not reflect their knowledge. Greater than 95% understanding was found on the subjects of hand washing and glove use; however, these items were observed practiced incorrectly the most with bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods and lack of hand washing prior to glove use. The creation of short, hands-on or interactive trainings for retail grocery food handlers that focuses on changing food handling and preparation behaviors may be more effective than current training.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Science in Life Sciencesen
dc.identifier.otheretd-06252010-000011en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06252010-000011/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/43459en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartRobertson_LA_T_2010.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectfood safety trainingen
dc.subjectEducationen
dc.subjectfood handleren
dc.subjectgrocery storeen
dc.subjectobservationsen
dc.titleAssessment of Educational Needs and Current Practices of Front-line Grocery Employees in the Deli and Bakeryen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineFood Science and Technologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science in Life Sciencesen

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