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Thesis 2016 VP - Apr 18 Revised.pdf (6.74 MB)

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Consumer Perceptions, Pathogen Detection, and Removal Rate Determination in Market-style Restaurants

Pool, Victor J
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1460922697

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Human Ecology: Human Nutrition.
Forty-eight million Americans will get a foodborne illness every year. Millions of American consumers eat in market-style restaurants daily, yet food safety in market-style restaurants is poorly understood. The rise in instances of foodborne illnesses presents a need to further understand the role of consumers in food safety in market-style restaurants. The purpose of this study was to assess the food safety perceptions and behaviors of consumers in market-style restaurants, to determine prevalence of human pathogen indicators (coliforms and generic Escherichia coli) and human pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and E. coli O157:H7) in common areas in market-style restaurants and determine effectiveness of a novel microfiber towel to decrease the risk of foodborne illness. A convenience sample 295 consumers of was collected in dining areas on an urban, Midwestern university campus. Questionnaires assessed consumer’s perceptions about indicators of food safety, sources of contamination, measures to prevent contamination, safety of different cuisines, and roles of stakeholders in MSR food safety, using a five-point Likert-type scale. Questionnaires also assessed consumers’ food safety behaviors and their potential engagement in preventative food safety behaviors. A total of 391 swab samples were collected from food contact and non-contact surfaces (tables, salad bars, serving bars, plates, etc). Additionally, 60 cell phone swabs were collected. All samples were tested to enumerate coliforms and generic Escherichia coli and determine the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and E. coli O157:H7. The efficacy of novel proton microfiber towels to remove human pathogens was determined. A total of 80 experiments were completed to test removal rates of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ATCC® 43888™) and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC (14028GFP) from stainless steel and acrylic surfaces to a microfiber towel. Each pathogen was tested on each surface under conditions of both wet and dry (60 minute drying time) inoculum 10 times. Consumers perceived employee hand hygiene (wt. mean=4.6) as the most important indicator of food safety in MSR over food preparation (4.4), restaurant cleanliness (4.3), food type (4.0), and posted food safety reminders (3.5). Consumers perceived people (food handlers and other patrons, wt. mean=4.4) to be the most likely source of contamination, and perceived food contact surfaces (4.2) and foods (4.2) to be less likely. They also believed that restaurant owners and employees should be the most responsible for food safety (median=5, Q1=4, Q4=5) and that patrons were the least responsible (median=3, Q1=3, Q4=4). Consumers reported seldom engaging in table/utensil sanitation (wt. mean=2.98) or hand sanitation (2.98). A total of 141 surfaces and 8 cell phone swabs were positive for coliforms and 19 surfaces and 2 cell phone swabs were positive for generic E. coli. The majority of E. coli positive samples were from salad bars (39/75 samples) and tables (36 /139 samples). Of the samples that were positive for generic E. coli, seven were from salad bar counters and utensils and three were from cereal serving counters. Total coliform counts ranged from 1-6.6 log CFU/mL. There were no differences between removal rate of Salmonella Typhimurium (55±14%) when compared to removal rates of E. coli O157:H7 (52±17%, P > .05). The treatment of the inoculum on the surface did not significantly affect the removal rate. When the inoculum was allowed to dry for 60 minutes prior to wiping the removal rate was slightly lower (48±18%) than when the surface was wiped immediately after inoculation (58±10%, P > .05). Overall, the log CFU reduction was greater for Salmonella (4.6±0.9) than it was for E. coli (4.0±1.2, P = .02). As expected the log CFU reduction was greater for both E. coli and Salmonella when the inoculum was wiped while wet (5.0±0.3) rather than wiped after 60 minutes of drying (3.6±1.2, P <. 001). The findings of this study highlight the importance of food safety in dining areas. The consumer survey gives us a better understanding of how consumers perceive food safety in market-style restaurants, which will allow for development of more effective interventions to reduce food safety risk. While no pathogens were detected on food contact and non-contact surfaces, the high level of samples that tested positive for human pathogen indicators show that there is the potential for contamination of surfaces in market-style restaurants. Early work on removal rates with a novel microfiber towel indicate that greater than three log pathogen removal from stainless steel and acrylic surfaces, and removal rates average between 41% and 59%. Novel proton microfiber towels may be an effective intervention to prevent foodborne illness in MSR.
Sanja Ilic (Advisor)
Joshua Bomser (Committee Member)
Soobin Seo (Committee Member)
73 p.
Nutrition

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Pool, V. J. (2016). Consumer Perceptions, Pathogen Detection, and Removal Rate Determination in Market-style Restaurants [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1460922697

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Pool, Victor. Consumer Perceptions, Pathogen Detection, and Removal Rate Determination in Market-style Restaurants. 2016. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1460922697.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Pool, Victor. "Consumer Perceptions, Pathogen Detection, and Removal Rate Determination in Market-style Restaurants." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1460922697

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.