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ServSafe Food Safety Success Story
| Name | Barbara H. Lupo | | Situation | It is estimated that food borne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. Each year the percentage of meals eaten away from home increases. If a major food borne illness outbreak were to occur at a restaurant, the local economy would suffer. The National Restaurant Association has estimated that the average cost of a food borne illness outbreak to an establishment is about $75,000. Lawsuits can result in the
greatest cost due to attorney fees and possible monetary awards. Food safety training is one way food service operators can proactively prevent such losses. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control report that approximately 100 food borne illness outbreaks occur each year. That number represents a loss of $7,500,000 to the state
economy. Preventing food borne illness and death remains a major public health challenge. | | Response | Four 16-hour ServSafe Manager trainings and four 6-hour ServSafe employee trainings were provided to 200 food service handlers of food service businesses and school food service to teach safe food handling. Of the 113 taking the employee ServSafe certification, 109 passed and 4 failed. In ServSafe Manager training, I taught a total of 87 with 75 passing and 12 failing the exam. Also, I taught a Master Food Safety series with 9 weekly classes of 3 hours each to 4 volunteers. Three became Master Food Safety Volunteers and one did not. Other food safety classes taught included teaching a child care training course to 17 child care workers. Five food safety presentations were provided to 108 consumers, 26 FCL
members and 29 Department of Social Services home care workers. Also, a food safety and food preservation exhibit and handouts were displayed at the Sparkleberry Fair at Sandhill Research Center on April 29, 2006. Eleven articles on food safety issues were sent to 15 printed media in Lexington and Richland Counties, 1 (Swansea) town web site, and one media (WIS-TV) web site from April 2006 to March 2007. Also, articles are posted on the Clemson Extension Service Lexington website. The printed
media have a circulation of over 465,100 in the midlands area. The web sites posted the articles or news releases bi-monthly. In addition, six articles on food safety were published in the Focus on Family Matters quarterly newsletter. The publication has a mailing list of 682 quarterly in Richland and Lexington Counties. I taught 200 in ServSafe certification classes during 2006-2007. | | Impact | Eighty-six percent taking the Manager ServSafe training passed the exam and ninety-six percent taking the ServSafe employee certification passed the exam. Ninety seven percent of the employee participants said they gained new knowledge from participating in the training class. Ninety-four percent of the employee ServSafe participants found the information very or some what useful as related to contamination, temperature, receiving, storing, preparing, serving food and personal hygiene. There were 86 positive comments from employee ServSafe participants about how each would use what they learned in their job as a food handler. Eighty-eight percent of the ServSafe employees said that after the training they would almost always practice good personal hygiene, use the thermometer, store and reheat food properly and practice proper cleaning techniques. After a series of nine Master Food Safety Volunteer classes, three of the volunteers provided a variety of services and volunteer hours in their communities. Two of the volunteers judged in the food preservation section at the SC State Fair and one judged at the Sumter Fair. Also, all three of the Master Food Safety volunteers have used the food safety and preservation information to teach family and friends. One volunteer
has used the information and provided her knowledge of food preservation to her FCL Herb Club members during the past 6 months. Another volunteer used her skills to teach a group of senior citizens on how to can properly using the water bath canner. Also, the third volunteer provided information to her school staff on food safety and preservation. In addition, there were 180 who attended seven food safety presentations including a child care training class. Eighty-seven percent of those surveyed said they increased their knowledge as a result of the food safety information and hand washing exercises. Ninety-six percent said the information was very much or very helpful. |
Last update7/3/2008
This website is maintained by Linda Kelly and Bonnie Anderson.
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