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AN ASSESSMENT OF
QUALITY ASSURANCE NEEDS IN
CONVENIENCE STORE FOODSERVICE SYSTEMS

by

Nancy Louise Burch

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michi an State University

in partial ful illment of the requirements
for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE

Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition

1987

ABSTRACT
AN ASSESSMENT OF
QUALITY ASSURANCE NEEDS IN
CONVENIENCE STORE FOODSERVICE SYSTEMS
BY

NANCY L. BURCH

Foodservice is relatively new in convenience stores, a
segment of the grocery store industry. This study of their
processing methods included an on—site hazard analysis of
roast beef sandwich processing at 6 locations in Lansing,
Michigan and collection of food samples. Managers (n=13)
and employees (n=27) at 15 locations were surveyed on their
knowledge of safe food handling practices.

Critical control points were time-temperature and
personnel sanitation. The log means for Total Plate Counts
following processing were 6.04/g and 8.39/g after 3 days of
refrigeration in the store. Presumptive S. aureus was
isolated in 612 of the samples but never exceeded 4.00
logs/g. TPC increased as time and temperature of storage
increased. Managers were more knowledgeable about handling
food safely than employees but the temperature danger zone
for bacterial growth in foods was identified by only 162 of

all participants.

DEDICATION
in memory of
CHARLES H. SIMON

my silent partner in all educational pursuits

ii

ACKNONLEDGMENTS

In the years that it can take to develop and complete
a project of this kind, many people play a significant
role. I would like to express my appreciation for the
parts many have played in helping me see this project
through to print.

I especially want to thank Dr. Carol Sawyer, who
directed this research, for making the project a
stimulating and valuable learning experience. I also want
to thank Jean McFadden, who served as chairman of my
advisory committee through the writing of the thesis, for
her patient quidance and continued encouragement. Thank
you to the other members of my committee, Dr. Mary Zabik,
Dr. James Pestka, and Dr. Steve Raudenbush, for their

support and advice.

My sincere gratitude to the Michigan Food Dealers
Association for their interest and monetary support, the
participating stores and their employees, my colleagues
and friends for their willingness to listen and be

critical, and to L.B. for helping me believe in myself.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLESOOOOOOO.O0.0.0.0000...0.0.0.000...OOCV11
LIST OF FIGURES.O...0..OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...OOOOOOViii

INTRODUCTIONOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.0.0.00.00000001
LITERATURE REVIEWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0.000000000008

convenience Store...0O.O0.00....0.00.00.00.00000000011

DemographiCSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0.000000000011
ProduCt miXOOOOOOOO00......OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.013
CUStomerSooooooooo000000000oooooooooooooooooooola
Processing.....................................14
Employee Training..............................15
Industry Concerns..............................15

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points.........15

Background.....................................16
Hazard Analysis................................16
Critical Control Points........................17
Implementation.................................18

MinObiOlogical StUdieSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0.019
Foodservice Personnel...............................22

certificationol0..O0.00....0.0.0.0000000000000022
Employee Knowledge.............................23

METHODS AND MATERIALSOOOOOOOOO0.00000000000000000000ZS
SamplingOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOZS

survey InStrumentoooooo00.000000000000000....0026
on-Site In8trument80000O0......0.00.00.00.0000026

CHAPTER 1
HAZARD ANALYSIS OF FOODSERVICE SYSTEMS IN CONVENIENCE

STORESOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOCOO0.0...0.0.0.000000000000000028
AbStrECtooooooooooooooooooooooooo000.000000000029
IntrOdUCtionooo O... O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0.... .0 0.0.030

iv

Materials Bud Methods....................o.....32
Sample seleCtionooooooooooooooooooooo0000.32
Time-temperature study....................33
HACCP StudYOOIOO0000.0000000000000000.000033
Microbiological analysis..................34

ReSUItSoooooocoo-cocooooooooococoa-00000000000035
Hazard analys18...........................35
Critical contrOI PaintSoooooooooooooooooooB7
Microbiological analysis..................4O

DiSCUSSiOnoooooooooooooooooooooooooo000.00.000.40

conCIuSionSOOOOoooooo000000ooooooooooooooooooooaa

ACkDOWledgmentooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo0044

CHAPTER 2
SAFE FOOD HANDLING KNOWLEDGE OF CONVENIENCE STORES
PERSONNELoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooaa

AbstraCtOOOOO0.00.00.00.00...0.00.00.00.000000046

IntrOdUCtionooooooooooooooooo00000000000000.00047

Materials and MethOdSOOOOOOO000.000.000.000.00048
sample selection..........................48
survey formS..............................49
Statistical analysis......................49

Results..............C.........................50
Store demograph1C8000000000000000000000.0050
Observat10n8000000000000ooooooooooooooooooso
Profiles..................................51
Statistical aHBIYS18.ooooooooooooooooooo0052

DiSCUSSion..‘..................................58

COHClUSionSoooo00000000000000.ooooooooooooo0.0.63

ACkHOWIedgmentoooooooooooooooo00000000000000.0064

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.0..00......0.0.0.0000000000064
PROPOSALS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH......................66

APPENDICES

LIST OF

Telephone survey............................68
Manager's survey............................7O
Employee's survey...........................7S
University committee on research involving

human subjects - letter of approval.........78
Project statement...........................79
Consent form................................80
On-site evaluation form to evaluate store

conditions on initial visit.................81
Hazard analysis evaluation form.............82

Letter to participating stores on

microbiological analysis....................83

REFERENCESOOOOOOOO0.000000000000000000000.0.85

vi

LIST OF TABLES

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

l.

2.

CHAPTER

1.

CHAPTER
1.

2.

Foodborne disease outbreaks classified

by place of mishandling foods, United States,
1974 to 1978 0.0000000000000000000000.00.00.0009
The eleven most important factors contributing
to the occurrence of outbreaks of foodborne
disease during 1961 through 1976..............10

1

Temperatures, Total Plate Counts and
Staphylococcus Aureus Counts for Beef

Sandwiches at Selected Convenience
Stores........................................38
Temperatures before/after heating of roast

beef sandwiches by store employees using

the microwave oven in 3 different c-stores....39

2

Frequencies and percentages for manager and
employee answers to questions regarding cold
holding temperatures..........................56
Frequencies and percentages for manager and
employee answers to questions regarding hot
holding temperatures..........................57
Analysis of variance and test of significance
for knowledge score and level of food safety
training of employees.........................S9
Analysis of variance and test of significance
for store cleanliness score and level of food
safety training of employees..................59
Analysis of variance and test of significance
for score on the food safety quiz and level of
food safety training of employees.............59

vii

LIST OF FIGURES

CHAPTER 1

1. Process flow diagram for pre-cooked beef
sandwich production at convenience stores....36

CHAPTERIZ

l. A comparison of the ratings given for
perceived knowledge of safe food handling
practices by managers and employees..........53
2. A comparison of the ratings given for store
cleanliness by the store managers, employees,
and the researcher acting as consumer........54

viii

INTRODUCTION

Consumer patterns for purchasing and consuming foods
in the United States have changed dramatically in the last
20 years as more women entered the work force, family size
diminished, more single households emerged, and fewer
meals were eaten at home as a family unit due to family
member's schedules. Hall (1984) referred to these new
consumers as "grazers", a food industry term for impulse
eaters rather than three meal a day eaters who wander from
one establishment to another picking up nourishment. They
choose food with a more healthful image that is ready for
immediate consumption or offers the convenience of ready
in minutes with microwave preparation. The National Food
Review (1985) reported that 232 of food dollars are spent
on food away from home based on 1977-1978 data. One would
expect that more recent data would Only increase the
percentage. According to Gravani (1986) consumers want a
food supply that is "wholesome and safe, appetizing, tasty
and appealing, packaged properly, labeled fairly and
accurately, attractively merchandized and sold at a price
they can afford". It is interesting to note that
wholesome and safe are listed first by the consumer and
not assumed.

Retail food outlets, such as convenience stores, are
cashing in on this market by entering the foodservice

1

2
field and retailing such items as prepared sandwiches,
salads, soups, pizza and burritos. Those stores that are
attempting to be the most creative with in-store
preparation and customer service (ie. unwrapping and
reheating for patrons) are the most likely to attract
grazers. At the same time the potential for food
poisoning incidents increases with more handling of these
foods by employees.

Convenience stores are the largest segment of the
grocery store industry with over 61,000 outlets across the
United States represented by national chains, local
chains, and independents. According to Downing (1980) 90%
of all convenience stores were selling take-out food as
early as 1979. This means the creation of a new
foodservice system that is preparing potentially hazardous
foods for a consumer with a large geographical scatter
making epidemiological data rare should a food poisoning
incident occur (Christian, 1980). This influx of
foodservice sites is a tremendous burden on a governmental
inspection program including both the Department of Public
Health and the Department of Agriculture. These agencies
have experienced budget cuts over the years resulting in
too few inspectors in relationship to the work load.
Grocery stores fall under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Agriculture but foodservice is the domain of

the Department of Public Health. Therefore many retail

3
stores are encumbered with dual inspections. Despite that
overlap, regulatory agencies cannot assure safe food on a
day to day basis in each establishment. Efforts to
educate this group of food retailers in safe food handling
practices is necessary since they carry the burden of
responsibility for the safety of the food they sell
(Davis, 1977). Effective self—inspection, on the part of
the retailers could save the time and energy of
governmental inspectors since visits could be less
frequent (Chichy, 1983). This study assessed safe food
handling knowledge of convenience store personnel and the
relationship of that knowledge to any food safety training
they had received in order to critique their ability to
carry out a self-inspection program.

There are eighty-two convenience stores in the
Lansing, Michigan area. Many of these outlets sell take-
out foods prepared by corporate commissaries or food
processing chains rather than preparing these foods on—
site. My interest was in outlets that prepare their own
take-out foods, those that contract with small local
commissaries for their take-out foods, and local outlets
that also function as commissaries. These outlets were
selected because they work directly with potentially
hazardous foods and could be observed. They were believed
to typify outlets elsewhere using similar types of

equipment. There are three commissary convenience stores

4
and eleven in-house convenience stores in the Lansing
area.

One standard that has been used to judge the sanitary
conditions under which foods have been prepared in
foodservice systems is the microbiological evaluation of
products. Research studies (Christiansen and King, 1971;
Oblinger and Kennedy, 1980; 0ckerman and Stec 1980) have
looked at the microbiological content of take-out foods in
fast food and retail outlets. Those studies and the work
of Bobeng and David (1977) that developed a Hazard
Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) model for quality
control of food processing procedures in foodservice
operation could be used as a standard to evaluate
convenience store foodservice systems. Bobeng and David
state that, "HACCP is a preventive approach to quality
control emphasizing microbiological control and
identifying process stages where loss of control could
present a food safety risk". Time-temperature, equipment
and personnel sanitation are the critical control points
that they monitored. Bryan et a1. (1978), Bryan and Lyon
(1984), Bryan et a1. (1981), and Bryan and Bartleson
(1985) have applied the HACCP approach to evaluating
foodservice systems in many different settings. HACCP has
not been applied directly to the processing of foods in

convenience stores. Therefore my objectives were:

5

1) to observe the foodservice system in place at
convenience stores used to prepare take-out sandwiches in
an effort to find any hazardous conditions during
processing and identify the critical control points that
should be internally monitored in order to assist
convenience stores in producing the highest quality
product under the safest conditions.

2) to compare the processing methods used to prepare
take-out sandwiches in convenience stores involved with
in-house production to local convenience store
commissaries contracted to supply other convenience store
outlets with sandwiches.

3) to monitor total bacterial and presumptive S;
aureus counts associated with sandwiches currently
prepared in selected convenience stores as a measure of
sanitation during preparation.

4) to establish a profile of convenience store
personnel and assess their knowledge of established safe
food handling practices for the foodservice industry.

The following terms and definitions are of importance

to this study;

FOODSERVICE SYSTEM: (Kiehl, 1977) A facility where
large quantities of food intended for individual
service and consumption are routinely provided,

completely prepared. The term includes any such

6
place regardless of whether consumption is on or off
the premises and regardless of whether or not there

is a charge for the food.

TAKE-OUT FOODS: (National Restaurant Association,

 

1986) Ready-to-eat foods and beverages prepared at a
full service restaurant, fast food place, convenience
store, grocery store, supermarket or some other type
of eating establishment and purchased to consume
somewhere other than the place where it was bought.
CONVENIENCE STORE (C-store): A small (1,000 to 3,200
squarefeet), higher-margin grocery store that offers
an edited selection of staple groceries, non-foods,
and take—out foods along with various services and/or
gasoline.

COMMISSARY FOODSERVICE SYSTEM: (Unklesbay et.al.,
1977) This system has centralized food procurement
and production functions with distribution of
prepared menu items to several remote areas for final
preparation and service.

IN-HOUSE CONVENIENCE STORE: Defined for this study
as a convenience store processing sandwiches within
their store for on-site service.

COMMISSARY CONVENIENCE STORE: Defined for this study
as a convenience store processing sandwiches within

their store for on-sight service and transporting

7
sandwiches to other contracted convenience store
outlets.
HAZARD ANALYSIS (HA): (Bauman, 1974) The
identification of sensitive ingredients, critical
process points, and relevant human factors as they
affect product safety.
CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS (CCP): (Bauman, 1974)
Key processing determinants whose loss of control

would result in an unacceptable food safety risk.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The National Research Council Food Protection
Committee (1985) emphasized that there is no greater need
for control over microbiological hazards than in
foodservice and the home. Ninety—seven percent of
foodborne disease outbreaks can be attributed to these two
sources (TABLE 1). With only about 1% of foodborne disease
outbreaks reported to the Center for Disease Control in
Atlanta, Georgia this information is not sensitive enough
to show any significant involvement of retail food stores
in these outbreaks. But, the most important factors
contributing to the occurrence of outbreaks of foodborne
disease are factors which apply to food production in any
setting including retail food store production of take-out
foods. TABLE 2 lists the eleven factors that contributed
to foodborne disease outbreaks in order of frequency for
the years 1961 to 1976 (Klien, 1984). Economic losses
associated with foodborne disease outbreaks have been
enumerated by Todd (1985). Costs for the 17 incidents of
foodborne disease in Canada and the United States that he
studied ranged from $16,690 to over $1 million with a
median of the average costs per case of $788. Costs

included lost revenue due to bad publicity as well as

TABLEZL. Foodborne disease outbreaks classified by place of
mishandling foods, United States, 1974 to 1978.

 

 

 

Place Number of Percent of
Outbreaks Known Places
Foodservice establishment 1,285 77
Homes 327 20
Food processing plants 52 3
Other/unknown/unspecified 615 -~
TOTAL 2 ,279 100

 

Source:.Adapted from Bryan, 1981.

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11
legal settlements. Henry (1986) and Bryan (1981) chided
the regulatory agencies for not significantly reducing the
number of foodborne disease outbreaks in foodservice
establishments via current routine inspection programs.
Martin (1985) and others have warned the foodservice
industry that with the current lawsuit trend in our
society and the correlated rise in liablity costs, a sound
quality assurance program is necessary in every
foodservice system regardless of size.

This review will focus on the c-store industry, their
demographics and problems, and research that has been
conducted to analyze needs in establishing a quality
assurance program. Studies applying HACCP,
microbiological evaluations as well as those covering

training programs will be included.

CONVENIENCE STORES

DEMOGRAPHICS

The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS)
surveyed 140 companies representing 21,780 stores in 1986.
From these data the association estimated that there are
61,000 c-stores doing 54.2 billion dollars in sales in the
United States and that they employee 397,000 people. The
top five c-store corporations listed in order of

predominance are Southland Corp. headquartered in Dallas,

12
TX (7-E1even); Circle K Corp. headquartered in Phoenix, AZ
(Circle K and UtoteM); Cumberland Farms headquartered in
Canton, MA (Cumberland Farms); Convenient Food Mart
headquartered in Rosemont, IL (Convenient Food Mart); and
National Convenience Stores, Inc. headquartered in
Houston, TX (Stop 'N Go, Shop 'N Go, Hot Stop, Colonial,
Stop 'N Serve, Super Stop, Schepp's Food Stores, Rebel,
Rebel Plus). Schlossberg (1986) estimated that the
volume of foodservice alone in c-stores is running from 8
to 102 of their inside sales. Kochak (1986) stated that
the gross margins on most take-out foods is 40 to 602
which makes it a very attractive service since groceries
usually gross only 25% or less. He projected that take-
out food would soon account for 20% of annual merchandise
sales. C-stores are filling a niche left by fast food
operators that have upgraded their service and decor. They
are competitive in the fast food market for several
reasons; "One-stop shopping" allows consumers to combine a
take-out food with gasoline and a pack of cigarettes,
c-stores are using good price merchandising (Bernstein,
1985), the cost of a take-out order seldom runs more than
$3.00 (Amorese, 1984), c-stores are not labor intensive
needing very few personnel to run them (Beckerman, 1982),
50% of all c-stores are open 24 hours (Brookman, 1985),
and most transactions are completed in 2 to 3 minutes

(Krueckeberg, 1986). Several articles in leading trade

13
magazines have reported attempts by c-store chains to
team up with national fast food corporations such as
Hardee's and Church's Fried Chicken (Zuckerman, 1986 and
Jeffrey, 1986). Acccording to Raffio (1986) that trend
could bring a needed discipline to c-stores and "a
national flag to run up their mast". Certainly these
large corporations have spent a great deal of money
training employees, developing processing methods, and
instituting controls that c-store operators could profit

from.

PRODUCT MIX

 

C-stores have the advantage of being able to tailor
their menu to their customers (Larson, 1985). This
accounts for some of the diversity of products seen within
several stores in one community or within a chain. In
1984 40% of take-out foods were prepared in the stores
with hot and cold sandwiches sold most often (Restaurants
and Institutions, 1985). Amorese (1984) listed
sandwiches, burritos, nachos, hot dogs, pastries, and
beverages as common fare but it is not uncommon to find
soups, chicken, pizza, ice cream, delis, fresh fruits and
vegetables, salads, and in-house bake shops. Generally,
these foods are prepared out front in the customer area.
Brown (1985) feels that the appeal of in-house prepared
take-out foods is their freshness. Plus, there is no

waste since you eat what you buy. Estimates of the time

14
between purchase and consumption of take-out foods range
from 40 minutes (Advertising Age, 1982) to 1 hour
(Endicott, 1983).
CUSTOMERS

 

NACS surveyed 48 c-stores in 5 geographic locations
in 1985. The responses of 3,967 customers helped to
deve10p a profile of purchasing behavior and to create a
data base. The power purchasers were identified as males
earning $15,000 or less and under 18 years of age.
Customers over the age of 55 were said to be rare. Take-
out foods that they most often purchased were first
beverages and fourth hot sandwiches (Wrisley, 1985). A
survey of 2,500 grocery operators by Progressive Grocer
(1986) found that c-stores see 40% of all food shoppers
weekly. Their customers visit them more than 2.1 times
per week. This survey revealed that customers in grocery
stores, in general, ranked cleanliness as the most
important concern when selecting where to shop.
PROCESSING

Krueckeberg (1986) stated that 95% of c-stores use
microwaves as a method of reheating foods to serving
temperature. This includes customer self-service and
employee handled equipment. Larson (1985) reported that a
typical store prepared 8 to 10 sandwiches at a time and

held them in a display case no more than one day. Product

15
turnover may extend to as much as seven days when products
are prepared and shipped from commissaries.
EMPLOYEE TRAINING
It should be the manager's responsibility to both
train employees and produce a manual on food preparation

that is available at all times (Larson, 1985). Chipley

and Cremer (1980) surveyed fast food operators and found
that their organizations first concern was for education
of their personnel in the practical aspects of food
protection. Restaurants and Institutions Yearly Review
(1985) cited employee training as the biggest problem
facing that industry. In 1986 they re-emphasized the
fact that foodservice requires a committment on the part
of c-store operators to spend money developing and
conducting training programs for all employees.
INDUSTRY CONCERNS

Raffio (1986) was critical of c-store management for
not having the discipline to throw away food. Part of the
problem is a general lack of experience in foodservice on
the part of management (Larson, 1985). A typical c-store
managers' salary is approximately $15,000 which is low for
the foodservice industry (Telberg, 1983). Thus this
salary would not attract well educated personnel or

employees with extensive field experience. In fact, the

average worker in institutional foodservice is less than

16
25 years old and remains on the job for less than one year

(Marth, 1977).

HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS

BACKGROUND

HACCP began in the late 60's when Pillsbury
established strict control measures in their processing
system in order to meet NASA-Army space food standards for
"zero" pathogens, especially salmonella (Bauman, 1974).
Widespread application of this approach began in the 70's
within the food processing industry paticularly for
improving microbiological control of low—acid canned
foods. This system has since been extended to foodservice
(Bobeng and David, 1978; Bryan et al., 1978; Bryan ,1981;
Bryan et al., 1981; Bryan and Lyon, 1984; Bryan and
Bartleson, 1985; and Snyder, 1979,1981,1986). Faulty
practices can be identified during operations, often, in
time to prevent the occurrence of foodborne outbreaks
(Bryan, 1981).
HAZARD ANALYSIS

Conducting a hazard analysis begins with identifying
those foods prepared in an establishment that are
potentially hazardous including a look at each ingredient
in a product. This is followed by observing each

sequential step of the processing or preparation operation

17

including talking to employees about the process. The
process is then diagramed for further study. Testing
foods during certain processing steps can be done to see
if there are potential microbiological hazards. Certain
features of the operation found to be hazardous must be
performed correctly to assure the safety of the final
product (Bryan, 1981). Elimination of hazardous
conditions or processes should be attempted. When
elimination of the hazardous condition or process is not
possible, it becomes an identified critical control point
that must be monitored (Bauman, 1974).
CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS

Bobeng and David (1977) studied hospital foodservice
systems and identified four critical control points
(CCPs): 1) ingredient control and storage, 2) equipment
sanitation, 3) personnel sanitation, and 4) time-
temperature relationship. Time-temperature was a CCP in
all systems studied. Equipment and personnel sanitation
differed a great deal dependent on system and location.
Loss of control at one point was found to have a
cumulative effect on microbiological conditions of the
product and a loss of control at subsequent control
points. It was recommended that methods of monitoring
control points and standards must be established for each
foodservice system on an individual basis. The tools for

effective monitoring include standardized procedures,

18

initial and end—heating temperature controls, microbial
controls, and appropriate training procedures (Klein gt
31;, 1984). When practical methods for monitoring CCPs do
not exist in a foodservice system, more care must be taken
to monitor other CCPs (Bryan and Lyon, 1984). Bobeng and
David (1978) found that microbiological testing in
hospitals prior to service was not a practical monitoring
technique. The major problem in applying HACCP is one of
the basic tools - trained staff who can both apply
specific control measures for each critical control point
and also understand appropriate monitoring procedures.
IMPLEMENTATION

Use of the HACCP model by governmental inspection
programs and by foodservice systems as a method of self-
regulation have been endorsed by many researchers in the
field (WHO, 1980; Snyder, 1981; Bryan, 1981; Chichy, 1983;
Henry, 1986). The National Restaurant Association has
recently endorsed a HACCP program for their industry
called "SAFE" (Harrington, 1986). The key to an effective
quality assurance program of any kind is the management in
the foodservice system. According to Bryan (1981),
managers should have knowledge of and concern for 1)
foodborne disease hazards associated with the foods they
prepare, 2) the personal hygiene of their employees and,

3) proper food preparation and storage practices.

19
HICROBIOLOGICAL STUDIES

Many research studies have been conducted involving
microbiological analysis of processed foods similar to
those produced in c-stores. 0ckerman and Stec (1980)
examined 465 sliced roast beef type sandwiches obtained
from faSt food restaurants for total plate counts and
coliform counts. Total bacterial counts per sandwich
ranged from 190 to 15,250/g. Adding vegetables
significantly increased (P<0.01) the total plate counts.
Intensive microbial growth began at 32 C and at 38 C when
storage time was 4 hours or longer. Sandwiches purchased
before a work shift and consumed at the lunch or dinner
break could duplicate these conditions. Christiansen and
King (1971) sampled commercially prepared salads and
sandwiches for microbial content. Total counts varied
considerably. Median counts for sandwiches ranged between
5 and 5.43 log/g. Seventy-six percent of the samples
contained organisms which developed as typical
staphylococcal colonies on TPEY agar. Despite the fact
that S.aureus is a poor competitor, it was noted that
these high counts would improve the bacteria's ability to
compete. Oblinger and Kennedy (1980) analyzed sliced
roast beef from eight Florida supermarkets for APC, yeast
and molds, S; aureus, fecal strep, C. perfriggens, total

coliforms, coliforms, E. coli, and Salmonella. High APC

20
and coliform counts in many samples indicated a need for
improved sanitation procedures at the processor and retail

levels. Temperature abuse during slicing and packaging

seemed more significant in effecting counts than storage
temperatures in this study.

Christian (1980) stated that the microbiological
counts fbund in food after processing is an indication of
the hygenic conditions under which they were prepared.
State Departments of Public Health use microbiological
counts after a foodborne disease outbreak has occured as a
method of isolating causes. However, use of
microbiological counts at the retail level is prohibitive
as a control measure because of time and costs involved.
Therefore counts are taken with an initial hazard analysis
of the system in order to emphasize the importance of
improved control methods. Wyatt and Guy (1980) used 10
retail food markets in Oregon to see if they could
correlate scores on a sanitation profile evaluation form
with microbiological counts of products gathered from
those same locations. Fifty percent of the products
sampled exceeded state bacterial load quidelines but no
relationship could be found between the scores on the
evaluation form and the microbiological counts. High
counts did appear to be more directly related to poor

temperature control. The evaluation form designed by

21
Wyatt and Guy used guidelines of that state's current
inspection program and not HACCP.

In light of food processes that occur in c-stores, it
is important to highlight possible sources of microbial
contamination in the foodservice industry. Since
microwaving is the primary method of reheat for take-out
foods in c-stores, its effectiveness at reducing microbial
load is of interest. Fung and Cunningham (1980) found
that because of the uneveness of heating, microwaves may
not be adequate for reducing high levels of foodborne
microorganisms in all regions of the food. Effectiveness
is dependent on the relationship between type and size of
food coupled with time of exposure. Microwaves do not
have the same killing effect on all bacteria. Equipment
manufacturer's suggested reheat time and power levels
listed on the appliances in c-stores may not always be
adequate to control bacterial contamination. Fung and
Cunningham suggested the use of a wrap to improve evenness
of heating during microwaving. Sawyer et a1. (1984)
tested the effect of polyvinylidene choloride wrap on
improvement of the uneveness of heating. Foods are
reheated both wrapped and unwrapped in c—stores. In the

study, S. aureus was inoculated on the surfaces of protein

 

foods and then tested wrapped and unwrapped. Wrapping did
not have a statistically significant effect on internal

end temperature or on counts of bacteria.

22

C-store employees are often responsible for handling
unwrapped food for customers as well as money.
Handwashing is seldom done inbetween processes. Money
handling by food handlers is a related issue that the Food
and Drug Administration attempted to clarify in a 1984
interpretation of the Retail Food Store Sanitation Code
(1982). -They stated that paper currency and the inks used
to print them contain a fungicidal agent having germicidal
characteristics which retain their effectiveness
throughout the circulating life of the currency. Although

currency will not support growth, there was no mention of

its ability to act as a carrier.

FOODSERVICE PERSONNEL

CERTIFICATION

Snyder (1986) stated "that there is no control over
the causes of foodborne illness today in the foodservice
industry because there has never been a required national
educational program to teach owners and operators safe
foodhandling practices to prevent foodborne illness".
According to Bryan (1979), and Christian (1980) a
certification program is needed that tests by observation
that owners, managers, and supervisors are thoroughly
knowledgeable and practicing good sanitary procedures.

Certified owners, managers, and supervisors can then train

23
their employees. But, the quality assurance program in
place must be consistent and followed at all levels of the
operation (Holland, 1980).

There is a certification program that is provided by
the National Institute for the Foodservice Industry
(Clingman, 1977). Unfortunately this program was not
mandated for state adoption. Penninger (1984) surveyed 20
agencies composed of 9 voluntary and 11 mandatory
certification training programs. He found that 83.6% of
the participants in the mandatory program did become
certified whereas only 28.6% were certified in the
voluntary programs. Asked if scores following routine
governmental inspections had improved with certification
of employees, 91% of the mandatory programs reported yes,
whereas only 33.3% of the voluntary programs reported yes.
Marth (1977) reported on an earlier and related study of
the short term and long term effects on the food handling
practices of employees working under a trained manager. A
positive correlation was noted between the length of time
since the manager was trained and the incidence of poor
food handling practices by his/her employees.

EMPLOYEE KNOWLEDGE

Wyatt (1979) surveyed managers and owners of 219
randomly selected food markets in Oregon. Under study
were their attitudes and knowledge of safe food handling'

practices. From a return rate of 49.8% the study showed a

24
clear lack of specific knowledge of basic principles of
sanitation on the part of the participants. 0f the
respondents, 29.6% were from convenience stores. Forty
percent had not received training in safe food handling
practices but 74.1% had worked in the industry for over 10
years. Fifty two percent did not recognize the unsafe
temperature range of 45 to 140 F for potentially hazardous
foods. This study lends support to the need for mandatory

sanitation training at the retail level.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

In light of the objectives of this study, several
instruments had to be developed. The instruments were
needed for screening the sample, surveying managers and
employees, eliciting store owners interest and support,
analyzing hazards, and reporting results to the
participants. This section will discuss the methods used
to develop these materials, whereas Chapter I and II will
present methods used for the physical, microbiological,
and statistical analysis of the data gathered.

SAMPLING

A computerized list of all licensed grocery stores
and catering establishments in Ingham County, Michigan was
obtained from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and
the Ingham County Health Department. The two lists were
then cross checked to assure a complete sampling frame was
being used. A telephone survey (Appendix 1) was
conducted to determine which of the licensees were in fact
convenience stores and if they processed take—out foods.
All convenience stores that produced take-out foods or
those that functioned as commissaries were included in the
study. All participating stores were assigned a randomly

selected three digit number to serve as a code to protect

their anonymity when gathering and reporting the data.

25

26

SURVEY INSTRUMENT

Appendix 2 and 3 are the survey instruments used to
gather demographic data on the stores, employee profiles,
and information about the safe food handling knowledge of
persons working in the store. Surveys were screened and
approved by the University Committee on Research
Involving Human Subjects (UCRIHS) Michigan State
University (Appendix 4). Surveys were also pre-tested for
readability and validity with managers and employees of
three local convenience stores not used in the study.
ON-SITE INSTRUMENTS

A project statement (Appendix 5) and consent form
(Appendix 6) were developed to share with the store owners
or managers when visited for the first time. The initial
visit was made to elicit their support of the research
allowing production to be observed and sandwich samples to
be collected. The on-site visit permitted the researcher
to evaluate the store conditions from a consumer's point
of view using a prepared form presented as Appendix 7.
Scores for the rating of store cleanliness as well as the
yes/no answers were used from this form for correlation
studies. Those stores that agreed to participate in the
Hazard Analysis portion of the study, were visited by
appointment during production of roast beef sandwiches.
Length of observation was from one to two hours. An

evaluation form, adapted from Bryan (1981), was used to

27
conduct the analysis (Appendix 8). Sandwich samples were
obtained for microbiological analysis. Participating
stores were contacted by mail following the analysis of
the data and informed of the counts found in their
products (Appendix 9). Interpretation of results by means
of the information given in the letter was left up to the

store owners or managers. No further contact was made.

CHAPTER 1

Hazard Analysis of Foodservice Systems

in Convenience Stores

ABSTRACT

Processing of roast beef sandwiches was studied in
nine convenience stores in the Lansing, Michigan area.
Four stores produced food on-site and two functioned as
commissaries supplying product to three other stores
studied. Analysis consisted of observing the processing
methods, recording time-temperature relationships, and
obtaining sandwich samples for microbiological counts.
Hazards identified were receiving, tempering, assembling,
transporting, chilled storage and microwaving. Time-
temperature and personnel sanitation were the identified
critical control points. The geometric mean for TPC in
roast beef immediately following processing was 6.04
logs/g and after 3 days of refrigeration in the store was
8.39 logs/g. Presumptive counts for S. aureus were
isolated in 61% of the samples but never exceeded 4
logs/g. Counts increased as time and temperature of
storage increased. Commissary convenience stores

exhibited more hazards in food handling than on-site

convenience stores.

29

INTRODUCTION

CONVENIENCE STORE (c-stores) - A small (1,000

to 3,200 square feet), higher-margin grocery store
that offers an edited selection of staple groceries,
non-foods, and take-out foods along with various
services and/or gasoline.

According to a 1986 report of the National
Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) there are over
61,000 c-stores in the United States. As early as 1979,
90% were marketing take-out foods (Downing, 1980). Gross
margins on take—out food are 40 to 60% making it a very
attractive service compared to groceries that gross only
25% or less (Kochak, 1986). C-store operators tailor
their menu to their customers. They typically offer
sandwiches, salads, nachos, burritos, pizza, and perhaps
fried chicken or baked goods. Some c-store operators sell
product provided by wholesalers while many others produce
their own products on-site. This is a relatively new
foodservice system that seems to be growing to fill a
niche left by fast food restaurants that are upgrading
their service. One—stop shopping appeals to customers,
mostly male and under 18 years of age (NACS, 1985).
Twenty-four hours a day, they can pick up a beverage and
food for under $3.00 (Amorese, 1984), in 2 to 3 minutes
(Krueckeberg, 1986), while also gassing up the car and

grabbing a pack of cigarettes.

30

31

Foodservice establishments accounted for 77% of known
sources of foodborne disease outbreaks between 1974 and
1978 (Bryan, 1981). In more than 50% of the reported
outbreaks from 1968 to 1977 the vehicle of transport was
meat or poultry with ham, turkey, and roast beef most
common (Bryan, 1980).

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
is a method of identifying system hazards that are either
eliminated or monitored to gain better processing control.
The objective is to prevent possible foodborne disease
outbreaks. Many studies have been conducted of foodservice
systems in hospitals, airlines, mexican and fast food
restaurants, and catering establishments using HACCP to
assess their risk of producing a foodborne disease
outbreak (Bryan et al., 1978; Bobeng and David,1979; Bryan
et al., 1981; Bryan and Lyon, 1984; Bryan and Bartleson,
1985). C-stores have not been studied using this
approach. Producers of take-out foods have no control
over the abuse that customers may give their products once
they have left the store. Abuse can include hours of
storage at ambient temperatures before consumption at a
lunch or dinner break. Therefore, the control during
production of these foods is critical since sanitary
abuses of foods, particulary time-temperature are

cumulative (Bobeng and David, 1978).

32

The purpose of this study was to conduct a hazard
analysis of c-stores in the Lansing, Michigan area that
process roast beef sandwiches and to identify critical
control points and effective ways of monitoring them.
Both stores that produce their products on-site and stores
that produce for themselves and for other stores
(commissaries) in the area were to be studied and
compared. Sandwich samples were gathered for
microbiological evaluation as an indicator of the sanitary

conditions under which they were produced.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

SAMPLE SELECTION

 

A sampling frame was established from lists of
licensed grocery stores and catering establishments
obtained from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and
the Ingham Department of Public Health. Phone interviews
established which licensees were c-stores and of them,
which stores produced take-out foods on-site. Out of 82
c—stores in the Lansing area, eleven were preparing take-
out foods on-site, six of which agreed to participate in
the study. One out of the six stores was part of a
national chain and two were commissaries. Three
additional stores that contracted with commissaries for
prepared sandwiches were used as pick-up sites for

sandwich samples in the microbiological analysis.

33
Participating stores were assigned a randomly selected
three digit number as a code to protect their anonymity

during the gathering and reporting of data.
TIME-TEMPERATURE STUDY

Ambient, food, and cooler temperatures were taken
using the Wahl digital heat-prober thermometer (model
350XC, Probe P/N 202, Wahl Instruments, Inc., Culver
City,, Calif.). Ambient temperatures were taken every 15
minutes during production and cooler temperatures were
taken at the beginning of production and when sandwich
samples were obtained. Temperatures for sandwiches to be
analyzed for bacterial counts were tested asceptically at
the geometric center.

During a pre-study of the hazard analysis technique,
the Wahl thermometer was used to obtain temperatures of
chilled roast beef sandwiches which were then microwaved
by the store employee. Internal temperatures were taken at
three locations to determine end point temperature and its
variability in the sandwich.

HACCP STUDY

Consent was obtained from participants before the
analysis began. The form used in the store during
observations was adapted from Bryan (1981). The hazard
analysis consisted of taking temperatures, observing
production, questioning employees on procedures used, and

gathering food samples.

34
MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Duplicate samples of roast beef sandwiches from
observed productions were obtained at each store
immediately following processing and after 3 days of
storage in the store. Sandwiches meant for analysis and
stored for 3 days on-site were identified by code in the
cooler to prevent employees from selling them to
customers. Samples were transported on ice to the
laboratory for analysis. Samples were refrigerated within
20 minutes of pickéup and plating was conducted within 6
hours.

Under sterile conditions, 253 of meat from each
sandwich was homogenized in 225 ml of 0.1% peptone via the
stomacher. Six-fold dilutions were prepared and 0.1 m1 of
each was used for duplicate plating on Plate Count Agar
(Difco) and incubated for 48 hours at 32 C. Dilutions of
0.1 ml were also plated using Baird Parker Agar (Difco)
with egg yolk tellurite enrichment and incubated for 48
hours at 37 C. Plates with 30 to 300 colony forming units
were counted using a Standard Colony Counter I (Spencer
Manufacturing, Buffalo, NY). The results were recorded as

number of organisms per gram of sample.

35
RESULTS
HAZARD ANALYSIS

FIGURE 1 is a process flow diagram for the production
of roast beef sandwiches observed at on-site stores and
commissaries. Hazards were observed in receiving,
tempering, assembling, transporting, chilled storage, and
microwaving.

No temperature checks were used at receiving in any
of the stores and product sat until employees could find
the time to check product in and chill or freeze it.
Tempering of frozen pre-sliced beef and meatballs at room
temperature was observed at several locations. Time-
temperature abuse in commissary locations occured more
often than in on-site stores due to the larger quantity of
product being assembled at room temperature (time ranged
from 45 minutes to 2 hours and 20 minutes for roast beef
sandwiches). Numerous examples of cross-contamination
were noted in all stores including transporting containers
from the floor to the counter, adding fresh product to
containers of old product, multi-purpose use of sinks for
hands and equipment, using an all-purpose cloth for
counter clean-up and hands or face, touching the face or
hair during production without washing the hands, and
eating or drinking by employees during assembly of
sandwiches. Number and severity of abuses varied by

store. Commissaries transported sandwiches within the

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production at convenience stores.

37
Lansing area without benefit of chilled storage (max.
distribution time of 1 hour 30 minutes). Chilled storage
temperatures were above 5 C at two locations (TABLE 1).
Temperatures of coolers during the course of the day
varied due to processing and customer service that
required opening and closing the doors. Four stores
expressed problems either with chilling equipment, broken
thermometers, or freezing equipment as temperatures were
being taken by the researcher.

A pre-study conducted in 3 stores prior to the hazard
analysis research is summarized in TABLE 2. The table
compares internal temperatures of roast beef sandwiches
before and after microwaving. The variability of the
results from one part of the sandwich to another points
out the hazard of relying on microwave heating in the
stores as an effective way to reach a reheat temperature
for food of 60 C or above which would destroy bacteria.
CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS

Hazards that could be eliminated are tempering and
transport by using refrigeration in both cases at 7 C or
below. Time-temperature was a critical control point in
most of the other processes (receiving, storage, and
assembly). Equipment and personnel sanitation were
critical control points during assembly. Evenness of
microwave heating as a means of destroying bacteria cannot

be controlled in the store and therefore all other

38

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40
controls must be carefully monitored prior to microwaving
(Bryan and Lyon, 1984).

MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

The results of the analysis are given in TABLE 2.
Store code 689 supplied products for 868 and 175, and 364
supplied product for 238. Product was transported to the
second site/s by the commissary and picked up three days
later by the researcher. Initial bacterial load was high
(a log mean of 6.04/g) which might relate to receiving
techniques currently used by c-stores. The log mean count
after 3 days of storage was 8.39/g. Products delivered by
commissaries to other c-stores had the highest Total Plate
Counts after 3 days which might relate to unrefrigerated
transport. Total Plate Counts were also higher as
temperature of cooler and temperature at geometric center
increased. Mean counts for S;_aureus changed very little

over storage time and never exceeded 4 1039/3.

DISCUSSION
The processes diagramed in FIGURE 1 varied only in
that commissaries ship their products to additional
stores, and one on-site c-store operator sliced and froze
beef to lengthen shelf life followed by tempering and
assembly. Commissaries generally process more product at
one time than on—site stores and therefore freezing or

refrigerated storage following slicing of meats or cheese

41
was not necessary prior to assembly. One hazard observed
was the length of time the products were held at room
temperature prior to shipment. The time-temperature
relationship is based on a known danger zone of 7 to 60 C
(45-140 F) in which bacteria multiply rapidly. Exposure
to this zone should be controlled at 4 hours or less
(Longree and Blaker, 1982). This hazard could be
eliminated by using a refrigerated walk-in for assembly or
simply the division of labor to move sandwiches into
coolers more quickly. C-store employees were observed
assembling and wrapping hot meatball fillings into
sandwich buns for the cooler. The insulating effect of
the bun (Hodge, 1960) and high cooler temperatures is a
hazard that could be eliminated by cooling the filling
below 7 C before wrapping. The abuses of time-
temperature during receiving - tempering - assembling -
and transport within the temperature danger zone will be
further abused by the consumer and all abuses have a
cumulative effect.

Receiving should be accomplished with speed and by
monitoring incoming food temperature looking for below 7 C
for fresh foods or 0 C for frozen. All stores should have
a stem type metal thermometer accurate to :2 F (MEHA,
1983).

Hazards observed during assembly involving equipment

and personnel sanitation are largely a matter of training

42
on the part of management and employees to gain control.
Certification programs, such as that offered by the
National Institute for the Foodservice Industry, lay the
groundwork for providing knowledgeable employees who
understand the risk of foodborne disease and how its
transmitted. A trained employee can implement controls by
applying correct monitoring techniques. Management can
develop a schedule of when to clean and post directions on
how to clean equipment (Bryan 1971). Knowledgeable owners
and operators can become effective self-inspectors saving
the time of public health and other governmental
officials.

A study by Fung and Cunningham (1980) found that
because of the uneveness of heating, microwaves may not be
adequate for reducing high levels of foodborne
microorganisms in all regions of the food. Effectiveness
is dependent on the relationship between type and size of
food coupled with time of exposure. Observed technique in
the stores varied considerably in terms of length of time
the products were heated. Employees in c-stores are not
capable of making judgements on adequacy of heating in
reducing bacterial load and therefore this control point
is not feasible.

Total Plate Counts exceeded those found by Oblinger
and Kennedy (1980) for chilled beef with a mean of 4.84

logs/g and 0ckerman and Stec (1980) for whole roast beef

43
sandwiches at 190 - 15,250/g. Counts were similar to
those found by Christiansen and King (1971) for whole beef
sandwiches at 3.11 - 8.85 logs/g marketed at ambient
temperatures. Such high counts initially and after only 3
days of storage in this study seem excessive since most
commissaries labeled their products with a 7 day pull
date. Observation of the assembly methods and recordings
of time-temperature relationships during assembly did not
offer any insight as to the reason for these counts (max.
time at 24 C was 45 minutes during assembly).

Stores for which records showed the highest number of
total abuses or hazards during observation did not have
correspondingly high microbiological counts. High counts
may be related to the cumulative abuses of time-
temperature beyond assembly. But presumptive counts of

S. aureus in 17 out of 29 samples indicated a need for

 

improved handling practices. Wyatt and Guy (1980)
explored the feasibility of bacterial quality as a
predictor of sanitary conditions on—site in 10 retail
stores. Data in their study also showed no correlation
existed between the microbiological quality of products
processed in the store and total store profile sanitary

condition. High counts recorded appeared directly related

to poor temperature control.

44
CONCLUSIONS

C-stores do not represent a unique foodservice system
in that the hazards and critical control points identified
were similar to Bobeng and David's (1977) findings; time—
temperature, personnel sanitation, and equipment
sanitation. Total plate counts were unusually high and
increased as time and temperature increased. Commissary
c-stores producing products for other c-stores exhibited
more time-temperature hazards than c-stores producing

their own products.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I wish to thank the Michigan Food Dealer's
Association for the funding provided to defray the costs

of printing evaluation devices used in this study.

CHAPTER 2

Safe Food Handling Knowledge of

Convenience Store Personnel

ABSTRACT

Managers and employees of 13 Lansing, Michigan
convenience stores were surveyed to establish their
knowledge of safe food handling practices. Information
from the surveys was compared to that recorded by the
researcher on store practices and conditions. Statistical
tests of frequency distribution, correlation and analysis
of variance were performed. None of the participants were
certified by the National Institute for the Foodservice
Industry or the Michigan Department of Public Health.

Only 51% of the employees (n=27) indicated they had been
trained in safe food handling by their employer although
88% handled unwrapped food. Managers (n=13) scored higher
on a food safety test than employees but both groups
scored poorly on knowledge of safe holding temperatures.
Establishing a training program in safe food handling
procedures in this foodservice cannot be overlooked as a

means of establishing quality control.

46

INTRODUCTION

Convenience stores (c-stores) are small, higher-
margin grocery stores that offer an edited selection of
staple groceries, non-foods, and take-out foods along with
various services and/or gasoline. Some of the national
chains familiar to the general public are 7-E1even, Circle
K, Convenient Food Mart, Cumberland Farms, or Stop 'N Go.
The National Association of Convenience Stores annual
report (1986) estimates that there are 61,000 stores in
the United States employing 397,000 people. As early as
1979, 90% of these stores were marketing take-out foods
(Downing, 1980) and many established a foodservice area to
produce foods within the store. Some potentially
hazardous foods produced include meat sandwiches, moist
protein salads, burritos, fried chicken, and pizza.

Consumers have certain expectations of the
foodservice establishments that they frequent and one of
these is that the food is prepared under sanitary
conditions to protect them from food poisoning. Yet,
foodservice establishments accounted for 77% of known
sources of foodborne disease outbreaks between 1974 and
1978 (Bryan, 1981). The median of the average cost per

incident is $788 according to Todd (1985) adding up to a

47

48
total of $4 billion dollars in the U.S. for the estimated
5 million outbreaks per year. Control is thought to be
the function of governmental inspection programs at the
state and local level but considering the vast number of
outlets and budget restrictions, foodservice locations
must assume the primary burden of preventing the occurence
of foodborne disease (Chichy, 1983; Bryan, 1979). As
Snyder (1986) points out, "It is well understood today
that inspection can find a problem, but only management
can prevent a problem."

The focus of this study was the people involved with
foodservice in c-stores at the management and employee
levels. A profile of these persons and an assessment of
their knowledge of safe food handling practices was
obtained by use of a survey and observations of store

practices and conditions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
SAMPLE SELECTION
A computerized list of all licensed grocery stores

and catering establishments in Ingham County, Michigan was
obtained from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and
the Ingham County Health Department. A telephone survey
was conducted to determine which of the licensees were in
fact c-stores and if they processed potentially hazardous

foods. Thirteen stores fit the criteria out of the 82 in

49

the Lansing area. Six of these stores agreed to
observations of their processing techniques beyond the
initial surveys. Each participating store was assigned a
randomly selected three digit number to serve as a code to
protect their anonymity while gathering and reporting data
and to allow for statistical analysis.
SURVEY FORMS

Two survey instruments were designed. The manager
survey consisted of 21 questions concerning the store and
18 to establish a manager profile. The employee survey
consisted of 20 questions. The surveys were screened and
approved by the University Committee on Research Involving
Human Subjects at Michigan State University and pretested
for readability and validity. A consent form was used for
participating stores and survey forms were filled out in
the presence of the researcher.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Data gathered during observations and from the two
surveys were analyzed using frequency distribution,
correlation, and analysis of variance. A probability of
(.05 was used as a test of significance in all analyses.
Surveys were voluntarily filled out and in some cases only

partially filled out, but all responses were used.

50
RESULTS

STORE DEMOGRAPHICS

The stores in this study varied very little from the
stores described in the National Association of
Convenience Stores' 1986 - State of the Industry Report.
Most stores (92.3%) were not open 24 hours a day but 84.6%
were open 7 days a week. Cost of a take-out order was
under $3.00 and take-out ranked third in order of total
sales whereas nationally it ranks much farther down the
list. Their average customer was listed as 18-30 years of
age (75%) and predominately male (81.8%). Of the 82
c-stores contacted by phone, only 17% had heard of the
National Association of Convenience Stores and none of the
stores were members. The Michigan Food Dealers
Association was recognized 32% of the time but only 5% of
the stores were members. Only 46.2% reported using
written policies for food production and sanitation.
OBSERVATIONS

Observations of store conditions and processing
techniques resulted in a long list of time-temperature
abuses and incidences of cross-contamination by personnel
working directly with foods. This list included tempering
foods at room temperature, using cloth towels to clean up
work areas and hands, eating while assembling foods,

adding new sliced foods to containers that were not yet

51
empty, and assembling hot fillings into sandwich buns just
before wrapping and storing at refrigeration temperatures.
PROFILES

Ages for store managers (n=13) ranged from 24 to 64
with a mean of 46. Males represented 62% of the sample
with 46% having a high school certificate or less. The
additional 54% attended college and one was a graduate.
_Sixty-nine percent had worked in c-stores less than six
years but 83% had chosen retail food management as a
career. Almost 70% had had no formal training in food
sanitation and of those who had, it was from their current
employer. None of the managers were certified by the
National Institute for the Foodservice Industry (NIFI) or
the Michigan Department of Public Health (MDPH).

Ages for the employees (n=27) ranged from 16 to 52
with a mean of 29. Females represented 58% of the sample
with 68% having a high school certificate or less. An
additional 19% had attended college and 11% had a two year
college certificate. Ninety-three percent had worked in
retail foods for less than 5 years. No clear job titles
emerged from the study as most employees were working
several positions (ex. cashier/cook/stock person). Of the
52% who said they had received training in food
sanitation, 53% received it from their current employeer.

None of the employees were certified by NIFI or MDPH.

52
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Ten questions on both the manager and employee
surveys were identical. They were asked to place an X on
a 15 cm line marked from poor to excellent to represent
their perceived knowledge of safe food handling practices.
The same scale and technique was used for their rating of
the overall cleanliness of the store they worked in
currently as compared to other stores they had worked in
or visited. The other eight questions comprised a quiz on
principles of safe food handling which included fill-in
the blank for hot and cold holding temperatures and six
true or false questions.

FIGURE 1 compares the percent of managers (n=10) and
employees (n=25) who actually marked the line at a
specific interval for perceived knowledge of safe food
handling practices. Employees were more likely to rate
themselves as average to above average whereas managers
chose above average to excellent on 70% of the surveys.

FIGURE 2 compares the percent of managers (n=13) and
employees (n=27) who marked the line at a specific
interval for store cleanliness with the ranking given for
each store by the researcher. The ranking by the
researcher was done on the initial visit to the store
using the same 15 cm rating scale. The researcher was
only able to rate cleanliness from the consumer's

viewpoint at that time. In 30% of the stores, the

53

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

50
US
he
35'
G
/ 3O .
25
2O
15
10
5 l_
Poor Below Average Above Excellent
Average Average
U manager
. employee

FIGURE 1. A comparison of the ratings given for perceived knowledge
of safe food handling practices by managers and employees.

54

 

 

 

 

       

  
  
    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

60*
55 ‘
so 7
as /
/
35' g
g
as /
' ¢
.0 ¢
2
is g
s /
I Z
D manager 9

employee
researcher

FIGURE 2. A comparison of the ratings given for store cleanliness
by the store managers, employees, and the researcher acting as
consumer.

55
researcher, managers, and employees rated the store at the
same level for cleanliness.

TABLE 1 summarizes the answers to the cold holding
question and TABLE 2 summarizes the hot holding question
from the food safety quiz for the manager and employee
responses. Many participants left these questions blank
although other questions were answered. None of the
managers and only one employee gave the correct reponse to
the question, "Cold food must be kept at or
below?". Only one response was too high but
unfortunately it was a manager. "Hot food must be kept at

or above?" resulted in 8 correct answers but 12
answers were within the temperature danger zone. The most
frequently missed true or false question dealt with
defrosting. Forty-four percent of the employees and 46%
of the managers felt that it was alright to defrost foods
at room temperature. There was no significant correlation
between the scores on the quiz for managers and employees,
but average scores on the quiz were higher for managers
than for employees. In addition, the researcher's rating
of store cleanliness was positively correlated (r=.6134, P
(.000) with the manager's quiz score.

The statistical analysis of the employee survey
generated the largest number of significant findings.

Less educated employees scored themselves as more

knowledgeable of safe food handling practices (r= -.3517,

56,

 

 

 

 

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mo5oaaeo 0cm sommcms Lou mommucouuoa use mowucoacoum .N 04008

58
P<.042) and higher knowledge ratings positively correlated
with higher ratings for overall store cleanliness
(r-.4942, P<.006). Those employees who indicated that they
had received no training in safe food handling performed
better on the food safety quiz (r= -.4729, P<.006), rated
themselves as more knowledgeable (r= -.6310, P<.000), and
gave a higher rating for overall store cleanliness (r= -
.3248, P<.049).' The data on the significance of training
on knowledge score, cleanliness score and food safety
score is supported by one way analysis of variance in

TABLE 3, TABLE 4, and TABLE 5.

DISCUSSION

The abuses of time-temperature and cross-
contamination observed in 6 of the c-stores, point out a
need for sanitation training. When preparing take-out
food for consumption off the premises, the foodservice
worker has no control over the abuses the consumer will
subject the food too and therefore the importance of good
sanitary practices during processing becomes even more
critical (Bryan, 1981).

Employee turnover in the foodservice industry is
considered to be rapid as attested to by Marth (1977) who
stated that the average worker in institutional

foodservice is less than 25 years old and remains on the

59

TABLE 3. Analysis of variance and test of significance for knowledge
score and level of fOOd safety training of employees.

 

 

Source of Variation df SS MS F Signif of F
Explained 1 77.042 77.042 15.215 .001
Residual 23 116.458 5.063
TOTAL 24 193.500 8.063

 

TABLE 4. Analysis of variance and test of significance for store
cleanliness score and level of food safety training of employees.

 

 

Source of Variation df SS MS F Signif of F
Explained 1 44.282 44.282 6.086 .022
Residual 23 167.358 7.276
TOTAL 24 211.640 8.818

 

TABLE 5. Analysis of variance and test of significance for score on
the food safety quiz and level of food safety training of employees.

 

 

Source of Variation df SS MS F Signif of F
Explained 1 14.017 14.017 7.203 .013
Residual 25 48.650 1.946

TOTAL 26 62.667 2.410

 

60
job for less than one year. Turnover could account for
the lack of training noted in this study. No one wants to
repeat a task over and over again if it can be avoided.
Written policies and procedures covering food processing
and sanitation in the store would simplify the task of
acclimating new employees to the job, ultimately saving
management time. Fifty-four percent of the stores in this
study did not use any form of written material in this
area. The mean age for managers and employees in this
study was higher than that reported by Marth.
Furthermore, 83% of the managers had chosen food marketing
as a career and 69% had worked at least 6 years. The
benefits of investing in a training program for these
foodservice workers would be worthwhile.

In this study of 13 c-store managers, there was no
correlation between the ratings of their knowledge in safe
food handling and their test scores covering basic food
handling knowledge. In a study by Wyatt (1978) of 109
managers and owners of food markets in Oregon, seven
percent of the participants in that study were also
c-store operators. That survey elicited the concerns,
experiences, attitudes and practices of the owners
regarding sanitation and safe food handling procedures.
The survey was worded differently but one general finding
was that Operators tended to overestimate their level of

knowledge in safe food handling practices in relationship

61
to their actual knowledge shown in answers on a food
safety test.

Knowledge in the area of safe holding temperatures
for participants in both Wyatt's study and the current
study was weak. Only 37% of the respondents on Wyatt's
survey of 109 operators recognized the temperature danger
zone of 45 - 140 F. Respondents in the current study were
asked to give the range rather than identify it which may
be even more difficult.

Training identified by employees was not evaluated
for content. In addition, it was informal and dependent
on the manager's knowledge level. Coupled with the
observations of processing procedures in the store and the
responses on the safe food holding temperatures questions,
it seems that the significant negative correlations of
training to the food safety quiz scores may be erroneous.
Restaurants and Institutions Yearly Reveiw (1985) sighted
employee training as the biggest problem that the industry
had to tackle.

Holland (1980) stated that there are three main
problems effecting sanitary conditions in the foodservice
industry and the first one is management followed closely
by governmental inspectors and then employees. In all
three cases what is needed is a good training program and
consistency in what is done and expected. Management must

be committed to a sound sanitation program with a good

62
understanding of the problems. Wrisley (1985) developed a
foodservice operations quide for the convenience store
industry in connection with NACS. National associations
can provide help in establishing policies and instituting
training programs but as the survey revealed too few
c-stores are aware of the association or are members.

Many authorities in the field of sanitation are
promoting the mandatory certification of foodservice
management personnel in safe food handling practices
(Clingman, 1977; Bryan, 1979; and Snyder, 1986).

Penninger (1984) surveyed 20 agencies composed of 9
voluntary and 11 mandatory certification training
programs. He found that 83.6% of the participants in the
mandatory program did become certified whereas only 28.6%
were certified in the voluntary programs. Asked if scores
following routine governmental inspections had improved
with certification of employees, 91% of the mandatory
programs reported yes, whereas only 33.3% of the voluntary
programs reported yes. Marth (1977) reported on an
earlier and related study on the short term and long term
effects on the food handling practices of employees
working under a trained manager. A positive correlation
was noted between the length of time since the manager was
trained and the incidence of poor food handling practices

by his/her employees.

63
CONCLUSIONS

Managers in foodservice operations need a sound
training program in safe food handling practices. A
mandatory, certified program should be established.
Training programs within the store should then be
developed and implemented to meet individual needs based
on menu. A written manual on policies and procedures
covering food processing techniques and sanitation should
be available for employee use no matter how small the

operation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I wish to thank the Michigan Food Dealer's
Association for the funding provided to defray the costs

of printing evaluation devices used in this study.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Convenience stores in the Lansing, Michigan area were
used as a sampling frame for two studies - a hazard
analysis of their foodservice system and an assessment of
the safe food handling knowledge of their managers and
employees. The objectives of the study were to discover
what hazards might be present in the foodservice system of
c-stores and identify the critical control points, to
compare the processing methods used to produce take-out
foods in commissary c-stores with those of in-house
producing c-stores, to gather microbiological data on the
bacterial load of the sandwiches they produce, and to
assess the safe food handling knowledge of managers and
employees. As a result of these studies, the following

conclusions were drawn;

1. There are five hazards in the c-store foodservice
system - receiving, tempering, assembling, transporting,
chilled storage, and microwaving.

2. The critical control points were time—temperature
and personnel sanitation. Tampering and transporting
hazards can be eliminated but microwaving as a means of
controlling bacterial load is not possible in the c—store

setting.

64

65

3. Commissary c-stores studied exhibited more hazards
than non-commissary stores due to transport and number of
products prepared at one time.

4. Managers and employees of c-stores in this study
generally lacked knowledge of safe food handling
temperatures and practices.

5. The safe food handling training that employees
received did significantly effect their attitude about
their level of knowledge in this area and their test
scores on the food safety quiz and their rating of store
cleanliness. The negative correlation for quiz score was
not explained by the data available and further study is
needed.

6. The introduction of foodservice in c-stores calls
for a training program to better prepare managers and
employees to work with food in a manner that protects the

consumer from foodborne disease outbreaks.

PROPOSALS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

In the course of conducting this research in the
field and reviewing the literature, ideas for further
study surfaced. Receiving by temperature was recommended
in this study to c-store operators as a means of exerting
some control over the bacterial loads in the foods they
purchased and received. A standard method for performing
that control which would increase the probability for
receiving high quality foods has not been established.
Research could take the form of a controlled experiment in
a laboratory setting using packaged and unpackaged, frozen
and refrigerated foods commonly received by c-stores and
others in the foodservice industry.

The issue of money handling by food preparation
employees without interim handwashing is an unresolved
issue. The Food and Drug Administration's interpretation
of code endorses this practice stating that the fungicidal
agents used in production of currency prevent growth of
bacteria on surfaces. This does not negate currencies
ability to act as a carrier of bacteria. A study of the
potential cross-contamination of bacteria carried on money
handlers hands to foods processed for sale in c-stores

should be conducted.

66

67

Owners and managers in c-stores represent many ethnic
groups. Because of the socio-cultural implications of
this diversity, a study of the eduCational programs
developed by national organizations to train people in
safe food handling practices should be conducted. For
these programs to be effective, they need to be tailored
to meet the socio-cultural differences represented.

Few operators contacted by phone (n=82) were members
of state (5%) or national (0%) organizations representing
convenience stores or grocers in general. These state and
national organizations do disseminate information about
effective safe food handling practices, training programs,
methods of compliance with governmental regulations etc.
An investigation of ways that national associations could
contact and be of service to independent food retailers
may open up a line of communication through increased

memberships.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1. TELEPHONE SURVEY

 

68
APPENDIX 1

TELEPHONE SURVEY

Ck‘ective (Telephone Interview)- to eliminate sites from the Y;i -irt that
are not convenience stores: to divide the convenience stores irto
strata; and to establish their knowledge of and membership in use
Michigan Food Dealers Association and National Association of
Convenience Stores.

Hi! Could I speak to the Manager?

Hi! I'm Nancy Burch with Michigan State University working through the
Food Science and Human Nutrition Department. May I ask to rho: 2': crashing
and your position with the store?

Mr./Ms. I‘m undertaking a study of convenience Stores and was
given a list by the Niobium Department of Agriculture of licensed food
store operators in the Lansing Area. Would you answer 7 short questions for
me to deternine if your store fits into my sampling frame for later study?

A convenience store is defined as a small, higher margin grocery store that
offers an edited selection of staple groceries, non-foods, and other convenience
items such as ”take out" foods and’gasoline.

' I'd like to thank you Mr./Ms. for your tine and help in
beginning this research

..¢..

.. . n
«a - a
a. .n . , o .

O.

69

STORE ADDRESS
TELEPHONE 1 DATE

 

MANAGER 0H CONTACT

Mr./Ms.

 

1. Do you feel that your store fits that definition? yes -no
(If no) Why?

 

 

Since your store does not fit my sample ---(skip to 'IP'

2. Do your employees assable ”take out" food in the store? yes no
(If no) Are your ”take out” foods assembled at a local commissary? yes no
Where is the commissary located?

 

 

 

3. Approximately when did the practice of preparing "take out" food begin?

 

4. Do your employees reheat food for customers? yes no

5. Is this store run as a local independent local chain or national chain ?
(If local chain or national chain) Independent Corporate

 

(m1) Could I have the one of the store owner as well as an address and phone
nI-ber!

 

 

 

I

(tome) conic Ihavethen-eofahrsetimg mun-cu- of Mlic Relations
Contactforthisstonasmmllasamaddressamdphonem-ber‘!

 

 

 

I

(Whyi: it ask permission to visit your store to do an onsight survey.)

 

 

 

6. Have you heard of the Michigan food Dealers Association? yes no
Is this store a member? yes no

7. Have you heard of the National Association of Convenience Stores? yes no
Is this store a member! yes no

 

APPENDIX 2. MANAGER'S SURVEY

70
APPENDIX 2

MANAGER ' S SURVEY

 

 

 

‘ RV
STORE CODE 8
IN-HOUSE_______ COMMISSARY __
DATE
TIME eta/pm

 

Please fill out this survey as completely as possible placing your
answers in the spaces provided. Leave blank any questions you are unsure of
and the researcher will go over them with you. You are free to participate
or not participate in this study.

"Take out" food in this survey is defined as single service items other
than beverages that are consumed soon after purchase such as sandwiches.
salads, pizza, baked goods, nachos. popcorn, burritos. etc.

Your anonymity is assured in filling out this survey as your name will
not be taken and the location of the facility will be identified by code only.
The results of this survey will be shared with your employer only as a part
of the information from all stores in my study and not as an individual
response for your store.

Filling out this survey constitutes consent for use of this information
as a part of this study.

W125

1. This store was opened on approximately (month/day/year)

 

2. Is this store open 7 days a week? Yes No

 

 

If you answored up. please give the days of the was: you are open.
. ys

 

3. Is this store open 24 hours? Yes No

 

 

If you answered fig, please give the days and scheduled open hours.

Days Hours

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Please fill out the following chart with the day of the week. number
of shifts per day, and the number of employees used per shift for a
typical week in this store.

Day of the week 8 of shifts 8 of employees per shift

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.

ll.

12.

13.

71

. Sandwiches are prepared in the store on which days of the week?

(days)

 

If sandwiches are not prepared in this store, skip to question
number 8.

. Which shift(s) prepare these sandwiches?

(time/s)

 

. Are written recipes available and always used for preparing

sandwiches. salads. pizza. etc. in this store?
Yes No

 

 

Comments:

 

 

 

 

. The store's average cash register sale per customer of “take out” food

is;

0 - 81.00 82.01 - 3.00
$1.01 - 2.00 , 33.01 - up

. Please rank the following items in_1hg_gg§gg they represent of your

 

a .
1 = would indicate greatest sales
8 = would indicate lowest sales
BEVERAGES "TAKE OUT“ FOODS
NON-FOOD ITIHS _______ DAIRY PRODUCTS
GROCERY ITEMS .______ CIGARETTIS
GASOLINE _______ PUBLICATIONS

Please check below the age group and sex which most closely represents
your average customer?

13 to 17 years old 31 to 50 years old
18 to 30 years old 51 to 90 years old or older
Male Female

 

 

What percent of your customers are age 85 or older?

X over 65

 

The customer counts in this store are highest between;

_____8 and 9 AM 2 and 5 PH ‘_____12 and 8 AH
9 and 11 AH 5 and 8 PM
_____11 AM and 2 PM 8 PM and 12 AM

On a typical day. how many customers would purchase “take out“ foods?

(fl/day)

 

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

72

How many times per year is this store inspected by the Michigan
Department of Agriculture?

 

The last inspection of this store by the Michigan Department of
Agriculture occurred during (month and year).

Is this store inspected by the local health department?
Yes No

 

If yes, how often is the store inspected? ,..__/year

When was the last inspection? (month and year).

Has the store encountered problems due to dual inspection meaning
inspection by both the EDA and the Local Health Department?

Yes No

 

If yes. briefly describe these problems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Has the inspection covered more than sanitation?
Yes _____No

 

If yes. briefly describe what was inspected.

 

 

 

 

 

Has a customer ever complained of having become ill after eating a
product from your store? Yes No

 

If Yes. please indicate what the suspect product was and restate the
customers complaint;

 

 

 

 

 

Refrigerated and frosen foods are delivered to this store on what
days and what times? .
DAY TIME

 

 

 

 

Are written specifications used for purchasing and/or receiving food?
Yes No

 

 

In the last two years the electrical power to the store has been
interrupted how many times?

73

21. If a power outage has occurred in the last two years. what was the
longest time it was interrupted?
(minutes or hours or days)

 

QAEAQEQENI EROEILE

22. Please state your age.

 

23. Please check one of the following categories as it describes you.
male female

 

 

24. Please place an X in front of the most advanced educational degree you
have obtained as listed below.

_____Less than high school

_____High school diploma

Completed vocational program after receiving high school diploma
_____Attended a college but did not receive a diploma

Received 2 year college diploma (AA)

Received 4 year college diploma (BA or 88)

Received post graduate degree (Masters. PhD. etc.)

 

 

 

 

25. How long have you worked as a manager in the grocery industry?

0 to 6 months

6 months to 1 year

1 year to 2 years

2 years to 5 years

5 years to 10 years
more than 10 years

 

 

 

 

 

26. Is retail grocery store management your career choice?

Yes No

 

 

27. Is there a Job description for your position with this store?

Yes No

 

 

28. Have you received training in food sanitation or safe food handling
practices?

Yes Wo

 

 

If yes:
Who provided it?

 

 

 

 

When did you receive this training 7 (month and year)
How long was the training? (days or weeks or months)

 

7h

Do you have a certificate in safe food handling? ____Yes ____No
If yes, check the following institution that granted it;
National Institute for the Foodservice Industry _.__

Michigan Department of Public Health ____
Other (specify)

 

 

29. Please mark an X at the location on the line below that indicates how
you would rate yourself on your knowledge of safe food handling
practices.

POOR BELOW AVERAGE AVERAGE ABOVE AVERAGE EXCELLENT
1 l L l l
Pleagg gngwg; ghe fgiiowing ggeggions by iiiling in thg biggkg.
30. Hot food must be kept at F or above.
31. Cold food must be kept at F or below.

WWW.

 

 

32. Food containers must be stored off the floor.
33. Generally, frozen foods can be safely defrosted at room
temperature.
34. Food handlers must wash their hands after taking breaks.
35. Food handlers may eat while preparing foods.
36. Knives must be cleaned and sanitized when switching from
cutting one kind of food to another.
37. Cooking utensils can not be cleaned in hand wash sinks.
38. Are written policies and procedures on sanitation and safety
available to all employees in the store? Yes No
39. Please mark an X at the location on the line below that indicates how
you would rate this store in terms of overall sanitary conditions.
POOR BELOW AVERAGE AVERAGE ABOVE AVERAGE EXCELLENT
L _A L L __1

 

Thank you for your cooperation in filling out this survey and
contributing to my study.
\. _- A’
7 7.t-.«1,.L7‘§. yutt L,‘
Nancy L.JBurch-

APPENDIX 3. EMPLOYEE'S SURVEY

75
APPENDIX 3

EMPLOYEE'S SURVEY

 

 

EHELQIEE_§QB!EI
STORE CODE s
IN-HOUSE - COMMISSARY ___
DATE
TIME an/pn

 

Please fill out this survey as completely as possible placing your
answers in the spaces provided. You are free to participate or not
participate in this study.

Your privacy is assured in filling out this survey as your name will
not be taken and the location of the facility will be identified by
code number only. The results of this survey will be shared with
your employer only as a part of the information from all stores in my
study and not as an individual response for your store.

Filling out this survey constitutes consent for use of this
information as a part of this study.

1. Your Job title is

 

2. Have you seen a written Job description for your position?

Yes No

 

 

3. Have you received training in food sanitation or safe food
handling practices?

Yes No

 

 

If 115.:
Who provided it?

 

 

 

When did you receive this training (month and year)
How long was the training? (days or weeks or months) ...
Do you have a certificate in safe food handling? Yes No

 

 

 

If ng. check the following that Institution that granted it;

National Institute for the Foodservice Industry ____
Hichigan Department of Public Health
Other (name)

 

 

76

4. Do you handle unwrapped foods in the store?

Yes No

 

If 12;, check the foods you handle below and describe how.

EQQD EBEEABAIIQE

(example) Sandwiches (example) assemble and wrap
Sandwiches
Salads
Soups
Baked Goods
Pizza
Ice Cream
Hot Dogs
Snacks
Other ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lllllllll |><

(Specify)

 

 

5. Please mark an X at the location on the line below that indicates
how you would rate yourself on your knowledge of safe food
handling practices.

Poor Below Average Average Above Average Excellent

1 1 1 1 L

2lease_aasssr_1hs_f9llcsiss.suesiicns_hz_fillins_in_the.blsaks-
6. Bot food must be kept at ______ F or above. '
7. Cold food must be kept at ______ F or below.
ar w‘ s ov ed.
8. _________Food containers must be stored off the floor.

9. _________Generally. frozen foods can be safely defrosted at room
temperature.

10. _________Food handlers must wash their hands after taking breaks.
11. _________Food handlers may eat while preparing foods.

12. _________Knives must be cleaned and sanitized when switching from
cutting one kind of food to another.

13. ________*Kitchen utensils can not be cleaned in hand wash sinks.

14.

15.

77

Please mark an X at the location on the line below that indicates
how you would rate this store in terms of overall cleanliness as
compared to other stores you have worked in or visited.

Poor Below Average Average Above Average Excellent

L l l L I

Has a customer every complained to you of having become ill after
eating a product from this store? Yes _ No

PROFILE:

16.
17.

18.

19.

20.

Please state your age.

 

Please check one of the following categories as it describes you.
male female

Please place an X in front of the most advanced educational degree
you have obtained as listed below.

Less than high school

____High school diploma
Completed vocational program after receiving high school
diploma

____Attended a college but did not receive a diploma

Received 2 year college diploma (AA)

Received 4 year college diploma (BA or BS)

Received post graduate degree (Masters, PhD. etc.)

 

 

 

 

How long have you worked in convenience stores such as this one?

0 to 6 months

8 months to 1 year
1 year to 2 years
2 years to 5 years
5 years to 10 years

more than 10 years

 

How many hours per week do you work at this store?
(hours/week)

 

Thank you for your cooperation in filling out this survey and
contributing to my study.

j/Jué‘m. 6.41:.L- '

Nancy LJ’Burch

APPENDIX 4. UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE ON RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN
SUBJECTS - LETTER OF APPROVAL

78
APPENDIX u

UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE ON RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN
SUBJECTS - LETTER OF APPROVAL

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

 

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July 10. I986

Dr. Carol A. Sawyer
Food Science & Human Nutrition
Campus

Dear Dr. Sawyer:

Subject: Proposal Entitled "Hicrobial Quality Control Factors of
Foodservice Operations in Convenience Stores."

 

DCRIRS' review of the above referenced project has now been completed. I

am pleased to advise that the rights and welfare of the human subjects appear
to be adequately protected and the Committee. therefore. approved this project
at its meeting on July 1. 1986.

You are reminded that DCRIRS approval is valid for one calendar year. If you
plan to continue this project beyond one year. please make provisions for
obtaining appropriate DCRIRS approval prior to July 7. 1967.

Any changes in procedures involving human subjects must be reviewed by the
DCIIRS prior to initiation of the change. DCRIRS must also be notified
promptly of any problems (unexpected side effects. complaints. etc.) involving
human subjects during the course of the work.

- Thank you for bringing this project to our attention. If we can be of any
future help. please do not hesitate to let us know.

Sincerely.
Wt.
leery E. Dredeck
Chairman. DCRIRS
BED/mjt

cc: Nancy L. lurch’I'

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APPENDIX 5. PROJECT STATEMENT

79

APPENDIX 5

PROJECT STATEMENT

August 1986
PROJECT STATEMENT

As a graduate student. I as seeking permission froe.you to conduct a study
using information gathered at your convenience store. This research is a
project of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan
State University and is endorsed by the Michigan Food Dealers Association.

My interest is in the innovative trend of many convenience stores to enter the
take—out food business as a true convenience to their shoppers. ln qy many
travels to and from Lansing for classes. I have grown dependent on convenience
stores for meals as l tired of fast food outlets and their offerings. The
objectives of my study are to identify procedures in the handling and
preparation of 'take out' foods sold in your store that influence their
bacterial safety; to describe for the grocery industry who the convenience
store employees and customers are; and to gather information on dual
inspection by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and the local health
departments for the use of the Michigan Food Dealers Association in support of
a call for a unified inspection code.

To gather data of this kind. I will need to have elployees and managers at
your store fill out a brief questionnaire. ‘Pre-studies. using these forms.
have shown that it takes approximately 5 minutes for the employees and about
15 minutes maximum for the managers to fill out these forms. Also. I would
observe food preparation and handling practices at your facility as well as
purchase food items for further study. Swabs of counter surfaces. enployee
hands. and equipment would be taken. All data collected in this study will be
treated confidentially when summarized and shared with the grocery industry
through scientific and trade Journals. Information would be coded to protect
your identity and the identity of your euployees.

It is hoped that the findings of this study will assist you or the convenience
store industry in doing the best Job possible. After all. as good food
handling procedures for take-out foods are practiced. shelf life is increased
meaning happier customers. and increased profits.

“7. vi .fiethu/

Mancya L. rch. Graduate Student
Michigan State University

Carol A. Sawyer. Ph.D.
Department of Food Science and humans Nutrition

Mimi...

Paul K. Fershee. Jr..
Michigan Food Dealers Association

APPENDIX 6. CONSENT FORM

80
APPENDIX 6

CONSENT FORM

1 have been informed about the research study
to be conducted in my store concerning Quality Control
Factors for Foodservice Operations in Convenience Stores.
The researcher has explained that there will be in-store
visits consisting of a brief questionnaire to be filled out
by employees and managers plus an overview of the facilities
by the researcher. The researcher will then return to the
store to observe production and/or receiving of "take out"
foods and obtain samples of these “take out" foods for
further study. Temperatures of holding areas and swabs of
work areas and employee hands will be taken.

The researcher assures me that the results of this
research are strictly confidential. and that my name. the
store’s name. and employee names will not be associated
with the data gathered. When this investigation is concluded.
I will be able to obtain a copy of the results from the
researcher.

My signature below indicates that I agree to participate

in this study but I am free to withdraw my consent and
discontinue my participation in this study at any time.

Name Date

 

Store/s Name

 

Address/s

 

Researcher Name Date

 

Code a

 

APPENDIX 7. ON-SITE EVALUATION FORM TO EVALUATE STORE
CONDITIONS ON INITIAL VISIT

81
APPENDIX 7

ON-SITE EVALUATION FORM TO EVALUATE STORE
CONDITIONS ON INITIAL VISIT

STORE CODE 8 IN-HOUSE _______ COMMISSARY ______
DATE TIME _am/pm

1) Are recipes. job descriptions. or printed policies on safe food
handling available to me? __Y ___N May I have copies? ___Y -__N
2) May I gather data in the store today? ___Y ___N
3) What training has been done of employees in safe food handling?
4) Have you heard of the Michigan Food Dealers Association? ___Y ___N
Are you a member? ___Y ___N
5) What is the manager schedule in your store?

 

 

6) Would you be willing to donate samples of your products for my use
in this study? Y

 

SANDWICHES: Sold Prep’d Sold Prep'd
Beef ___ ___ Egg Salad ___ ___
Beef/Cheese ___ __. Tuna Salad __. ._..
Turkey ___ ___ Ham Salad __, ___
Turkey/Cheese ___ ___ Chicken Salad ._. __.
Submarine ___ ___ Sausage ___ __.
Hotdogs ___ ___ Reuben __. _._
Other ___ ___ Other ___ ___ ___

SNACKS:

Pizza ___ ___ Ice Cream ___ ___
Burritos ___ ___ Nachos ___ __.
Cheese ___ ___ Other ___ __.

SALADS: '

Potato ___ ___ Cole Slaw ___ ___
Macaroni ___ ___ Chef ___ ___
Tossed ___ __- Other ____ ___ -__

SOUPS:

Meat/Cream ___ ___ Seafood/Cream __. ___
Meat/Vegt. ___ ___ Poultry/Vegt. ___ ___
Other ___ ___ Other ___ ___

 

 

Soap and single use towels available for employees

Employees wash hands before beginning work

Employees wash hands after smoking/breaks/sneezing/bathroom use
Employees have no visible infected burns. cuts. or boils
Cutting boards are washed and sanitized between operations
All utensils and equipment are washed and sanitized after use
Food prep equipment not in use is clean

Temperature of refrigerators are at 45 F or below
Temperature of freezers are 0 P or below

Foods are defrosted under refrigeration or cold running water
Metal stem type thermometers are used for measurement

Pull dates are used on in-house prepared foods

Pull dates are used on commissary provided foods

Pull dates are not expired

FIFO is used for ”take out” foods

4«<<<4<4««<LLLL

TOTAL POINTS:

RATING OF OVERALL SANITARY CONDITIONS OF STORE:
POOR BELOW AVERAGE AVERAGE ABOVE AVERAGE EXCELLENT

J L l _L A

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APPENDIX 8. HAZARD ANALYSIS EVALUATION FORM

82

APPENDIX 8

HAZARD ANALYSIS EVALUATION FORM

 

 

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Date/Time:
U‘C PC'C
15 min Product Time Process/handling Tools

 

 

 

 

 

Specific Concerns:

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® 00311!“ . aches & Other (specify)

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APPENDIX 9. LETTER TO PARTICIPATING STORES ON
MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

E33
.AIE?EDHDI)C 9

LETTER TO PARTICIPATING STORES ON
MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

 

wmmamoomamwumwurunow WW'WOmm

January 8, 1987

Dear

This letter is in regards to the visits I made to your store in September of
1986. At that time I observed your production methods for 'take out“ food and
collected beef sandwich samples for microbiological evaluation. Two tests
were completed - Total Plate Counts (TPC) and Staphylococci Counts (STAPN).

The following results are for the sandwiches prepared at your store the day of
my visit and for those picked up three days later.

 

m. M
Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 1 Sample 2
Day 1 440,000 14,000 0 0
Day 4 3,100 ,000,000 10.800 ,000,000 0 5 .000
Store 02 182,000,000 310,000,000 0 0

An explanation of the tests, standards with which to compare your results, the
range of scores for all stores saupled, and a sumary of the data are given on
an attached page. '

' Thank you for your cooperation. Results from this study will be available
after March of 1987. If I can be of further help to you in interpreting these
data please feel free to contact me at 334 Food Science Building in the
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition or at 355-8469.

Sincerely,

Nancy L. Burch
Graduate Student, MSU

V" ' is me fink—Min 40in. ’I'emel "fr-"woe": Imam-fine

8b,

DEFINITIONS

TPC - A count of all spoilage organisms and bacteria in a food sample
expressed in colonies per gram of food.

STAPH - A count of a particular disease bacteria in a food sample
expressed in colonies per gram of food.

STANDARDS

TPC — All foods contain spoilage organisms. A TPC count of 25,000
is considered an acceptable level for meat sandwiches. As
counts increase, such as 50,000 which is twice as high as the
acceptable level, quality of the product is effected until
eventually the product would be discarded because of smell.
discoloration, or off flavor.

STAPH - Counts of staphylococcus give good indication of food handling
problems that result in food contamination by humans during
preparation. Extremely high counts (7,500,000) have been
associated with severe food poisoning.

RANGE OF COUNTS FOR ALL STORES IN THIS STUDY

 

as m
Low High Low High

DAY 1 10,000 34,000,000 0 5.000

DAY 3 5,700,000 10.800.000.000 0 6,000

SUMMATION

The key factor that affected the TPC counts was the internal temperature
of the sandwiches while held in the refrigerated case in the stores. As
temperatures increased, the bacterial counts increased. The lower the
temperature in the refrigerator holding the sandwiches, the longer the shelf
life will be. The STAPH counts were all within acceptable levels. Bacteria
were isolated so holding temperatures need to remain out of the danger zone
of 45°F to 140°F to prevent additional growth.

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9O

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GQN STATE UN IV

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