Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111403

Suzanne M. Krippel¹, Peter T. Schade, MPH, RS¹, Christopher M. Kippes, MS², and Rebecca Hysing, RS². (1) Environmental Health Services, Cuyahoga County Board of Health, 5550 Venture Drive, Parma, OH 44130, 216-201-2001 ext 1242, skrippel@ccbh.net, (2) Epidemiology and Surveillance, Cuyahoga County Board of Health, 5550 Venture Dr., Parma, OH 44130

Background: Food service operations are often reluctant to correct food safety and sanitation violations which could contribute to food borne illness. Traditional inspections and enforcement proceedings do not necessarily gain compliance in a timely fashion creating potential risks to the public. There is a need for non-traditional methods which could correct these violations more efficiently.

Objective: To demonstrate how non-traditional education based food safety programs will appeal to the food industry while decreasing risks to the public.

Method: An innovative education based approach to food safety can complement the traditional inspection and enforcement process. This approach can include: 1) customizing in-house training classes which focus on an operation's critical violations, menu and employee skill level; 2) encouraging participation in a low cost “Person In Charge” training course which explains rule changes and new interpretations of the Food Code; and 3) offering the nationally recognized ServSafe® sixteen hour food certification course.

Results: Since the implementation of this education based approach, we have obtained compliance more quickly and established better rapport with the food service operators. Additionally, this new program has helped to minimize enforcement activities, board actions and license revocations.

Conclusion: Food Safety Programs should adopt education based approaches in conjunction with traditional enforcement practices to increase compliance and reduce the risk of food borne illness. Providing this training in a convenient manner (e.g. offering during evenings and weekends) will further accommodate our operator's needs.

Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to

• Recognize that education is of equal importance to enforcement when it come to ensuring food safety;
• Identify two training courses which could work in conjunction with traditional inspection and enforcement procedures.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation