Gauteng’s managers’ implementation of food safety protocols and practices in their QSR environments

Introduction Food safety assurance is motivated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation stating: “food safety encompasses ensuring safe food handling, and preparation when consumed according to its intended use” (FAO 1997). The importance of food safety management arises when consumers demonstrate concern and distrust that restaurants can produce safe food when compared to other industry stakeholders. Foodservice managers must promote food hygiene training aligned with safe food handling activities for the staff. The Foodstuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act of 1972 directs the following for persons responsible on food premises: They are suitably qualified or otherwise adequately trained in the principles and practices of food safety and hygiene. Any other persons working on the food premises are suitably qualified or adequately trained in the principles and practices of food safety and hygiene. It’s a priority for foodservice managers to prevent the risk of reputation for their operations, to prevent legal action and closure due to employees’ poor food handling practices. Therefore, what roles do managers play in assuring that their employees follow safe food handling practices, and what would make managers effective in implementing safe food handling plans? Problem Training alone is an insufficient strategy to improve safe food handling among foodservice employees. Managers reported experiences that hindered the effectiveness of their roles. Managers must, however, cultivate environments where they may observe deviations in food safety and be able to efficiently address them. Aim The study aimed to consult with managers at quick-service restaurants (QSR) to decipher the scope of implementation efforts for safe food handling in averting the risk of foodborne illnesses. Methods A cross-sectional, qualitative research design employed purposive sampling to engage with the managers in the QSRs. The measuring instrument was guided by the review of literature for inquiry, and aligned with general food safety concepts. A semi-formal interview schedule with open-ended questions was used. Field workers approached QSRs for data collection and made relevant general observations where possible. Analysis Foodservice managers' (n = 35) responses were transcribed. Thematic analysis was used, and data was reduced into key themes and reviewed to verify themes arising from participant responses. Findings and discussion Personal hygiene and staff behaviour QSR managers used diverse but complementary approaches to enforce and maintain the staff’s behaviour related to their hygiene practices and hygiene-related behaviour. Policy included instructions not to come to work in the event of experiencing illness. Other measures included the correct wearing of PPE. QSRs were dedicated to daily deep cleaning of production and storage areas, and cleaning while working. Managers reported that employees were prompted to wash their hands in five-minute intervals. Temperature control of food The QSR managers were asked to describe inventory policies to gauge temperature monitoring procedures. Management indicated awareness, however they did not provide evidence of this. Only two of the thirty-five managers kept records of their storage facilities. Cross-contamination/pathogen presence Managers reported enforcing the requirement of the separation of workspaces and colour-coded equipment when handling food. The staff were not allowed to use the store's facilities to warm up their own food as a measure to avoid cross-contamination. Raw materials/ingredients Uniquely, visual cues were an easy go-to for evaluating ingredients. Any incoming raw materials would be examined upon delivery and returned if they were deemed to be of inferior quality (e.g. dented cans or mould on bread). Staff discarded spoilt raw materials or items that were past the expiry dates. Conclusions, recommendations, and contributions Food safety practices and protocols were largely executed by staff, and guided by the QSR managers. The acceptance and comprehension of the importance of food safety throughout QSR requires structured cultural adoption in training, monitoring, and support from management. Knowledge and skills transferring between staff members become essential in the absence of managerial presence. Managerial absence, lacking supporting structures, and cultural adoption towards food safety compromises the required scope for implementation of safe food handling and safety protocols to avert the risks of foodborne illnesses. Instilling a safety culture through continued education, awareness campaigns, development of training programs and support mechanisms can aid managers' implementation of consistent food handling practices.