Retail Risk Factor Data Items

Review of New Risk Factor Studies and Application to Restaurant Inspections in the U.S. and Europe

Barbara Kowalcyk, Joann Gruber, Benjamin Chapman, Andre Pierce

Retail risk factor studies are conducted to measure the occurrence of restaurant practices and people behaviors which contribute to foodborne illness cases and outbreaks in retail food establishments. In 2016, FDA will release their new risk factor study. This new study will compare results from fast food restaurants and casual/fine dining restaurants for the first time. This symposium will discuss results from FDA's study; state risk factor studies; risk factor studies and application to health inspection scores in Europe; and the role of using risk factors in foodservice operations to proactively prevent foodborne outbreaks.

Presented on 8/2/2016 at the annual meeting of the International Association for Food Protection

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Trends in Risk Factor Behaviors in Temporary Eating Establishments in North Carolina

Ellen Thomas, Irene Doherty, Benjamin Chapman, Andre Pierce, Melissa Ham, and Barbara Kowalcyk

Introduction: Temporary eating establishments have increased in popularity and frequency throughout the United States over the past decade. These establishments face numerous food safety challenges, related to staff and infrastructure; however, little literature exists on the risk factors that occur most frequently in these establishments. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) publishes a model food code to aid state and local health authorities in regulating retail facilities based on current literature. FDA established a protocol for conducting a non-regulatory retail food risk factor study to measure the occurrence of commonly identified risk factors known to contribute to foodborne illness outbreaks. A similar study was conducted to identify risk factors for food safety non-compliance in temporary eating establishments in North Carolina.

Purpose: This study assessed FDA food safety risk factors observed at temporary food establishments in North Carolina.

Methods: Risk factor data were collected during non-regulatory visits by local health officials. Data collectors observed and documented behaviors for 43 operational risk factors associated with foodborne illness at 59 establishments. Risk factors were divided into 13 categories. Descriptive statistics were generated by category and eating establishment to assess the extent of non-compliance.

Results: The majority of establishments (88%) were out of compliance for at least one risk factor. The mean rate of overall noncompliance was 14.5% of risk factors. A total of 19.7% of establishments were out of compliance with factors related to employee hygiene, while 24.5% were out of compliance related to proper holding temperature, and 14.3% engaged in practices that could result in cross-contamination. A total of 71% of establishments had a certified food protection manager on staff.

Significance: Given the increase in temporary eating establishments throughout the United States, identifying trends in food safety practices and behaviors is critical to developing intervention strategies and evaluating policy.

Presented on 8/1/2016 at the annual meeting of the International Association for Food Protection

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Trends in Risk Factor Behaviors and Support Infrastructure in North Carolina Retail Food Facilities

Barbara Kowalcyk, Joann Gruber, Benjamin Chapman, Andre Pierce

Introduction: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) quadrennially publishes a model food code, based on the best available science, to aid state and local health authorities in regulation of retail facilities. To support the model code, the FDA established a non-regulatory retail food risk factor study to measure the occurrence of practices and behaviors commonly identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as contributing factors in foodborne illness outbreaks.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare retail food risk factors within four North Carolina counties using a nationally-recognized standardized instrument.

Methods: Risk factor data were collected during non-regulatory visits by local health officials. Data collectors observed and documented behaviors related to operational risk factors associated with foodborne illness. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize trends by county, facility type, and risk factor. Significant factors (facility type, county) and pairwise comparisons of observed risk factor rates were analyzed using a generalized linear model.

Results: A total of 1,354 establishments in three categories (institutional food service, restaurants and retail food stores) were included. Significant differences were seen across facility type (P = 0.0063) with full service restaurants having a significantly higher rate of outbreak contributing factors than all other facility types (P < 0.001). Improper holding/time-temperature had the lowest compliance rate (< 75%) with 47% compliance for cold holding of potentially hazardous food (PHF); 58% for marking Ready-to-Eat (RTE), PHF after 24 hours; 43% for discarding RTE, PHF after 4 days (45°F) or 7 days (41°F), and 46% for marking dates on commercially processed RTE, PHF. Significant differences between observed risk factor rates were seen between counties.

Significance: This research is fundamental in understanding trends in food safety practices and behaviors, as measured by compliance with a standardized instrument to inform resource dedication, intervention development and policy evaluation.

Presented on 7/26/2015 at the annual meeting of the International Association for Food Protection

• FDA National Retail Risk Factor Study
• Wake County 2015 Retail Risk Factor Website
• Wake County 2015 Retail Risk Factor Report
• Fiscal Impact of 2009 FDA Food Code Adoption