Observed food safety practices in the summer food service program

Purpose/Objectives The purpose of this exploratory, observational study was three-fold: 1) Determine current food safety practices at Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sites; 2) Identify types of food served at the sites and collect associated temperatures; and 3) Establish recommendations for food safety training in the SFSP. Methods Twenty-eight SFSP sites in seven states were observed during preparation, service, and clean-up to assess food safety practices. Before the study, researchers participated in a day and half training session which included a pilot test of the observation tools at school kitchens. Individuals completed the forms and in pairs they compared findings; final adjustments to the observation forms were made. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Excel. Results Twenty-five sites had at least one employee or volunteer who reported having had food safety training. Proper handwashing facilities were available and accessible at most preparation sites (n=21) an