1. Template provided by: “posters4research.com” Subjects A sample of food service workers involved in receiving, preparing, and serving food items were observationally evaluated at 5 hospitals. The geographic locations of the hospitals represented the East Coast, Midwest, and the West Coast. Any food service employee with the responsibility of receiving and storing goods and preparing or serving food for either café or patient line were included in the observational evaluations. All food service workers were in good standing in their employment status. No food service workers were excluded. With the number of hospitals represented in this study, a wide range of age, race, length of time in position, and socioeconomic status of food service workers was represented. Both genders were represented equally. Food service workers and supervisors were not given any information about why they were being observed or how the collected data was going to be used. Food and Nutrition managers were given a description of the study and the purpose of the data collection. Study Design Over three months, three dietetic interns collected data for four areas of observation of food service employee work practices: Receiving, Storing, Preparation and Serving. Inventory delivery times, food preparation and service times were taken into consideration to produce maximum number of observations. A sample size of 65 was reached. Observations took place in dry and cold storage areas, preparation areas of kitchens, and service areas in the kitchen and in the café. Observation data was collected using the data collection tool in which the observer recorded all data and later input into the Google Form appropriate for each area of observation. The data collection tool was adapted from the pre- published draft of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food Waste Survey, which was provided by one of the Aramark Dietetic Internship Directors to the team of dietetic interns conducting this study. Separate Google Forms were utilized for each of the four observed areas Resources and Permissions No outside resources or funding were required for the completion of this observational evaluation. Food service employees were not paid additional hourly or salary wages to be observed. Each of the dietetic interns had the appropriate personnel sign and date an approved Institutional Review Board form and submitted the form to Aramark Dietetic Internship Program prior to the start of the observational evaluation. ABSTRACT CONCLUSION CONTACT INFORMATION Compliance of Foodservice Workers to Aramark Food Waste Policies K. Callahan, S. Shah, M. Solheid Aramark Distance Learning Dietetic Internship Program Awareness of food waste and related reduction is beginning to become a popular area of focus for those looking to impact climate change and the amount of trash that ends up in landfills each year. Food waste that ends up in landfills often emits methane gas that is a large contributor to global warming. Furthermore, food waste can see new life as compost and can therefore be a way to nourish growing plants instead of festering in landfills. Food waste can be curtailed in the most efficient ways through reducing overproducing, decreasing food surplus, utilizing best practices, and educating workers on these best practices as well. 85% of the around 6600 tons of waste that is produced each day by hospitals is not dangerous or risky and is made up of recyclables items like plastic and compostable waste such as food. Furthermore, it was found that almost all of the waste produced by restaurants can be reused as compost or be reprocessed through recycling. The financial and environmental implications of food waste exemplify the importance for minimizing food waste produced in various sites -- such as retail or hospital settings. Aramark has created a policy to help decrease the amount of food waste for their contracted sites. By creating a food waste policy, Aramark is aiming to lower food waste costs. Showing potential contracted sites that Aramark has a concise method to keep food cost down is very beneficial. Simultaneously, the food waste policy aids in decreasing the negative impact on the environment. Protecting the environment has become an emerging trend within the past couple years. Consequently, Aramark can demonstrate to potential contracted sites that they care about the future of the environment and the communities they serve. However, as previously mentioned, there can be a disconnect between food waste beliefs and the actual behaviors of the foodservice employees. In order for Aramark’s policy to be effective, the food service worker’s need to be following through with tracking the food waste daily. INTRODUCTION METHODOLOGY For additional information, please contact: Kate Callahan: callahan-kate@aramark.com Seema Shah: shah-seema@aramark.com Mary Solheid: solheid-maryjoy@aramark.com This study was important because it assessed whether or not food service workers were compliant to Aramark food waste policies at five different Aramark managed hospital food service locations across the United States. On the whole, the food service workers were compliant when receiving, storing, serving and preparing food items. Aramark is dedicated to moving towards the goal of reducing food waste across all of its locations across the nation. Doing this will require synchronized efforts from both management, food service workers and hopefully customers as well. Hopefully, food waste reduction will be a trend that will only gain importance with time. In the mean time, Aramark will prove to be a leader in this area and can show others how to implement successful programs. DISCUSSION Overall, foodservice workers were compliant with Aramark food waste policies in the areas of storage, preparation, serving and receiving Non-compliance seen with foodservice workers not taking the dry storage temperatures, not checking/documenting food temperatures during service and discarding food in composting binds over trashcans Ways to improve compliance Foodservice workers are trained and know the policies Management is enforcing the policies Goal setting and tracking food waste Ways to improve study Conducting study at only one site Observing management enforce policies Performing a training for the employees on Aramark polices Interviewing individual foodservice workers on thoughts about food waste Areas for further study Patient food waste Cafeteria food waste Educating nurses on assisting patients with menu selections Focusing on production food waste Receiving 85.7% checked at least two refrigerated items when receiving refrigerated foods(14.3% n/a) 71.4% checked temperatures when receiving freezer items (14.3% n/a) 100% inspected products upon delivery for quality and accuracy 42.9% discarded the damaged foods RESULTS RESEARCH QUESTION/OBJECTIVE How compliant are the foodservice workers at three geographically separate hospital food service locations to Aramark food waste policies and guidelines? Storing 46.7% recorded the freezer temperatures (53.3% n/a) 46.7% recorded the refrigerator temperatures (40% n/a) 100% kept the refrigerators and freezers from being overstocked 66.7% discarded food into the composting 60% did not record the temperature of the dry storage (40% n/a) 93.3% disposed of dented and expired products 100% followed FIFO (first in, first out) Preparation 77.3% collected food waste for composting 100% documented food waste on the food waste log during preparation 95.5% trimmed fruits, vegetables and meats to maximize edible portions 100% followed written recipes, utilized production sheets, documented servings produced and labeled leftovers 40.9% discarded food into the trash and not the composting buckets Serving 100% used suggested serving utensils listed in the recipe 85.7% used appropriate serving sizes (4.8% n/a) 61.9% documented food supply for each meal including leftovers 52.4% checked and documented temperatures during service 71.4% discarded food into the trash and not the composting buckets during service Site ASite BSite CSite DSite E 25% did not check food temperatures during service Not compliant with recording dry storage temperature Not compliant with throwing food in composting bins Not compliant with recording dry storage temperature Not compliant with appropriate serving sizes Not compliant with throwing food in composting bins 50% did not label items with receipt date Not compliant with throwing food in composting bins 50% did not check temperature of food during service Not compliant with labeling items with receipt date Not compliant with throwing away food in composting bins Not compliant with checking temperature of frozen foods Not compliant with recording dry storage temperature The emerging trend of minimizing food waste in a hospital setting is relevant to the dietetic field since it is common for a food service manager to be a registered dietitian. Additionally, dietitians are involved in patient food distribution and can affect food waste in that capacity. Since food waste affects Aramark financially and affects the local and global economies and environments of Aramark contracted facilities, it is imperative that as Aramark representatives we ensure policies and procedures related to elimination of food waste are adhered to Food waste practices were observed at five separate Aramark contracted hospitals for 65 separate recorded through observational surveys. We observed compliancy to stated Aramark food waste policies of employees in the areas of receiving, preparation, storing, and serving. After each observation the results were entered into the Google Forms appropriate for each type of observation. Overall, we determined that foodservice worker compliancy rate is high but there are areas that could be improved. The study exposed the largest non-compliances with foodservice workers who are not taking the dry storage temperature, not checking/documenting food temperatures during service and not discarding food in composting bins over trashcans.