British Food Journal

Evaluation of sanitation knowledge and practices of restaurant kitchen staff in

South Korea
Min-Sun Jeon Su-Jin Park Hye-Ja Jang Young-Sim Choi Wan-soo Hong
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BFJ
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Received 8 August 2013
Revised 14 March 2014
Accepted 24 March 2014
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British Food Journal
Vol. 117 No. 1, 2015
pp. 62-77
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0007-070X
DOI 10.1108/BFJ-08-2013-0209
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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Evaluation of sanitation
knowledge and practices
of restaurant kitchen staff
in South Korea
Min-Sun Jeon
Department of Food and Nutrition, Chungnam National University,
Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Su-Jin Park
Department of Foodservice Management & Nutrition, Sangmyung University,
Seoul, Republic of Korea
Hye-Ja Jang
Department of Food and Nutrition, Dankook University, Cheanan,
Republic of Korea
Young-Sim Choi
Department of Food & Culinary Arts, Suwon Women’s College,
Kyunggi-do, Republic of Korea, and
Wan-soo Hong
Department of Foodservice Management & Nutrition, Sangmyung University,
Seoul, Republic of Korea
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the sanitation knowledge and practice of staff who
work in restaurant kitchens and to suggest sanitation management plans and efficient ways to enhance
sanitation knowledge and practice in the restaurant industry.
Design/methodology/approach – The survey research was conducted using a questionnaire
composed of 73 questions in three areas of general information, sanitation knowledge, and sanitation
practices. The respondents were selected from among kitchen staff working in restaurants that were
both at least 198 m2 in size and listed in the Korean Foodservice Information database. The collected
data were analyzed to identify the differences between sanitation knowledge and practices.
Findings – The results showed that the respondents were well aware of the importance of sanitation
during food preparation and cooking whereas they had a relatively lack of personal hygiene. Age and
education level of kitchen staff correlated with sanitation knowledge and practices, and kitchen staff
working less than 12 hours per shift scored significantly higher in terms of sanitation knowledge than
those who worked more hours per shift. Also, kitchen staff working in restaurant franchises showed
higher levels of both knowledge and practice than those working in independent restaurants.
Research limitations/implications – A more diversified sanitation-training program should be
developed on the basis of the characteristics of kitchen staff members and restaurant characteristics.
As kitchen staff members themselves have identified change in perspectives on sanitation as the most
important factor for improving practice levels, the training should not only transmit information but
should be developed into a training method.
Originality/value – This research provides suggestions for how restaurant kitchens in South Korea
can make progress in a situation where sanitation implementation is limited to the transfer of knowledge.
Keywords Service, Food safety
Paper type Research paper
 1. Introduction Evaluation
Over the last few decades, the rise in single-person households and nuclear families, the of sanitation
five-day workweek system, and the increased economic activity of women have led to
an increased standard of living and higher levels of leisure pursuits among South
knowledge
Koreans. Accordingly, their dietary pattern has changed, and the restaurant industry and practices
has become one of the fastest-growing industries in South Korea ( Jang et al., 2003).
At the same time, concerns about food safety in restaurants have risen among 63
consumers, and in fact, there have been a number of outbreaks of food poisoning
in recent years. Between 2005 and 2009, 1,460 such outbreaks were reported, and
43 percent of these cases were associated with products served in restaurants (Korean
Food and Drug Administration, 2010).
To safely provide food to consumers in hotels and restaurants, systematic sanitation
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facilities, sanitation management, knowledge of personal hygiene, and sanitary practices

are needed. However, comprehensive training and awareness of food safety among
kitchen staff are lacking, and even when sanitary equipment and facilities are available,
inadequate supervision and management persist. Furthermore, because restaurant work
is often perceived as a profession that requires no special skills or qualifications, kitchen
staff members’ sense of responsibility or satisfaction with their vocation is low, causing a
high turnover rate. This creates difficulties in using continuous education and training to
enhance knowledge of food safety among kitchen staff.
There have been several studies on the sanitation-related knowledge and practice of
kitchen staff. Byun et al. (2005) reported that the levels of personal hygiene and
awareness of kitchen sanitation among hotel foodservice staff were influenced by the
extent of their sanitation training and the management systems employed in their
workplaces. In a previous study, hotel foodservice staff correctly answered the
questions concerning inventory checkup, storage, cooling, reheating, and service;
however, there were many incorrect answers in the areas of cooking and packaging
(Kim, 2006). In another study on hotel foodservice staff their level of sanitation practice
was shown to be high overall, with scores of over 80 percent on the instruments used to
measure this variable (Kim, 2004). However, there were many bad habits and problems
with negligence among management and excessive workloads; it was proposed that
some of the observed management limitations were due to insufficient budgets.
In studies on the levels of sanitation knowledge and practice among school
foodservice staff, Han et al. (2005) found that school foodservice staff provided the
highest number of correct answers on questions about personal hygiene knowledge
(91 percent), while they showed the highest level of practice in the domain of equipment
and facilities sanitation, followed by dealing with foodborne diseases/microorganisms
and personal hygiene. Especially, practice levels with respect to personal hygiene were
significantly related to employment status and educational level.
Moreover, Lee et al. (2006) examined the levels of kitchen sanitation knowledge and
practice among housewives living in Seoul. In their study, only half of the participants
answered the questions related to sanitation and hygiene knowledge correctly, and
they averaged 2.0 out of 5 possible points in most areas of sanitation-related behavior;
however, they scored 3.4 out of 5 on questions about the cooking process; this means
that minimal sanitary practice was being achieved. Kim and Choi (2002) also evaluated
the level of kitchen-related sanitation knowledge and practice among homemakers
in the Chungcheong area of South Korea. Their average score for sanitation practice
was 3.3 out of 5 points, and scores were affected by the participants’ age, educational
background, and income level.
 BFJ In addition, Fein (1995) conducted a telephone survey of 1,620 people over 18 years
117,1 of age on their knowledge and behavior in matters of foodborne diseases, potentially
risky foods, and safe treatment of food. The results showed that approximately
one-third of the participants had exhibited unsanitary behavior in treating food, such
as not washing their hands after touching uncooked food. In particular, the male
participants between 18 and 29 years of age showed poorer sanitation practice than
64 other groups, though they dealt with food frequently.
In a study on the sanitation knowledge and practice of restaurant kitchen staff, Song
(2006) found that participants gave the highest percentage of correct answers in the
category of knowledge of cleaning and disinfecting (95 percent); the lowest rate of correct
answers was in the area of personal hygiene knowledge (81 percent). Particularly, the
restaurant kitchen staff showed a lack of knowledge about how to properly wash and dry
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one’s hands, how to use rubber gloves, how to disinfect dishcloths, and the proper
temperatures for safe freezing and refrigeration. Moreover, in terms of their practice level,
the total average score was about 82 out of 100 points, with the highest scores in the
area of cleaning and disinfecting, followed by temperature, time management, personal
hygiene, storage, and use.
Some researchers have examined the influence of sanitation-training programs on
sanitation knowledge and practice among kitchen staff. Lee (2006) evaluated the
sanitation-training programs for school foodservice workers in the Chungbuk area
of South Korea. Interestingly, while the foodservice managers stated that the most
effective method of sanitation training is to learn by visiting other school cafeterias,
kitchen staff mentioned that it was more effective to receive sanitation training,
including training materials and verbal instruction. In addition, Park (1999) showed
that the sanitation practice level of kitchen staff was significantly affected by whether
or not they had ever had any sanitation training: the staff members who had received
such training exhibited better sanitation practice.
These results reveal the importance of continuous sanitation training and the need for
both its systematic application and thorough consideration of the specific characteristics
of kitchen staff. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the sanitation knowledge
and practice of those who work in restaurant kitchens and to suggest sanitation
management plans and efficient ways to enhance sanitation knowledge and practice in
the Korean restaurant industry.

2. Subjects and methods

A pilot study was conducted among 20 restaurant kitchen staff members working in
restaurants in Seoul from February 3 to February 12, 2007 of each other to ensure that
the items selected had acceptable validity. The restaurants selected for this study were
located in the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas of South Korea. A restaurant specialist group
including hospitality professors and restaurateurs was consulted in order to revise the
questionnaire to better suit the conditions of restaurants. The survey was conducted
from March 15 to April 20, 2007. The survey respondents were selected from among
kitchen staff working in 65 restaurants that were both at least 198 m2 in size and listed
in the Korean Foodservice Information (2006) database. This database provides
information on restaurants in South Korea, such as region, restaurant type, business
type, size, number of employees, and number of customers per day. The questionnaires
were sent to the restaurants listed in the Korean Foodservice via mail and distributed to
the kitchen staff. The average number of kitchen staff per restaurant was five. After
 removing incomplete and unusable responses, a total of 140 usable questionnaires Evaluation
out of 300 distributed were coded for data analysis, resulting in a response rate of of sanitation
47.3 percent. The descriptive results of this study were reported to a chief supervisor
of each restaurant.
knowledge
A questionnaire to evaluate the levels of sanitation knowledge and practice among and practices
restaurant kitchen staff was developed based on previous research (Kim, 2006; Kwak,
2001; Noh, 2006; Park, 2006). The questionnaire was composed of 73 questions in three 65
areas: general information (24 items), sanitation knowledge (15 items), and sanitation
practices (34 items). In order to assess subjects’ levels of sanitation knowledge, they
were asked to respond to questions on inventory checkup and storage (five items),
preparation and cooking (five items), and personal hygiene (five items) by O/X questions.
In order to assess subjects’ levels of sanitation practices, a five-point Likert-type scale
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(1 ¼ not at all and 5 ¼ always) was used to answer questions related to personal hygiene
(five items), inventory and storage (nine items), the cooking process (11 items), and
equipment and facilities (nine items).
For sanitation practice, the equipment and facility area was additionally included
because the cross-contamination between food and equipment/utensils is considered a
main causal factor outbreak according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(2009). Also, microorganisms on surfaces promote microbial growth which may
contaminate foods (de Oliveira et al., 2014).
Descriptive statistics were used to identify the basic characteristics of kitchen staff,
and t-tests, ANOVAs, and post hoc tests were used to identify the differences between
sanitation knowledge and practices.

3. Results and discussion

3.1 Demographic information
Socio-demographic information about the subjects in this study is shown in Table I.
The majority of respondents were 20-39 years old (70.7 percent), and the remaining
respondents were more than 40 years old (29.3 percent). Among the respondents,
57.9 percent were men. Approximately 52.1 percent had a higher degree than high
school graduate. The percentages of subjects who had worked in the industry for five
years or less, six to ten years, and 11 years or more were 45.0, 20.7, and 34.3 percent,
respectively. In total, 47.1 percent of subjects had worked in their current workplace for
one year or more than one year, and 52.9 percent had worked there for less than one
year. In terms of position, 60.0 percent of the subjects were cooking staff, 35.0 percent
were chefs, and 5 percent were managers. An analysis of employment type showed that
83.6 percent of the subjects were regular employees, and 16.4 percent were temporary
workers. In addition, 83.6 percent of the respondents worked less than 12 hours per
shift, and 57.9 percent of the subjects earned over $1,500 per month.

3.2 Factors for enhancement of sanitation management

The factors to be considered in enhancing the sanitation performance of restaurants are
shown in Table II. Approximately 42.1 percent of respondents answered that they
should change the way they view kitchen sanitation and hygiene. In addition,
26.4 percent of subjects indicated that a sanitation-training program implemented
by their restaurant should be considered; 22.1 percent of staff members wished to
undertake voluntary learning by themselves, and 17.9 percent responded that they
were interested in creating a sanitary environment. However, sanitation training by
 BFJ Category Frequency(n) %
117,1
Gender Male 81 57.9
Female 59 42.1
Age 20-29 47 33.6
30-39 52 37.1
66 40-49 20 14.3
⩾50 21 15.0
Education level Middle school graduate 8 5.8
High school graduate 59 42.1
Community college graduate 52 37.1
Bachelor’s degree 21 15.0
Years working in the restaurant industry ⩽5 years 63 45.0
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6-10 years 29 20.7

⩾11 years 48 34.3
Years working at the present workplace ⩾1 year 66 47.1
o1 year 74 52.9
Position Manager 7 5.0
Chef 49 35.0
Cooking staff 84 60.0
Type of employment Full-time 117 83.6
Part-time/temporary 23 16.4
Shift length ⩽12 hrs 117 83.6
W12 hrs 23 16.4
Table I. Monthly income ⩽$1,500 59 42.1
Demographic W$1,500 81 57.9
information Total 140 100.0

Content Frequency(n)* %

Changes in the perspectives of kitchen staff 59 42.1

Sanitation training by the restaurant 37 26.4
Voluntary learning by kitchen staff 31 22.1
Improvement of and investment in kitchen facilities
and the sanitation environment 25 17.9
Table II. Sanitation training by an outside institution 9 6.4
Factors to consider Reflection on performance assessments 3 2.1
for the enhancement Government support 3 2.1
of sanitation Other 1 0.7
management Note: *Multiple responses allowed

an outside institution and government support may not be considered important.

In a previous study, 46.95 percent of kitchen staff responded that a lack of sanitation
awareness among the kitchen staff caused unsatisfactory sanitation levels (Kim et al.,
1998). These findings may indicate that a change in mindset is required among
workers prior to instructional management from a manager. That is, a voluntary
change in mindset on the part of kitchen staff is the most instrumental factor in
the enhancement of kitchen sanitary performance. Therefore, in order to achieve
successful sanitation management, continuous training and the development of
 training tools that can motivate the kitchen staff to autonomously achieve a proper Evaluation
level of sanitation practices are needed. of sanitation
knowledge
3.3 Evaluation of sanitation knowledge and practices
The results of the sanitation knowledge assessment are shown in Table III. The sanitation
knowledge of the respondents was evaluated in three areas: inventory and storage, food
preparation and cooking, and personal hygiene. Of the three areas, the highest percentage 67
of correct answers was achieved in the category of food preparation and cooking
(89.86 percent), showing that the respondents were well aware of the importance of
sanitation in food preparation and cooking. However, they provided relatively low rates of
correct answers to the question on proper storage of leftovers (77.1 percent). The overall
rate of correct answers to the inventory and storage questions was 77.86 percent, but the
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Number of
Area correct answers % Mean

Question content
Inventory After check-up, foods should be separately stored by
and storage ingredient types 134 95.7
The temperature inside the refrigerator should be
under 5° C, and the temperature inside the freezer
should be under −18° C 130 92.9
If canned foods are dented, they should be returned 122 87.1 3.92
Chilled foods should be stored intact in the
refrigerator 97 69.3
Raw foods should be stored in the upper part and
cooked foods in the lower part of the refrigerator 62 44.3
Average 77.9
Preparation To prevent cross-contamination, separate cutting
and cooking boards and knives should be used for different types
of foods 133 95.0
Frozen foods need to be placed under the sunlight to
thaw them quickly 133 95.0
Vegetables should be rinsed under running water or
washed with a vegetable detergent 132 94.3 4.56
Kitchen garbage must be stored in an airtight
garbage can 123 87.9
Foods that have been thawed and used should be
refrozen for future use 108 77.1
Average 89.9
Personal Clean cooking coats, aprons, and hats should always
hygiene be worn 136 97.1
The disinfectants for dishcloths and other cooking
utensils should be stored with food ingredients 133 95.0
A Health Department License should be placed in the
restaurant 133 95.0 3.86
If there is a staff-only restroom, use it after putting on
the required cooking clothes 116 82.9 Table III.
It is okay to ignore slight injuries and go straight Levels of sanitation
back to work 15 10.7 knowledge among
Average 76.1 restaurant
Total average of correct answers 81.3 4.11 kitchen staff
 BFJ subjects showed a low rate of correct answers on the question about the proper way to
117,1 store food ingredients separately (44.3 percent). Martins et al. (2012) also investigated
Portugal food handlers’ knowledge on food hygiene. In the study, results showed issues of
surface and utensil hygiene and food storage, and < 50 percent of food handlers clearly
understood how to store cooked and raw food correctly in the refrigerator.
In the five subjects of the personal hygiene area, while four subjects had high levels
68 of knowledge overall (more than 82.9 percent correct answers), they did not completely
comprehend the proper way to deal with slight injuries, showing a very low rate of
correct answers (10.7 percent).
These findings contrasted with the results of the study by Han et al. (2005), in which
the respondents’ highest level of knowledge was observed in the domain of personal
hygiene. However, these results were similar to those of a previous study (Euh et al.,
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2001) which evaluated the sanitation knowledge of elementary school cafeteria staff; in
that study, the kitchen staff answered 76.6 percent of the questions in the personal
hygiene area correctly.
The results of this study lead to the consideration that disinfection of the hands
should be emphasized during sanitation training, because although direct hand contact
with food should be minimized to prevent foodborne diseases, it is quite possible that
kitchen utensils and equipment could be handled by the bare hands of kitchen staff;
further, levels of personal hygiene are often dependent upon people’s daily habits.

3.4 Evaluation of sanitation practices

The participants’ levels of sanitation practices were evaluated in four areas (Table IV):
personal hygiene, inventory and storage, the cooking process, and equipment and facilities.
The overall average score for sanitation practices was 4.52 out of 5 points. Of the four
areas, subjects attained their highest scores in the personal hygiene area (4.65 points).
However, the respondents showed relatively low scores (4.11 points) in handling situations
when they have foodborne illnesses or skin injuries. These findings were similar to the
results of previous studies (Han et al., 2005; Lee, 2006). Those studies evaluated the level of
sanitation practices among school cafeteria kitchen staff and found that respondents’ level
of personal hygiene management was the highest out of any of the tested items. However,
Kim (2004) reported that the personal hygiene practice level among five-star hotel kitchen
staff in Seoul was low. Accordingly, there is a need to strengthen the provision of training
on personal hygiene guidelines, such as proper hand-washing methods, the causes of
foodborne diseases and kitchen injuries, and methods to prevent them.
The average score for inventory and storage practices was also high (4.64 ± 0.54).
More specifically, the respondents received average scores of 4.56 (± 0.78) on the item
about managing the correct temperature inside refrigerators and freezers, 4.55 (± 0.82)
on the item about retaining sufficient numbers of refrigerators and freezers, and 4.49
(± 0.82) on the item about properly storing foods at room temperature, earning lower
scores than they received on other items. In previous studies, Kim (2004) reported that
the overall practice level of food ingredient storage was considered high (more than
90 percent), but Song (2006) noted that the food ingredients were not properly stored
in the refrigerators or freezers. Previous studies in other countries also have found
poor food safety control in processing, refrigeration, and product temperature ranges
(Abdul-Mutalib et al., 2012; Martins et al., 2012).
The average practice score for questions related to the cooking process was 4.47
(± 0.83). Of the ten items, the subjects did not perform well on questions regarding
 Cronbach’s
Evaluation
Mean ± SD α of sanitation
Personal hygiene
knowledge
Hands should always be washed before cooking 4.81 ± 0.55 and practices
Cooking coats, aprons, and hats should always be worn in the kitchen 4.81 ± 0.49
Kitchen staff should get an annual health checkup, and the Health
Department License should be kept in the kitchen 4.78 ± 0.60 0.78 69
Hands should be washed after returning to the kitchen from outside or
using the bathroom 4.77 ± 0.59
In case of any injuries or infectious diseases such as diarrhea, one
should not work 4.11 ± 1.11
Average 4.65 ± 0.52
Inventory and storage
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Only approved products should be used as food ingredients, and

problematic foods should be banned 4.74 ± 0.50
Delivered foods should only be served after a checkup 4.72 ± 0.63
After their expiration dates, foods should be discarded immediately 4.70 ± 0.68
Food supplies and toxic non-food products such as detergents should not be
kept together 4.68 ± 0.72 0.92
Cooked foods should be sealed or covered before being stored 4.65 ± 0.71
Each food ingredient should always be kept in the same place 4.64 ± 0.71
The temperature on the inside of a refrigerator should stay below 5°C, and
that inside a freezer should stay below −18°C 4.56 ± 0.78
There should be sufficient refrigerators and freezers 4.55 ± 0.82
When foods are stored at room temperature, they should be kept at least
15 cm away from the ground 4.49 ± 0.82
Average 4.64 ± 0.54
Cooking process
Separate knives and cutting boards should be used for their own uses 4.58 ± 0.80
Vegetables should be rinsed at least three times under running water or
washed with a vegetable detergent 4.58 ± 0.75
Foods and containers should not be left on the kitchen floor 4.57 ± 0.76
After cooking is completed, foods should be stored in a clean container or
covered 4.55 ± 0.81 0.94
Cooked foods should not be left at room temperature for more than 4 hours 4.53 ± 0.74
While cooking, foods should not be tasted directly or with one’s bare hands 4.51 ± 0.76
When thawing frozen foods, they should be kept sealed in order to prevent
contamination from outside 4.49 ± 0.81
Separate containers should be used for different condiments; these should
have lids and always be kept clean 4.44 ± 0.85
The kitchen area should be monitored to restrict visitor access 4.26 ± 1.05
Cooked foods should be thoroughly separated from raw foods 4.18 ± 1.01
Average 4.47 ± 0.83
Equipment and facilities
The personal items of kitchen staff should be kept outside the kitchen area 4.65 ± 0.69
Dishcloths should be used only for their prescribed use, and they should be
disinfected and dried daily 4.59 ± 0.70
The kitchen floor should be kept dry and clean 4.42 ± 0.90
Equipment to keep heat and insects out should be installed 4.32 ± 1.00
Knives and cutting boards should be washed and then either stored in a
Ultraviolet (UV) sanitizer or sanitized using other sanitizing methods 4.30 ± 1.01 0.91
There should be a separate sink with hand soap only for hand-washing in
the kitchen 4.23 ± 1.21
A schedule for cleaning and disinfecting should be made and implemented
according to the timeline 4.23 ± 0.96 Table IV.
There should be someone responsible for keeping the kitchen clean and Levels of sanitation
sanitized 4.19 ± 1.16 practices
A daily record of kitchen cleanliness and sanitation should be maintained 3.88 ± 1.29 among restaurant
Average 4.33 ± 0.77 kitchen staff
 BFJ proper storage of spices and condiments (4.44 ± 0.85) or controlling and managing
117,1 the kitchen (4.26 ± 1.05). Especially, the practice level for handling cooked foods at the
appropriate temperatures showed the lowest score (4.18 ± 1.01) in the cooking process
area. While the practice level for handling fruits and vegetables was given a relatively
high score (4.58 ± 0.75) in this study, it had a somewhat low score in other studies (Han
et al., 2005; Kim et al., 2004; Song, 2006). When raw vegetables or fruits are washed
70 and/or stored in an inappropriate manner at the stages of storage, preparation, or
cooking, microorganisms and/or parasites could remain on the vegetables or fruits and
become a hazard factor of the dishes made from those ingredients. In order to achieve
food safety management at each stage of production, the mindset of dietitians and
kitchen staff who are responsible for preparing meals is of the utmost importance.
Therefore, a periodic training program including the importance of food sanitation and
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case studies showing food safety hazards should be provided. Lee et al. (2001) also
emphasized the importance of the effort to improve kitchen sanitation through
continuous observation by restaurant managers.
In the practice area of equipment and facilities handling, subjects achieved an
average score of (4.31 ± 0.77). Of the nine practice items, relatively low scores were
earned for the items about the sanitation management of knives and cutting boards
(4.30 ± 1.01), the presence of a separate sink for washing hands in the kitchen (4.23 ± 1.21),
the presence of a cleaning and disinfecting schedule (4.23 ± 0.96), and presence of a person
responsible for kitchen sanitation (4.19 ± 1.16). The item about maintaining a daily record
of kitchen cleanliness and sanitation checkups showed the lowest score in this area
(3.88 ± 1.29), which was also the lowest total score in the entire practice evaluation. In the
study by Han et al. (2005), the practice level with respect to sanitation of equipment and
facilities showed the highest score of any area.

3.5 Analysis of sanitation knowledge and practice level according to demographic

characteristics
3.5.1 Sanitation knowledge and demographic characteristics. This study determined
whether there were significant differences in the respondents’ level of sanitation
knowledge according to demographic characteristics (Table V). Noticeable differences
were not found in levels of sanitation knowledge in terms of gender, number of years
worked in the industry, number of years worked at the present workplace, position, or
average monthly income. However, participants under 29 years old had significantly
higher levels of sanitation knowledge than those over 40 years old in the inventory and
storage area as well as the preparation and cooking area (po0.05). Therefore, it seems
that the younger the kitchen staff members are, the higher their levels of sanitation
knowledge in terms of both the inventory and storage area and the preparation and
cooking area; these findings agreed with the results of the previous study (Han et al., 2005).
With respect to educational background, the kitchen staff with technical college
or higher degrees had significantly higher scores with respect to their sanitation
knowledge of the inventory and storage area and the preparation and cooking
area (p o 0.05), meaning that a stronger educational background correlates with high
scores in terms of sanitation knowledge. Han et al. (2005) and Ryu (1999) also showed
similar results in their studies on the sanitation knowledge level of school and industry
foodservice staff.
Employment type was related to subjects’ sanitation knowledge as well. Temporary
workers’ level of sanitation knowledge in terms of inventory and storage was significantly
 Downloaded by Middle East Technical University At 12:22 30 January 2016 (PT)

Knowledge level Practice level

Personal Inventory and Preparation and Personal Inventory and Cooking Equipment and
Category hygiene storage cooking hygiene storage process facilities

Gender Female 3.75 ± 0.61 3.95 ± 0.87 4.46 ± 0.91 4.72 ± 0.40 4.64 ± 0.48 4.53 ± 0.69 4.44 ± 0.74
Male 3.94 ± 0.51 3.90 ± 0.83 4.63 ± 0.75 4.60 ± 0.59 4.63 ± 0.59 4.44 ± 0.62 4.22 ± 0.77
t-value 1.87 −0.32 1.23 −1.45 −0.17 −0.82 −1.7
Age ⩽29 3.96 ± 0.42 4.18 ± 0.72a 4.71 ± 0.59a 4.67 ± 0.47 4.68 ± 0.52 4.56 ± 0.65 4.55 ± 0.66a
30-39 3.84 ± 0.55 3.90 ± 0.81ab 4.64 ± 0.75a 4.60 ± 0.56 4.62 ± 0.54 4.39 ± 0.68 4.08 ± 0.83b
⩾40 3.85 ± 0.61 3.63 ± 0.94b 4.27 ± 1.05b 4.68 ± 0.54 4.59 ± 0.59 4.50 ± 0.62 4.31 ± 0.74ab
F-value 0.64 4.70* 3.70* 0.32 0.32 0.78 4.69*
Education level ⩽High school 3.86 ± 0.61 3.74 ± 0.91 4.44 ± 1.01 4.61 ± 0.56 4.55 ± 0.58 4.38 ± 0.64 4.13 ± 0.78
⩾College 3.87 ± 0.52 4.09 ± 0.75 4.74 ± 0.51 4.68 ± 0.50 4.70 ± 0.52 4.55 ± 0.67 4.44 ± 0.74
t-value −0.08 −2.43* −2.13* −0.78 −1.56 −1.53 −2.30*
Working years in the
restaurant industry o 5 years 3.86 ± 0.54 4.10 ± 0.76 4.60 ± 0.75 4.61 ± 0.53 4.60 ± 0.57 4.47 ± 0.74 4.38 ± 0.80
⩾5years 3.86 ± 0.54 3.86 ± 0.81 4.54 ± 0.85 4.70 ± 0.47 4.68 ± 0.47 4.49 ± 0.55 4.26 ± 0.72
t-value 0.01 1.74 0.43 −1.05 −0.91 −0.21 0.88
Working years at the
present workplace o 1 year 3.89 ± 0.45 3.93 ± 0.77 4.60 ± 0.75 4.55 ± 0.56 4.57 ± 0.59 4.36 ± 0.73 4.25 ± 0.77
⩾1 year 3.89 ± 0.62 3.91 ± 0.95 4.52 ± 0.92 4.73 ± 0.49 4.70 ± 0.53 4.58 ± 0.60 4.38 ± 0.75
t-value 0.03 0.15 0.48 −1.88 −1.26 −1.87 −0.96
Position Chef 3.90 ± 0.59 3.78 ± 0.87 4.47 ± 1.04 4.69 ± 0.48 4.62 ± 0.59 4.50 ± 0.62 4.22 ± 0.78
Cooking staff 3.87 ± 0.49 4.02 ± 0.81 4.69 ± 0.58 4.65 ± 0.52 4.67 ± 0.49 4.47 ± 0.67 4.38 ± 0.76
t-value 0.32 −1.65 −1.34 0.5 −0.5 0.27 −1.17
Monthly income ⩽$1,500 3.85 ± 0.57 4.08 ± 0.81 4.63 ± 0.74 4.69 ± 0.48 4.68 ± 0.50 4.56 ± 0.66 4.51 ± 0.73
⩾$1,500 3.89 ± 0.53 3.84 ± 0.89 4.48 ± 0.91 4.61 ± 0.57 4.62 ± 0.58 4.41 ± 0.64 4.17 ± 0.76
t-value −0.48 1.54 1.02 0.77 0.54 1.24 2.55*
Type of employment Full-time 3.88 ± 0.54 3.82 ± 0.82 4.56 ± 0.84 4.65 ± 0.52 4.63 ± 0.54 4.45 ± 0.66 4.27 ± 0.77
Part-time 3.89 ± 0.57 4.53 ± 0.70 4.74 ± 0.56 4.58 ± 0.59 4.64 ± 0.63 4.56 ± 0.68 4.54 ± 0.77
t-value −0.14 −3.51** −0.89 0.57 −0.01 −0.7 −1.44
Shift length ⩽12 hrs 3.84 ± 0.54 3.96 ± 0.82 4.62 ± 0.77 4.67 ± 0.49 4.67 ± 0.50 4.50 ± 0.65 4.33 ± 0.77
⩽12 hrs 3.96 ± 0.64 3.70 ± 0.93 4.22 ± 1.00 4.53 ± 0.64 4.43 ± 0.70 4.35 ± 0.68 4.21 ± 0.77
t-value 1.36 2.19* −0.9 1.21 1.95* 0.96 0.67
Notes: Mean ± SD; *p o0.05
knowledge

the demographic
Evaluation

respondents
knowledge and
Levels of sanitation
and practices

characteristics of
practice according to
71

Table V.
of sanitation
 BFJ higher than that of permanent workers (po0.05). One possible explanation for this trend
117,1 is that students majoring in foodservice in South Korea often works as temporary
employees at restaurants. The number of hours worked per shift did not influence the
respondents’ sanitation knowledge in the areas of inventory and storage or personal
hygiene, but the kitchen staff members who worked < 12 hours per shift scored
significantly higher in their sanitation knowledge regarding preparation and cooking
72 (po0.05) than those who worked 12 hours per shift or more. This may be caused by the
fact that longer working hours are associated with physical exhaustion and a declining
ability to concentrate.
3.5.2 Sanitation practices and demographic characteristics. The influence of
demographic characteristics on the sanitation practices of kitchen staff is also shown
in Table V. In terms of knowledge in the area of equipment and facilities, the respondents
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showed significant differences with regard to age, educational background, and average
monthly income. Participants who were < 29 years old had a significantly higher level
of sanitation practice than those who were between 30 and 39 years old (po0.05);
also, higher educational background (⩾ high school) and lower income (⩽ $1,500) also
correlated with higher scores for sanitation practice (po0.05). These findings may be
also explained by the fact that the respondents of this study included college students
majoring in foodservice and/or cooking, who (as temporary employees) have high levels
of education and low monthly incomes. McIntyre et al. (2013) also investigate sanitation
knowledge and practices of Canadian food handlers, and the findings reported that the
higher the education level, the higher the knowledge scores were. In the study, increasing
age was associated with improved food safety knowledge in the untrained group. Also,
supervisory status and year of experience improved knowledge score.
In addition, the kitchen staff members who worked <12 hours per shift scored
significantly higher in terms of knowledge in the area of inventory and storage
( po0.05). However, the other demographic characteristics, such as gender, total number
of years in the foodservice industry, number of years at the present workplace, position,
and employment type did not influence the respondents’ level of sanitation practice.
In the study by Han et al. (2005), the level of sanitation practices improved as age
increased. In that study, the sanitation levels at the stages of food production and
equipment and facilities were significantly higher in the group with a bachelor’s degree
than in the group with lower educational attainment.

3.6 Analysis of sanitation knowledge and practice levels according to restaurant

characteristics
3.6.1 Sanitation knowledge and practice levels and restaurant characteristics. This study
determined whether there were significant differences in the level of kitchen workers’
sanitation knowledge according to the characteristics of the restaurants in which they
work (Table VI). In terms of restaurant ownership, sanitation knowledge in the area of
inventory and storage was significantly higher in franchises than in independent
restaurants (p o 0.05). This may be explained by the extensive support that restaurant
franchises receive from their respective headquarters; such support is provided in areas
ranging from contracts to operations and often includes thorough training in sanitation
practices. In terms of cuisine type, workers in Korean restaurants were shown to earn
significantly higher scores for sanitation knowledge regarding preparation and cooking
( po0.05) than workers at restaurants serving other cuisine types. However, geographical
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Knowledge level Practice level

Personal Inventory and Preparation and Personal Inventory and Cooking Equipment and
Category hygiene storage cooking hygiene storage process facilities

Region Seoul 3.86 ± 0.52 3.94 ± 0.89 4.57 ± 0.85 4.75 ± 0.43 4.69 ± 0.52 4.58 ± 0.57 4.39 ± 0.73
Other 3.91 ± 0.55 3.89 ± 0.80 4.53 ± 0.79 4.51 ± 0.60 4.55 ± 0.57 4.31 ± 0.74 4.17 ± 0.80
t-value −0.48 0.31 0.28 2.53* 1.45 2.25* 1.63
Ownership Independent 3.80 ± 0.61 3.87 ± 0.82 4.40 ± 1.25 4.63 ± 0.46 4.61 ± 0.44 4.10 ± 0.73 3.80 ± 0.85
Franchise 3.89 ± 0.42 4.39 ± 0.74 4.79 ± 0.50 4.66 ± 0.46 4.70 ± 0.50 4.61 ± 0.62 4.61 ± 0.64
t-value −0.67 −2.56* −1.56 −0.23 −0.72 −2.87** −4.15**
Cuisine type served in the Korean 3.89 ± 0.55 3.77 ± 0.85 4.40 ± 0.94 4.61 ± 0.55 4.59 ± 0.57 4.41 ± 0.65 4.25 ± 0.77
restaurant Other 3.89 ± 0.51 4.02 ± 0.81 4.70 ± 0.66 4.70 ± 0.50 4.71 ± 0.50 4.59 ± 0.62 4.39 ± 0.74
t-value −0.03 −1.68 −2.13* −0.94 −1.31 −1.6 −1.04
Size o200 seats 3.90 ± 0.43 3.93 ± 0.85 4.54 ± 0.93 4.70 ± 0.48 4.66 ± 0.44 4.51 ± 0.57 4.28 ± 0.75
⩾200 seats 3.84 ± 0.68 3.88 ± 0.76 4.63 ± 0.62 4.63 ± 0.53 4.65 ± 0.59 4.50 ± 0.68 4.38 ± 0.76
t-value 0.51 0.34 −0.66 0.8 0.07 0.14 −0.76
Number of employees o20 3.90 ± 0.53 3.86 ± 0.92 4.51 ± 0.91 4.58 ± 0.63 4.52 ± 0.66 4.39 ± 0.72 4.16 ± 0.83
⩾20 3.87 ± 0.59 3.94 ± 0.74 4.62 ± 0.77 4.71 ± 0.44 4.73 ± 0.39 4.56 ± 0.58 4.42 ± 0.67
t-value 0.35 −0.53 −0.73 −1.35 −2.12* −1.41 −1.84
Number of customers o300/day 3.88 ± 0.53 3.87 ± 0.83 4.46 ± 0.90 4.54 ± 0.59 4.49 ± 0.60 4.35 ± 0.66 4.13 ± 0.77
⩾300/day 3.89 ± 0.59 3.84 ± 0.87 4.68 ± 0.61 4.78 ± 0.45 4.79 ± 0.48 4.62 ± 0.62 4.46 ± 0.73
t-value −0.11 0.17 −1.56 −2.46* −2.99** −2.18* −2.33*
Notes: Mean ± SD; *p o0.05; **p o0.01
knowledge
Evaluation

characteristics
practice according
and practices

to restaurant
knowledge and
Levels of sanitation
73

Table VI.
of sanitation
 BFJ region, restaurant size, number of kitchen staff, and number of customers did not
117,1 influence the sanitation knowledge of the respondents.
3.6.2 Sanitation practices and restaurant characteristics. The influence of restaurant
characteristics on the sanitation practice of the respondents is shown in Table VI.
Workers at the restaurants located in Seoul showed significantly higher scores in the
personal hygiene and inventory and storage areas than workers at restaurants in other
74 provinces (p o 0.05). With respect to restaurant ownership, independently owned
restaurants showed a significantly lower level of sanitation practice than restaurant
franchises in the areas of the cooking process and equipment and facilities (p o 0.05).
The number of employees at a restaurant did not influence the level of sanitation
practice in the areas of personal hygiene, the cooking process, and equipment and
facilities, but the restaurants with fewer than 20 kitchen staff showed a significantly
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lower level of sanitation practice in terms of food ingredient storage than did those with
20 or more kitchen staff (p o 0.05). The kitchen staff who worked in restaurants serving
more than 300 customers per day showed higher sanitation scores than those working
in restaurants serving fewer customers in all evaluated areas, that is, personal hygiene,
inventory and storage, the cooking process, and equipment and facilities (p o 0.05).

4. Conclusions
The purposes of this study were to evaluate the levels of sanitation knowledge and
practice among kitchen staff working in restaurants in South Korea and, ultimately, to
generate recommendations for possible methods to enhance these levels.
The results indicated factors that kitchen staff should consider to enhance the sanitation
practices of their restaurants; approximately half (42.1 percent) of the respondents
answered that kitchen staff members should change their viewpoints about the sanitation,
and 26.4 percent recommended consideration of a sanitation-training program by their
restaurant. However, the respondents were not likely to recommend sanitation training by
an outside institution or the government.
The results of the evaluation of sanitation knowledge showed that the respondents
were well aware of the importance of sanitation during food preparation and cooking
(89.86 percent), whereas they had a relatively lack of personal hygiene. In terms of
sanitation practice, the sanitation levels in the areas of personal hygiene and inventory
and storage had the highest scores. The respondents earned the lowest scores for their
sanitation practices in the area of equipment and facilities.
Regarding demographic characteristics, the younger kitchen staff with a college or
higher degree showed a high level of both sanitation knowledge and practice; overall,
the age and education level of kitchen staff correlate with sanitation knowledge and
practices. Moreover, kitchen staff working <12 hours per shift scored significantly
higher in terms of sanitation knowledge than those who worked more hours per shift.
This may imply that long working hours make kitchen staff physically exhausted and
cause their concentration to decline.
Kitchen staff working in restaurant franchises showed higher levels of both
knowledge and practice than those working in independent restaurants. Region,
restaurant ownership, cuisine type, number of employees, and number of customers all
partially influenced the levels of sanitation knowledge and practice.
The results of this study indicate that the implementation of sanitation training in
restaurants in South Korea has been limited to the transfer of knowledge and has not
resulted in an overall change in sanitation habits. Accordingly, a more diversified
 sanitation-training program should be developed on the basis of the characteristics of Evaluation
kitchen staff members, such as age, education level, employment type, and shift length, of sanitation
as well as restaurant characteristics, such as ownership, region, cuisine type, number
of employees, and number of customers. To improve or maintain the standard of
knowledge
sanitation environmental conditions, it is also particularly important to prevent the and practices
deterioration of sanitation levels due to time pressure and/or a lack of human resources.
In order to achieve this, more efficient time scheduling according to the intensity of 75
work is required, and better training materials on how to properly manage equipment
and facilities are needed in order to accommodate employees of various age groups and
education levels. Also, as kitchen staff members themselves have identified change in
perspectives on sanitation as the most important factor for improving practice levels,
the training should not only transmit information but should rather be developed into a
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method of changing kitchen workers’ attitudes and perceptions. For example, group
training methods or utilizing posters and videos as part of an audiovisual training
program could be introduced. Also, although sanitation training may allow increasing
knowledge of food safety, it does not always lead a positive change in sanitation
practices (Seaman, 2010). Thus, once competency has been adopted in the workplace,
the behavior should be regularly monitored the performance over time.
There are a few limitations in this study. The collecting data were relied on
self-reporting by kitchen staff to investigate their practice level. This way might not
reflect true practices of the kitchen staff in actual workplaces. Furthermore, although
the findings explored problems that mainly involve kitchen staff in food handling
and provide ideas to develop a well-designed sanitation-training program, evaluations
of any specific sanitation training initiative are still required to determine the
effectiveness of training programs. Therefore, future study should adopt a method to
provide an objective insight about practices of the kitchen staff and prevent bias as
confirmation is not taken during the questionnaire completion, such as using the good
manufacturing practices (GMP) checklist and simple Rodac plates. Moreover, it would
be worthwhile that future study focusses on observing whether behavioral changes
in restaurant kitchen staff are positively influenced by sanitation training so that a
before-after test of sanitation training may be needed to test a planned behavior-based
intervention.

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Corresponding author
Dr Wan-soo Hong can be contacted at: wshong@smu.ac.kr

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