Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 38 in total

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  1. Papargyropoulou E, Wright N, Lozano R, Steinberger J, Padfield R, Ujang Z
    Waste Manag, 2016 Mar;49:326-336.
    PMID: 26803473 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2016.01.017
    Food waste has significant detrimental economic, environmental and social impacts. The magnitude and complexity of the global food waste problem has brought it to the forefront of the environmental agenda; however, there has been little research on the patterns and drivers of food waste generation, especially outside the household. This is partially due to weaknesses in the methodological approaches used to understand such a complex problem. This paper proposes a novel conceptual framework to identify and explain the patterns and drivers of food waste generation in the hospitality sector, with the aim of identifying food waste prevention measures. This conceptual framework integrates data collection and analysis methods from ethnography and grounded theory, complemented with concepts and tools from industrial ecology for the analysis of quantitative data. A case study of food waste generation at a hotel restaurant in Malaysia is used as an example to illustrate how this conceptual framework can be applied. The conceptual framework links the biophysical and economic flows of food provisioning and waste generation, with the social and cultural practices associated with food preparation and consumption. The case study demonstrates that food waste is intrinsically linked to the way we provision and consume food, the material and socio-cultural context of food consumption and food waste generation. Food provisioning, food consumption and food waste generation should be studied together in order to fully understand how, where and most importantly why food waste is generated. This understanding will then enable to draw detailed, case specific food waste prevention plans addressing the material and socio-economic aspects of food waste generation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants*
  2. Khor, Poh Yen, Norshidah Harun, Fazreenizam Ishak, Nur Aimy Iryany Mohd Anuar, Noraini Abdul Karim, Aqirah Azman, et al.
    Int J Public Health Res, 2012;2(1):80-84.
    MyJurnal
    Accepted 13 January 2012.
    Introduction The purpose of this study is to explore the reasons of Shisha smoking among teenagers in Ipoh, Perak.
    Methods Data was collected using in-depth face to face interview. Purposive convenient sampling was used to select volunteer respondents from one of the Shisha restaurant located at Ipoh. The interviews were conducted for 15-20 minutes, recorded using video tape. The data obtained was transcribed and coded for the purpose of thematic analysis.
    Results All respondents were influenced by peers in their first attempt in Shisha smoking. Other reasons attracting them to continue smoking Shisha include appealing smell and the flavoured taste of Shisha, easy to access, perceived that Shisha was not addictive and its’ cheaper price. In terms of perception on health risk, all respondents believed that Shisha was less harmful compared to cigarette smoking.
    Conclusions More educational programme, health talk about risk of Shisha should be developed and conducted to rectify the misconception about health risk of Shisha smoking. The target population should be focus on male teenagers who smoke Shisha in order to control the widespread Shisha smoking in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  3. Tey, Y.S., Brindal, M., Fatimah, M.A., Kusairi, M.N., Ahmad Hanis, I.A.H., Suryani, D.
    MyJurnal
    In competitive markets, agribusiness firms have embarked on improving their service quality for building and maintaining a profitable relationship with their customers. However, such impact of service quality on business commitment has not been empirically investigated. To fill this gap, this study explores the relationship between service quality and commitment, using a case of supplier selection of fresh produce by hotel, restaurant, and catering (HORECA) sector in Malaysia. Using SERVQUAL as the main component of the conceptual framework, the relevant information was collected from 195 random HORECA operators and analyzed using partial least squares. The results indicate that service quality explains little of HORECA’s decision to stay with their current suppliers. While most service quality factors were insignificant, “responsiveness” in term of providing delivery service had a statistically significant positive impact on HORECA’s contractual arrangement with their current suppliers. These findings imply that quality service is being seen as a supplement; economic factors (e.g., prices and their stability, credit term) are likely to be the key drivers affecting buyer-seller relationships. If suppliers want to stay on course, they have to improve their service quality and focus more on delivery service. In addition, more research is needed in this relatively new area.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  4. Yusoff FA, Rahman RA, May LH, Budart SB, Sulaiman LH
    Western Pac Surveill Response J, 2015 May 27;6(2):27-31.
    PMID: 26306213 DOI: 10.5365/WPSAR.2015.6.1.012
    In September 2012, 10 cases suspected to be hepatitis A were notified to the Manjung District Health Department. An investigation was conducted to identify the possible mode of transmission, source of the outbreak and to recommend prevention and control measures.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants/standards
  5. Siti Farah Alwani Mohd Nawi, Zaini Mohd Zain, Muhammad Zarif Zahari, Anis Amalina Abdul Hamid, Nur Fakhriah Ahmad Afandi, Siti Nur Fathihah Azmi
    Serving raw oysters with lemon juice is a delicacy in many restaurants in
    Malaysia. Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) live in the seacoast and they share the same
    environment as Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Consumption of raw oysters contaminated with V.
    parahaemolyticus can lead to severe gastroenteritis. A study was performed to determine
    whether lemon (Citrus limon) juice is able to inhibit the growth of V. parahaemolyticus after
    being inoculated in raw oysters. Methods: Frozen oysters bought from a local supplier
    weighing 6 g each were minced and placed in two bottles using sterile technique.
    Approximately 1 ml of 107 CFU of V. parahaemolyticus (ATCC strain 17802) was added and
    mixed in both bottles. The mixture was treated with 1 ml of lemon juice in only one of the
    bottles and the other bottle served as a control. At every 30 s intervals for 2 min, 1 g of the
    sample was taken for enumeration of viable cells onto thiosulphate citrate bile salt sucrose
    (TCBS). Results: After 30 s of treatment with the lemon juice, it was observed that the
    number of colonies in the treated samples reduced from 7 Log to 3 Log. Subsequently, no
    viable V. parahaemolyticus was seen. It was also observed that there were 3 Log reductions
    of V. parahaemolyticus after 30 s in untreated samples, however the number of colonies
    remained stable until the end of the experiment. Conclusion: This study therefore shows
    that lemon juice has some antimicrobial effect on V. parahaemolyticus in raw oysters.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  6. Siti Farah Alwani Mohd Nawi, Zaini Mohd Zain, Muhammad Zarif Zahari, Anis Amalina Abdul Hamid, Nur Fakhriah Ahmad Afandi, Siti Nur Fathihah Azmi
    MyJurnal
    Serving raw oysters with lemon juice is a delicacy in many restaurants in
    Malaysia. Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) live in the seacoast and they share the same
    environment as Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Consumption of raw oysters contaminated with V.
    parahaemolyticus can lead to severe gastroenteritis. A study was performed to determine
    whether lemon (Citrus limon) juice is able to inhibit the growth of V. parahaemolyticus after
    being inoculated in raw oysters. Methods: Frozen oysters bought from a local supplier
    weighing 6 g each were minced and placed in two bottles using sterile technique.
    Approximately 1 ml of 107 CFU of V. parahaemolyticus (ATCC strain 17802) was added and
    mixed in both bottles. The mixture was treated with 1 ml of lemon juice in only one of the
    bottles and the other bottle served as a control. At every 30 s intervals for 2 min, 1 g of the
    sample was taken for enumeration of viable cells onto thiosulphate citrate bile salt sucrose
    (TCBS). Results: After 30 s of treatment with the lemon juice, it was observed that the
    number of colonies in the treated samples reduced from 7 Log to 3 Log. Subsequently, no
    viable V. parahaemolyticus was seen. It was also observed that there were 3 Log reductions
    of V. parahaemolyticus after 30 s in untreated samples, however the number of colonies
    remained stable until the end of the experiment. Conclusion: This study therefore shows
    that lemon juice has some antimicrobial effect on V. parahaemolyticus in raw oysters.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  7. Lim SY, Harun UB, Gobil AR, Mustafa NA, Zahid NA, Amin-Nordin S, et al.
    PLoS One, 2021;16(9):e0256896.
    PMID: 34469489 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256896
    Determining the level of customer satisfaction in cleanliness regarding a product or service is a significant aspect of businesses. However, the availability of feedback tools for consumers to evaluate the cleanliness of a restaurant is a crucial issue as several aspects of cleanliness need to be evaluated collectively. To overcome this issue, this study designed a survey instrument based on the standard form used for grading the food premises and transformed it into a seven Likert scale questionnaire and consists of seven questions. This study employed fuzzy conjoint analysis to measure the level of satisfaction in cleanliness in food premises. This pilot study recruited 30 students in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Seremban 3. The student's perception was represented by the scores calculated based on their degree of similarities and corresponding levels of satisfaction, whereby, only scores with the highest degree of similarity were selected. Furthermore, this study identified the aspects of hygiene that assessed based on the customers' satisfaction upon visiting the premises. The results indicated that the fuzzy conjoint analysis produced a similar outcome as the statistical mean, thus, was useful for the evaluation of customer satisfaction on the cleanliness of food premises.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants/statistics & numerical data
  8. Abdul-Mutalib, N.A., Syafinaz, A.N., Sakai, K., Shirai, Y.
    MyJurnal
    Foodborne disease has been associated with microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. Most commonly, the outbreaks take place due to the ingestion of pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella Typhi, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholera, Campylobacter jejuni, and Listeria monocytogenes. The disease usually happens as a result of toxin secretion of the microorganisms in the intestinal tract of the infected person. Usually, the level of hygiene in the food premises reflect the quality of the food item, hence restaurant or stall with poor sanitary condition is said to be the contributor to food poisoning outbreak. In Malaysia, food poisoning cases are not rare because the hot and humid climate of this country is very suitable for the growth of the foodborne bacteria. The government is also implementing strict rules to ensure workers and owners of food premises prioritize the cleanliness of their working area. Training programme for food handlers can also help them to implement hygiene as a routine in a daily basis. A lot of studies have been done to reduce foodborne diseases. The results can give information about the types of microorganisms, and other components that affect their growth. The result is crucial to determine how the spread of foodborne bacteria can be controlled safely and the outbreak can be reduced.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  9. Abdul-Mutalib NA, Amin Nordin S, Osman M, Ishida N, Tashiro K, Sakai K, et al.
    Int J Food Microbiol, 2015 May 4;200:57-65.
    PMID: 25679309 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2015.01.022
    This study adopts the pyrosequencing technique to identify bacteria present on 26 kitchen cutting boards collected from different grades of food premises around Seri Kembangan, a city in Malaysia. Pyrosequencing generated 452,401 of total reads of OTUs with an average of 1.4×10(7) bacterial cells/cm(2). Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroides were identified as the most abundant phyla in the samples. Taxonomic richness was generally high with >1000 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) observed across all samples. The highest appearance frequencies (100%) were OTUs closely related to Enterobacter sp., Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas sp. and Pseudomonas putida. Several OTUs were identified most closely related to known food-borne pathogens, including Bacillus cereus, Cronobacter sakazaki, Cronobacter turisensis, Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Hafnia alvei, Kurthia gibsonii, Salmonella bongori, Salmonella enterica, Salmonella paratyphi, Salmonella tyhpi, Salmonella typhimurium and Yersinia enterocolitica ranging from 0.005% to 0.68% relative abundance. The condition and grade of the food premises on a three point cleanliness scale did not correlate with the bacterial abundance and type. Regardless of the status and grades, all food premises have the same likelihood to introduce food-borne bacteria from cutting boards to their foods and must always prioritize the correct food handling procedure in order to avoid unwanted outbreak of food-borne illnesses.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants/standards*
  10. Sha'ari NSM, Sazali US, Zolkipli AT, Vargas RQ, Shafie FA
    Environ Monit Assess, 2023 Jan 31;195(2):346.
    PMID: 36717515 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-10937-z
    Food waste has been considered a global problem due to its adverse impacts on food security, the environment, and the economy; hence needs urgent attention and action. Its generation is expected to increase as the world population grows rapidly, leading to more global waste. This study sought the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on the 1-week operation of selected casual dining restaurants in urban (Ampang, Kuala Lumpur) and suburban areas (Kota Bharu, Kelantan and Jasin, Melaka) of Peninsular Malaysia, as the local community adjusted to life with COVID-19. The food waste in this study was classified into three categories: preparation loss, serving loss, and customer's plate waste. Our material flow analysis revealed that the highest food loss at these locations came from preparation loss (51.37%), followed by serving loss (30.95%), and preparation loss (17.8%). Meanwhile, the total average electricity consumption and its carbon footprint for Ampang were 127 kWh and 13.87 kgCO2e, Kota Bharu 269.8 kWh and 29.47 kgCO2e, and Jasin 142.2 kWh and 15.54 kgCO2e, respectively. As for water, Ampang exhibited 22.93 m3 total average consumption and 7.91 kgCO2e greenhouse emissions from this source, Jasin consuming 17.11 m3 of water and releasing 5.88 kgCO2e of carbon footprint, while Kota Bharu emitted 20.21 kgCO2e of greenhouse gases from its 58.71 m3 water consumption. Our findings indicate a major 'food leak' at the preparation stage, from which the waste could be utilised as livestock feed, and that electricity consumption is a greater carbon emitter than water consumption, suggesting a need for improvement to the kitchen practices and equipment.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  11. Arfa R, Yusof R, Shabanzadeh P
    PeerJ Comput Sci, 2019;5:e206.
    PMID: 33816859 DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.206
    Trajectory clustering and path modelling are two core tasks in intelligent transport systems with a wide range of applications, from modeling drivers' behavior to traffic monitoring of road intersections. Traditional trajectory analysis considers them as separate tasks, where the system first clusters the trajectories into a known number of clusters and then the path taken in each cluster is modelled. However, such a hierarchy does not allow the knowledge of the path model to be used to improve the performance of trajectory clustering. Based on the distance dependent Chinese restaurant process (DDCRP), a trajectory analysis system that simultaneously performs trajectory clustering and path modelling was proposed. Unlike most traditional approaches where the number of clusters should be known, the proposed method decides the number of clusters automatically. The proposed algorithm was tested on two publicly available trajectory datasets, and the experimental results recorded better performance and considerable improvement in both datasets for the task of trajectory clustering compared to traditional approaches. The study proved that the proposed method is an appropriate candidate to be used for trajectory clustering and path modelling.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  12. Lee J, Lim S, Lee K, Guo X, Kamath R, Yamato H, et al.
    Int J Hyg Environ Health, 2010 Sep;213(5):348-51.
    PMID: 20542729 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2010.05.007
    Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is a major threat to public health. Asian countries having the highest smoking prevalence are seriously affected by SHS. The objective of the study was to measure SHS levels in hospitality venues in seven Asian countries and to compare the SHS exposure to the levels in Western countries. The study was carried out in four types of related hospitality venues (restaurant, café, bar/club and entertainment) in China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Real-time measurement of particulate matter of <2.5microm aerodynamic diameter (PM(2.5)) was made during business hour using a handheld laser operated monitor. A total of 168 venues were measured in seven countries. The average indoor PM(2.5) level was 137microg/m(3), ranging from 46microg/m(3) in Malaysia to 207microg/m(3) in India. Bar/club had the highest PM(2.5) level of 191microg/m(3) and restaurants had the lowest PM(2.5) level of 92microg/m(3). The average indoor PM(2.5) level in smoking venues was 156micro/m(3), which was 3.6 times higher than non-smoking venues (43microg/m(3)). Indoor PM(2.5) levels were significantly associated with country, type of venue, smoking density and air exchange rate (p<0.05). In the seven Asian countries, PM(2.5) levels were high due to SHS in public places. The current levels are comparable to the levels in Western countries before the adoption of smoke-free policy. Since Asian country has high prevalence of SHS in public places, there is an urgent need for comprehensive smoke-free regulation in Asian countries.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants/statistics & numerical data
  13. CHAI SIAW YEW, CHAI SZE FAN, LESLEY MAURICE BILUNG, AHMAD SYATIR TAHAR, ROSDI KIRA
    MyJurnal
    Listeria spp. and Salmonella spp. are capable of causing food-borne outbreaks and diseases in humans. This study aimed to quantify and detect the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium in fruit juices by utilizing Most Probable Number (MPN) in combination with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). In this study, a total of 50 fruit juice samples, consisting of orange, papaya, watermelon, honeydew and apple were collected from Kota Samarahan and Kuching. Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay targeting the virulence gene, hlyA gene in L. monocytogenes and fliC gene in S. Typhimurium was performed, with the expected size of 730 bp and 559 bp, respectively. MPN analysis showed that the estimated microbial loads of Listeria spp. and Salmonella spp. in all samples were more than 1100 MPN/g. However, based on the PCR analysis, none of the samples (0%) were positive for L. monocytogenes or S. Typhimurium. This study presented as a preliminary food safety screening for the occurrence of Listeria spp. and Salmonella spp. from retailed fruit juices. Hygienic practices and food safety measures should be adhered by all food vendors and restaurants in order to avoid foodborne disease outbreaks in the future.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  14. Yun TC, Ahmad SR, Quee DKS
    Malays J Med Sci, 2018 May;25(3):56-66.
    PMID: 30899187 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2018.25.3.6
    Background: Young adults are at risk of developing obesity, especially when transitioning into university life as they become responsible for their daily eating and lifestyles. This study estimates the prevalence of overweight/obesity and explores the eating patterns and lifestyle practices of university students.

    Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD). A total of 303 students participated. Data was collected from January to April 2016. Self-designed questionnaires comprised questions pertaining to current weight, self-reported height data, information on eating habits, exercise and knowledge of the food pyramid. The collected data were used to compare and contrast eating habits and lifestyle practices among overweight/obese students with those of non-overweight/obese students.

    Results: The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 28.8% (95% CI: 24.0%, 34.0%). The majority ate regular daily meals, but more than half skipped breakfast. Frequent snacking, fried food consumption at least three times per week and low intake of daily fruits and vegetables were common. The frequency of visits to fast food restaurants was significantly higher in the overweight/obese. 25.4% of the students exercised at least three times per week. Almost all students are aware of balanced nutrition and the food pyramid.

    Conclusions: Most university students had poor eating habits, although the majority had good nutrition knowledge. By way of recommendation, the university is encouraged to provide a multi-disciplinary team specialising in health promotion that includes nutrition and physical activity programmes to increase the awareness among the university students.

    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  15. Delvarani, S., Ghazali, H., Othman, M.
    MyJurnal
    Menu labeling is an attempt to educate consumers about the nutrition value of the foods. The importance of using menu labeling has been highlighted in many studies in the past. Although public health programs are educating public on obesity but still this phenomenon is a serious problem in Malaysia. This study identified factors that influence intention to use menu labeling among fast food consumers in Malaysia. The research was conducted among 395 adults in Klang Valley. Respondents completed a self-administrative questionnaire which was adapted from previous studies. Results revealed that attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control had statistically significant positive association with intention and each was significant predictors of intention to use menu labeling and together explained 41% of its variance. The most effective factor was attitude, followed by subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. The outcomes of this study suggested that nutritional knowledge of consumers does not have effect on consumer’s intention to use menu labeling; therefore nutritional knowledge of fast food consumers must be improved. Fast food restaurants have to put more effort on encouraging customers to use menu labeling by making the label more accessible and in a user friendly format.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  16. Odeyemi, Olumide Adedokun
    Int J Public Health Res, 2013;3(1):214-222.
    MyJurnal
    Influx of foreign students in Malaysia calls for a study on safety of food in Malaysia restaurants as perceived by them. This study aims to investigate perception of foreign students regarding food safety and personal hygiene practice of food handlers in Malaysia restaurants. A six sections Likert scale questionnaire was used. A total of 350 questionnaires were distributed during this study between March 2011 and March 2012 to the international students from 26 countries of the world in various public and private institutions of higher learning in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Among the distributed questionnaires, only 155 were correctly filled, retrieved and analyzed. Ninety-one respondents (59%) were male while 63 (41%) were females. A total of 107 (69%) were undergraduates and 29 (19%) were postgraduate students. One hundred and thirty-nine (90%) respondents were local or foreign restaurants. Eleven respondents (7%) did not patronize any of the restaurants. Among factors influencing choice of restaurants are closeness to residence, price of food and quality of food were the most important factors 62 (38%). Twenty-seven (28%) eat in restaurants because of the similarity of the food to that of their home country. Of the most preferred food, Nasi ayam, 89 (57%) top the list, next was Nasi goreng ayam, 14 (14%) and African food, 23 (15%). Nasi lemak was the least food preferred 3 (2%). A total of 104 (67%) respondents were of the opinion that handlers kept short nails, 91 (59%) do not pick nose, 108 (55%) stated that food handlers cough or sneeze while handling food. Ninety-eight respondents (64%) also stated that serving of food with unprotected hands were observed. The result of this study showed that although food handlers are aware of the need for personal hygiene, more awareness needs to be created.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  17. Mohd Sulaimi Bin Mohd Sani, Muhammad Syamil Bin Abd Halek, Nur Hanifa Binti Haji Zainul
    MyJurnal
    Since 20th century, the Korean wave has been a phenomenon globally and it has also spread through Malaysia in terms of culture, music, fashion and also food. Study shows that Malaysian is attracted towards Korean cuisine which increases the demand of Korean cuisine. As result, numerous of new business opportunities have raised. Sopoong, IOI City Mall, Putrajaya is one of the top and thriving Korean cuisine restaurant with more than five branches all over Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley area. The aims of this study are to help the food establishment to improve their service quality and subsequently increase the customer satisfaction, and also could help any other organizations that are interrelated to this research. This research is also purposely to determine the relationship of service quality with customer satisfaction focused at Sopoong, IOI City Mall, Putrajaya. The researchers used the service quality dimension (SERVQUAL) such as tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy to find the relationship with customer satisfaction as the main idea. This study is a quantitative study conducted to tracks the seasonal trends or phenomena related to the issue. For this research, survey questionnaire was used as data collection method and three hundred and one (301) questionnaires were distributed to respondent at Sopoong, IOI City Mall, Putrajaya. The data collected are analysed by using descriptive and correlation analysis by using IBM-SPSS software. The findings of this study show that the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction is available.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  18. Vijayakumaran, R.K., Nur Amalina, S.
    Food Research, 2018;2(3):228-233.
    MyJurnal
    This study was carried out to determine the influences of providing nutrition information
    on fast food restaurant menus, especially among Malaysian undergraduates, who often eat
    outside the campus during the semester. A validated questionnaire, adapted from previous
    studies was used to determine the general perception of nutrition information and nutrient
    intake when eating at fast food restaurants. A total of 185 undergraduates from three
    different schools participated - medical sciences (n=54, 29.2%), dentistry, (n=54, 29.2%),
    health sciences (n= 77, 41.6%) in a university. In general, the majority of the
    undergraduates ate fast food at least once a week (n= 105, 56.8%) and most of them
    preferred to eat outside on weekends (n=156, 84.3%). Majority perceived that it was
    important to provide nutrition information at fast food restaurant (n=183, 98.9%). The
    mean for calorie, fat and sodium composition of their food choices were significantly
    different between before and after providing nutrition information of food items that they
    intended to purchase (p
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  19. Naili Nahar, Nor Ainy Mahyudin
    Sains Malaysiana, 2018;47:1541-1545.
    Food borne diseases increase worldwide and contamination of food contact surfaces serves as one of the reasons for their occurrence. The aim of this study was to determine the microbiological quality of spoons at selected restaurants in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Five restaurants were selected therein for the study. They were respectively labelled A, B, C, D and E. A total of 150 cleaned spoons (30 spoons from each restaurants) that were ready to be used by customers at the restaurants were examined. Total plate counts (CFU/cm2) of the spoons were determined; the presumptive and confirmatory tests for the presence of Escherichia coli on the spoons were also conducted. The samples were collected by surface swabbing. The result showed that restaurant C and B had the highest and lowest total plate counts (TPC), respectively. Samples from 3 of the 5 selected restaurants (restaurants C, D and E) showed positive results for the presence of E. coli mainly due to poor dishware cleansing. On the contrary, negative results for the presence of E. coli at restaurant A and B were associated with the advance cleaning procedure, which used more hygienic method with dishwashers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
  20. Ng, Tony Kock Wai
    MyJurnal
    A review of the literature indicates that food scientists and health authorities in several countries, especially member countries of the European Union, are still very concerned about the potential health hazards of oxidized products and lipid polymers formed in repeatedly-used deep frying oils. During the frying process at temperatures of 170° – 200°C, steam formed from moisture in the food being fried help volatile products rise to the surface of the frying medium and into the kitchen atmosphere, imparting a mixture of fried-flavours and off-flavours. The non-volatile compounds formed, however, gradually build up in the oil as it is being repeatedly-used for food frying operations. These non-volatiles, primarily “polar compounds” (PC) and to a lesser extent lipid polymers, get absorbed into fried foods and eventually end up in our body system. Available local data suggests that deep-frying oil samples obtained from food hawkers and those produced under simulated deep-frying conditions in the laboratory, are generally safe as they contain PC within safe limits and rarely exceed the upper limit (UL) of 25%. This contrasts with the situation in some European countries where a very high proportion of frying oil samples collected from fast-food restaurants were reported to contain PC exceeding this UL. Appropriately, promotion of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification and gazetting of food regulations to limit the PC content in frying oils have been introduced in these countries to protect the health of consumers. Meanwhile, simple gadgets/test kits are available commercially to monitor the quality of the frying oil. This would greatly assist kitchen supervisors at restaurants and franchised friedfood outlets to know when best to change a batch of frying oil before the ULs of frying oil quality are breached.
    Matched MeSH terms: Restaurants
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