title: Should Weights and Risk Categories Be Used for Inspection Scores To Evaluate Food Safety in Restaurants?
abstract: The objective of this study was to verify the characteristics of food safety inspections, considering risk categories and binary scores. A cross-sectional study was performed with 439 restaurants in 43 Brazilian cities. A food safety checklist with 177 items was applied to the food service establishments. These items were classified into four groups (R1 to R4) according to the main factors that can cause outbreaks involving food: R1, time and temperature aspects; R2, direct contamination; R3, water conditions and raw material; and R4, indirect contamination (i.e., structures and buildings). A score adjusted for 100 was calculated for the overall violation score and the violation score for each risk category. The average violation score (standard deviation) was 18.9% (16.0), with an amplitude of 0.0 to 76.7%. Restaurants with a low overall violation score (approximately 20%) presented a high number of violations from the R1 and R2 groups, representing the most risky violations. Practical solutions to minimize this evaluation bias were discussed. Food safety evaluation should use weighted scores and be risk-based. However, some precautions must be taken by researchers, health inspectors, and health surveillance departments to develop an adequate and reliable instrument.
authors.affiliation: GeQual-Study Group of Food Quality, School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, Pedro Zacarias Street, 1300, Limeira, São Paulo, Brazil. diogo.cunha@fca.unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Diogo Thimoteo
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: da Cunha
authors.affiliation: GeQual-Study Group of Food Quality, Biosciences Department, Federal University of São Paulo, Ana Costa Avenue, 95, Vila Mathias, 11010-001, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Veridiana Vera
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: de Rosso
authors.affiliation: GeQual-Study Group of Food Quality, Center of the Development of Higher Education in Health, Federal University of São Paulo, Pedro de Toledo Street, 859, Vila Clementino, 04039-032, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stedefeldt
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005513:Food Inspection / Q000592:standards*; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D012147:Restaurants / Q000592:standards*; D018570:Risk Assessment