Abstract
The objective of this study was to analyze dietitians' sanitary practices and perceptions of obstacles according to HACCP. Questionnaires were administered to 94 elementary school dietitians in the Gwangju and Jeonnam Regions of South Korea. The data were evaluated by a 5 scale Likert method and statistically analyzed The results of the study are as follows. Each subject was generally characterized as a university graduate 79.8%, with 10 to 15 years experience 37.6%, and in her mid to late thirties 39.4%. We found that direct management was the highest occurring form of food service system 96.8%. With regards to the type of food service operation quantitative service as 60.6%, and partial self-service was 30.9%, 89.4%of all served only lunch. In all, 93.6% of the teams collaborated, while their organic collaboration was 64.9%. When HACCP was applied, sanitary practices scored an average of 4.83, which was significantly higher than 4.62 when HACCP was not applied. The dietitians' perception of sanitary practices was as very high 4.75 of 5. Sanitation, in regards to food management, scored 4.89 among the detailed items. This proves that in relation to food management, sanitation is considered most important. When HACCP was not applied, the perception of obstacles was, on an average, 3.07, which was higher than 2.74 when HACCP was applied. The results for the detailed items, which focused on sanitary practices and different perceptions of obstacles according to HACCP, were as follows. When HACCP was applied, a high mean of 3.32 occurred for facilities and utilities shortages followed by degree of cooperation at 3.22, and then monitoring at 3.01. The item that dietitians viewed as the biggest obstacle was lack of departmental budget support (M=3.46). Other serious obstacles were facilities, facility sanitation, and utility shortages (M=3.38), as well as the aappropriateness of machines and cooking utensils and arrangements in the dining room (M=3.28). Stepwise multiple regression was used to better understand how much these perceptions of obstacles would influence sanitary practices when HACCP was applied. The item analysis of the HACCP obstacles proved that persons involved in food service, except the food service employees, didn't cooperate enough with their food service employees. As a result, this lack of cooperation had a negative effect on sanitary practices. Accordingly, it is necessary to determine the causes of for lack of cooperation and attract the active attention of those involved.