Abstract
The number of food establishments selling raw and convenience foods are increasing in Korea, and people enjoy purchasing and eating foods at these shops. However, there are only a few reports on the temperature control of the refrigerators and freezers at retail food shops. This study was performed to investigate the temperature control of refrigerators and freezers in retail food shops in Daegu. The survey was carried out from July 20 to August 30 in 2001. The trained surveyors visited the twenty retail food shops (four department stores, eight marts/supermarkets and eight convenience stores) in the 8 major areas of Daegu and inspected the temperature control of 48 refrigerators for dairy products, fruits & vegetables, and rolled rice & sandwiches, and 52 freezers for ice cream & sherbet, frozen food, and frozen fish. The percentage of the refrigerators, and freezers with unsafe temperatures higher than the recommended safe temperature (10℃ for refrigerators, and -18℃ for freezers) was 42%; 45.8% in refrigerators; 38.5% in freezers. On an average, the bigger the size of the shop, the better than the other freezers. On the other hand, the temperature control of refrigerator for fruits & vegetables was the worst because they were usually open. Actual temperatures in the refrigerators and freezers were found to be significantly higher than the reading on the thermometers attached to the refrigerators and freezers(p<0.05). These results indicate that temperature control of refrigerators and freezers at retail food shops should be monitored several times each day, and should have strict inspection. There should be more detailed legal standard and specification for temperature control of refrigerators and freezers at retail food shops to prevent foodborne illness from unsafely stored food.
