Assessing the Challenges of Food Storage and Preservation in Catering and Hospitality Industry: A Case Study of Royal Cosy Hill Hotel, Jirapa in the Upper West Region of Ghana
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:
The aim of this research seeks to evaluate challenges of food storage and preservation with particular reference to the Royal Cosy Hill Hotel at Jirapa in the Upper West Region of Ghana and specifically;
- Access the different types of food additives used by Royal Cosy Hill Hotel.
- Outline how these food additives are been used with particular reference to Royal Cosy Hill Hotel.
- State the benefits that sellers acquire about the use of some of these food additives and the opposing challenges they face.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
This chapter reviews literature related to the research under the following heading
Concept, classification, advantages and disadvantages of the use of food additives food adulteration by the use of food additives safety of food and how additives are regulated.
Concepts of Additives
Additives as observed by Cameron and Fox (1990) are chemicals that are added to food to improve it in some way. They further said that as time goes by we are eating more and more convenience foods and that means that we are eating more and more additives.
It must be noted that the increasing number of additives being used is a cause for alarm. It is therefore important to emphasize that the use of additives is most carefully controlled. This assertion is not different from what have been stated at the international level. Cameron and Fox (1990). The food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in America severely restricts the use of food additives.
Mehas and Rodgers (1981) also explained additives as substances added to food during production, processing, storage or packaging. They added that additives are purposely added for specific functions.
According to Mehas and Rodgers (1994), and Madden (1998) viewed food additives as substance added to food intentionally to improve appearance, flavour, texture, and nutritional value or storage properties. They added that, it is almost impossible to go a day without eating a food that contains additives. Legally, the term refers to “any substance that’s intended use results may reasonably be expected to result directly or indirectly in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any food. Mehas and Rodgers (1994). This definition includes any substance used in the production, processing, treatment, packaging, transportation or storage of food.
If a substance is added to a food for a specific purpose, it is refer red to as direct additives. For example the low-calorie sweetener aspartame, which is used in chewing gum, is considered as direct additive. Indirect food additives are those that become part of the food in trace amount due to its packaging, storage and other handling. For example the minute amount of packaging material that gets into food unintentionally.
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Classification and Uses of Additives
Madden (1980) classified additives into five groups. These are colouring, flavourings, preservatives, nutritional additives and improvers/physical conditioning additives. She continued by saying that each of the classification stated could be either natural or synthetic.
Kinston and Ceserani (2002) also classified additives into twelve groups. They are preservatives, colouring agent, flavouring agent, sweetening, emulsifying agent, anti oxidants, flour improvers, thickeners, humectants, polyphosphate and nutrient miscellaneous example anti caking agents.
The classifications of these two authors are not different from Mehas and Rodgers (1994). They also classified additives, according to their use into seven groups. They are: preservatives, anti oxidants, stabilizers, buffers, odours, flavours and sweeteners.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter presents the research methodology used to carry out the study. It deals with the research methodology and the research design, the population and sample, as well as the instrument used, and the procedure for data collection and data analysis.
Research Design
In this research, descriptive design was used. This is because of the benefits associated with it. It tried to ask questions and upon the answers given, the researchers use it to analyze the case under study. Moreover, qualitative and quantitative approaches were adopted for the study. The quantitative procedures were used to analyze numerical values while the qualitative approach was focus on an in-depth interpretation and analysis of response which were given by the respondents.
Population
According to Rubin and Babbie (2002), a study population is that aggregate of elements from which the sample was actually selected. Bowerman and O’Connell (2007) also said population is a set of unit under consideration and can be people, objects or events. The study targeted specific departments of the organization which includes: internal and external customers with a target population of one-hundred and five (105) people. The choices of selection were mainly due to their customer satisfaction as far as challenges of food storage and preservation by food vendors is concerned.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF FIELD DATA
Introduction
This chapter discusses in details the presentation of the analysis of field data collected from respondents and secondary data collected from the Cookery Department, Finance, Marketing, Information Technology (IT) Department of Royal Cosy Hill, Jirapa in line with the topic Assessing Challenges of food storage and preservations by Food Vendors.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
This study began with a set of objectives and review of literature. Data was collected using both primary and secondary data. The data was analyzed to arrive at findings.
The chapter outlines the summary of findings followed by conclusions of the study. It further gives recommendations to improve upon the topic “Assessing challenges of food storage and preservation by food vendors”, of Royal Cosy Hill, Jirapa.
Summary
The summary set out to assess challenges of food storage and preservation by food vendors”, of Royal Cosy Hill, Jirapa.
The following findings were made through the responds to the survey questionnaires, observations and the focused group discussion (interview).
- The first question asked in this study was: for respondents to tick against under listed additives frequently used in most of the local dishes. According to the research findings, it is apparent to be inferred from the analysis of the respondents that, garlic has been the most frequent used of ingredient with nutmeg and food colour been the least among all the ingredients.
- It was also found out the use of food additives by Royal Cosy Hill have a positive impact on consumers, however, it could equally have a negative impact on the market. Customers basically took these ingredients into consideration before they decided on how much impact this additives may have.
- The study also sought to find out times in which additives are added during cooking. According to the findings, with exception of the staff of Royal Cosy Hill at Jirapa. It came out by the majority of the respondents that, additives are added to the food during cooking with the least response of, additives been added when the food is almost cooked.
- It was also discovered that most of the customers interviewed for the study on how they do apply these additives to the food, a high percentage of the respondents agreed on by direct input whiles by mixing it yielded as the least way of application of food additives.
- To add up to the above, it was found out from the study that, additives are added in food in smaller quantities.
- The research also came out with the fact that, types of food which additives are added to frequently were stew.
- The findings also revealed that the use of additives adds extra cost to the food prepared.
- In addition, food additives add much value and taste to food prepared by Royal Cosy Hill.
- The study has also shown that the use of food additives have a positive impact to revenue generation by restaurants in the country including Royal Cosy Hill, Jirapa.
- Moreover, majority of the respondents agreed that food additives should be encouraged on the basis of food additives making food to look more nutritious or improve freshness. The use of preservatives slow product spoilage caused by mold, air, bacteria, fungi or yeast. In addition to maintaining the quality of the food, they help control contamination that can cause food borne illness, including life-threatening botulism. One group of preservatives antioxidants; prevents fats and oils and the foods containing them from becoming rancid or developing an off-flavor. They also prevent cut fresh fruits such as apples from turning brown when exposed to air.
- In contrast, food additives such as minerals and Vitamins are added to many foods to make foods to make up for those lacking in a persons diet or lost in processing, or to enhance the nutritional quality of a food. Such fortification and enrichment has helped reduce malnutrition in Ghana and worldwide.
Conclusions
From the analysis of the findings, the type of food additives used by Royal Cosy Hill, Jirapa varies from one type to the other. Among these additives are;
- garlic
- curry powder
- nutmeg
- salted fish/momoni
- prekese
- preservatives
- food colour
- flavors and spices
- dawadawa
As a matter of how these additives are used, it could be inferred from the analysis of the respondents that, additives are added in smaller quantities when preparing foods with particular reference to Royal Cosy Hill, Jirapa. The manner in which additives were added unto the food was through direct input. The findings further brought into light the benefit additives bring to these vendors. Among the benefits were; additives adds value and taste to the food which makes it more demanding by most customers at Royal Cosy Hill, Jirapa.
Moreover additives have a positive impact to revenue generation to the socio-economic development through the taxes charged or imposed by the government to these food vendors. However, the opposite side for using additives in food preparation was related to the extra cost it adds to final food production with particular reference to Royal Cosy Hill, Jirapa.
Furthermore, the findings also showed there was an indication by the responses given by the majority of customers at Royal Cosy Hill had a fore-knowledge of the use of food additives and the impact it has on our economic value.
To add up to the above, Spices, natural and artificial flavors, and sweeteners are added to enhance the taste of food. Food colors maintain or improve appearance. Emulsifiers, stabilizers and thickeners give foods the texture and consistency consumers expect.
And also, leavening agents allow baked goods to rise during baking. Some additives help control the acidity and alkalinity of foods like groundnut soup, dawadawa soup, and palm soup, while other ingredients help maintain the taste and appeal of foods with reduced fat content.
In conclusion, it was evident from the analysis by the respondent that a food additive adds much value and taste to food prepared by Royal Cosy Hill. However, the positive impact food additives have on economic productivity is very alarming.
Recommendations
This seeks to address issues which have come up in the survey. They are propositions been brought up as means to improve the circumstances. Based on the discussion of the results and conclusions drawn from the study, the following recommendations are worth considering:
Firstly, food additives used by Royal Cosy Hill should comply with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) Ghana and Food and drugs Administration (FDA-US) to ensure that the health conditions of customers are safeguarded.
Secondly, the application of food additives by food vendors at Royal Cosy Hill must be accurate to suit the demand of both local and foreign customers. This will in future strengthen the tourism sector which will constitute a lot to revenue generation to socio-economic development.
Perhaps, food vendors must be able to let their customers be aware of the types of additives added to the food items they purchased in order to minimize the health complications by customers in general.
In addition, it is recommended that, the notion as to additives been a defective ingredient added to foods purchased by consumers, must be well ascertained and be clarified with a qualitative fact in order to boost the food, hotel industry and the tourism sector in Ghana.
To add up the above, it is recommended for the government to sponsor the hotel and food industries, for them to be able to meet the requisite needs and demands of customers for the services these vendors provide.
In conclusion, if new evidence suggests that a product already in use may be unsafe for human consumption, or if consumption levels have changed to the current economic trend, the authorities (Food and Drugs Board-FDB Ghana) may prohibit its use by restaurants/cafeterias particularly Royal Cosy Hill for further research to be conducted to determine if the use can still be considered safe.
REFERENCES
- Aurand, L.W, Woods, A.E and Wells, M.R (1987), Food composition and analysis Van N OSTRAND Reinhold: New York.
- Birch, G. G, Cameron, A.G and Spencer, M., (1986), Food Science; Wheaton and Co, ltd: Exeter
- Hammond, B. (2002). Cooking Explained; The Chancer Press Limited, London.
- Madden, D. (1980). Food and Nutrition; Gil and MacMillan Ltd. Ireland
- Mehas, K. AND Rodgers, S.91994). Food Science and You. Macmillan/McGraw-Hill: New York.
- Ronald, K. Ceserani, V .and Fosekett, D.(2002). The Theory of Catering; Edward Arnold Pty Limited: Australia.
- Shank, F. Chapman, O. and Duff, H.(1981). Guide to Modern Meals; McGraw-Hill Book Company; London.
- Tull, A. (1996). Food and Nutrition, Oxford Press: London.
