Customizing food safety education to the largest group of foodservice workers in the United States is the focus of a new and unique $600,000 research project. A multidisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the University of Missouri, Columbia are working together on a three-year project to research and develop a food safety training program culturally customized for Latino and Latina employees. The project was selected and funded through a competitive grant process with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"Food safety training programs have long been available in multiple languages, but education that incorporates culturally sensitive techniques has not yet been developed," said Mehmet Erdem, an assistant professor of hotel management in the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration and head of the research project at UNLV. "We have the support of local and national restaurant industry and are excited to have the opportunity to pursue new educational techniques to assist foodservice employees."

Erdem's team of researchers, including UNLV professor of food and beverage management, Audrey McCool, and University of Missouri professor of hotel and restaurant management and UNLV hotel college alumna, Seonghee Cho, will pursue designing and developing a computer-based instructional tool. Participants in the study will be trained in proper food handling, temperature control and safety practices for preparing, cooking, serving, cooling and reheating food.