Barriers to Inspections of Ethnic, Women-Operated Food Establishments in Dallas, Marshall, and Polk Counties, Iowa

Thao Nguyen

Food Safety Specialist

Investigations Division: Food and Consumer Safety Program

Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals

International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI)

2014 Fellow in Applied Science, Law, and Policy: Fellowship in Food Protection

Abstract

This small exploratory study examined the interaction between Hispanic and Asian women food establishment operators and food safety inspectors of the State of Iowa in Polk, Dallas, and Marshall counties. The author sought to help inspectors better understand the barriers to working with operators by conducting in-person, one-on-one interviews with a women interviewer, the author, and operators in their own establishments. The interviews lasted an average of one hour and included closed- and open-ended questions about the operator’s perceptions of barriers to inspector-operator interaction due to differences in language and culture; previous experience with regulation; and attitudes toward government regulation. Content analysis was used to identify the primary themes and prepare a composite description of the eighteen interviews. This composite description was provided to eighteen veteran food safety inspectors in Iowa with a minimum of four years of experience in food establishment inspections. The feedback from those regulators along with the results of the interviews was used to draw conclusions. The limitations of the study include a small number of subjects in a limited geographic area; the lack of a control group of non-ethnic establishments from the same area; and only an elementary content analysis of the notes from the interviews. These limitations can be addressed through a larger study that includes additional ethnic groups and more detailed interview questions.  

Keywords: language, woman operators

Background

The role of ethnicity has become more important in recent years in the food industry due to three factors: immigration, tourism, and international trade, as an increasingly diverse population experiencing greater travel abroad interacts with the growing availability of imported foods (Rossiter and Chan, 2004). In fact, the New York Times reported back in 1992 that ketchup was being outsold by salsa by $40 million in retail stores (Seitz-Wald, 2015). Expanded tourism has driven the growth of experimental menus in major U.S. cities with items such as “cuitlacoche” and parboiled grasshoppers (Hodgeman, 2015). The combination of a population experiencing new foods and willing to experiment with imported foods results in heightened food safety risks as demonstrated in the greater numbers of foodborne illness outbreaks associated with ethnic food establishments (Simonne et al, 2004; Fraser & Alani, 2009). Despite the apparent need for more knowledge about ethnic food safety issues, there has been very little research into ethnic food establishments (Sukalakamala and Boyce, 2007), and almost no published research exists directly addressing how to reduce ethnic food safety problems (Lee, Hwang, and Mustapha, 2014).

The changes in the food culture and food industry in Iowa reflect the changes of the nation. The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals estimates that there are 14,900 food establishments in Iowa, and the author estimates that approximately 300 are “ethnic,” based on an internet search using terms such as Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Pho, etc. Ethnic food establishments in Iowa will likely continue to expand in number in the coming years.  

Food safety regulatory culture in Iowa in the past focused on mainstream culture establishments. However, ethnic operators’ characteristics can create barriers to inspector-operator interaction that are different from the barriers faced by an inspector dealing with the mainstream population. These barriers may involve the following factors: differences in language and culture; previous history of interaction with government employees; and current attitude toward government regulation. These factors were identified by the author from her experience as an ethnic food establishment operator. Failure to address these barriers is likely to be associated with operator misrepresentation, reduced willingness to participate in training, and communication of distrust/mistrust to employees.

Problem Statement

The prevalence and nature of barriers to regulator-operator interaction involving women-operated ethnic food establishments in the target counties of Dallas, Marshall, and Polk, Iowa, is known only anecdotally.

Research Questions

          1. What is the opinion of women ethnic establishment operators in the target counties about the historical relationship between food safety regulators and ethnic establishments?

          2. What problems do these operators believe currently exist regarding language and culture in their interaction with food safety regulators?

          3. What do ethnic women operators view as the greatest barriers during inspections?

Methodology

The project included interviews with a purposive sample of five Asian and three Hispanic ethnic operators from October, 2014 through January, 2015. The interviews were not recorded, in order to encourage openness about sensitive topics. Instead, the interviewer took notes. The operators were told that the information would be treated as anonymous and the notes were shown to them at the end of the interview. The results of the interviews were subject to an elementary content analysis where the primary themes for each question were identified along with illustrative quotations.

The project also included a mailed survey covering the same topics sent to eighteen food inspectors of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. Information from the thirteen who responded was subject to an elementary content analysis where the primary themes were identified along with illustrative quotations.

Results

Because this study only sought to provide an initial description regarding arbitrarily chosen barriers based on the author’s perception, the results are provided below in a narrative manner based on the elementary content analysis without any attempt to identify numbers or intensity of individual responses.

The women operators in these Iowa counties generally described both positive and negative experiences in working with inspectors. Positive experiences included: (1) the inspector took the time to explain violations; (2) the inspector did not rush the operator during the inspection; (3) the inspector was personable; (4) the inspector provided positive feedback during the inspection; (5) the inspector appeared to be building a relationship with the operator; (6) the inspector instilled knowledge to help the operator improve her business; (7) the inspector left notes on the inspection report that the operator could have translated; (8) the inspector understood her culture and used resources to overcome language barriers such as translated handouts, cell phones and smart apps, videos, the internet, and/or interpreters (either a child, a friend of the operator, or a professional interpreter); and (9) the inspector showed or drew pictures to help explain something to the operator.

One operator, however, noted that some inspectors did not take the time to go over the cited violations, ask questions, and listen to the operator’s explanation. One operator added that some violations could have been corrected at the time of inspection.

Most of the woman operators indicated that there are currently no problems with the inspection process, and that no improvements are needed. However, some operators identified problems such as: inspectors don’t understand how some food is cooked in other cultures; inspectors don’t know multiple languages; inspectors don’t provide enough education to the operators; the inspection process doesn’t last as long as the operator wants; and inspections are conducted at an inconvenient time.

The inspectors who completed the survey indicated that current problems with the inspection process include the Food Code and educational materials and handouts not being translated into different languages; a lack of video training materials; and a lack of available interpreters. Survey respondents also suggested an increased use of cell phones or tablets by inspectors, and that there be more training opportunities for inspectors.

Two Asian operators and one Hispanic operator indicated having no barriers related to the inspection process. The remaining women, however, identified various barriers including language and culture, education, misinterpreted violations, and the inconvenience of the inspection times. Hispanic women operators focused on language as the greatest barrier to the inspection process, stating that there were not enough bilingual inspectors. However, one Hispanic woman stated that someone at her establishment would be available to translate in the event of any misunderstanding. One Asian interviewee, who speaks a little English, said that she could understand the inspector, but needed the inspector to point out violations during the inspection process so that she could see the violation.

Some of the inspectors completing the survey indicated that gender may be a barrier to a successful inspection. One respondent indicated that Asian woman operators will not talk with a male inspector, or will seek permission from their husband before speaking with the inspector. Another respondent stated that some male operators are difficult to work with, and that some male operators will not work with female inspectors. Other survey responses related to barriers to the inspection process included financial restraints, resistance to change, and a lack of food safety knowledge.

Conclusions

Asian and Hispanic women operators generally reported having positive experiences working with food regulators. However, some negative experiences were reported, and were generally related to the time taken by the inspector to explain things and/or listen to the operator.

Most of the current problems appeared to be related to language issues such as a lack of bilingual inspectors, a lack of interpreters, and a lack of food safety resources (educational handouts, the FDA Food Code, training materials, etc.) translated into different languages. Other problems identified by the operators were related to the behaviors and actions of the inspector toward the operator during the inspection.

Recommendations

Multiple issues were identified, both by the interviewees and the inspectors, that may represent problems associated with inspecting establishments operated by women, including language, culture, gender, and inspector behavior. However, the major limitation of this study is its exploratory nature involving a very small and purposive sample: eight food service establishment operators in three adjacent Iowa counties, along with written surveys mailed to eighteen inspectors.

In order to further explore these potential problems, this study should be replicated on a much larger scale, i.e., a larger population over a larger area. Such a project could involve collaboration by multiple agencies either within one state or across multiple states.

Acknowledgments

I would like to offer thanks to the International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) for providing this opportunity. I cannot express enough thanks to Dr. Paul Dezendorf, Ph.D., CHES, Subject Matter Expert. I appreciate the inspiring guidance, invaluably constructive criticism, and illuminating advice throughout this project. I would like to express my appreciation to my mentor, Dr. Joanne M. Brown, for encouraging my research and providing support. I express special thanks to the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (IDIA) for allowing me to participate in this program. Many thanks to IDIA Bureau Chief, Steven Mandernach; Chief Inspector, Mark Speltz; and all of my co-workers within the Food and Consumer Safety Bureau for the continued support. Warm regards to my family and friends for their encouragement. My completion of this project could not have been accomplished without the support of the eight Fellows. There would be no other group of Fellows with whom I would have wanted to venture on this journey.  

References

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Hodgeman, J. (2015). Extreme eating. New York Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.nymag.com/nymetro/food/features/n_10380/

Lee, J., Hwang, J., & Mustapha, A. (2014). Popular ethnic foods in the United States: A historical and safety perspective. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 13(1), 2-17.

Roberts, W.A., Jr. (2010, June 1). America's ethnic foods market. Prepared Foods. Retrieved from http://www.preparedfoods.com/articles/108360-americas-ethnic-foods-market

Rossiter, J.R. & Chan, A.M. (2004). Ethnicity in business and consumer behavior. J Bus Res 42:127–34.

Seitz-Wald, A. (2015). Salsa overtook ketchup 20 years ago. National Journal. Retrieved from http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/salsa-overtook-ketchup-20-years-ago-20131017

Simonne, A.H., Nille, A., Evans, K., & Marshall, M.R., Jr. (2004). Ethnic food safety trends in the United States based on CDC foodborne illness data. Food Prot Trends, 24(8), 590–604.

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Sukalakamala, P., & Boyce, J.B. (2007). Customer perceptions for expectations and acceptance of an authentic dining experience in Thai restaurants. J Foodservice, 18(2), 69–75. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-4506.2007.00048.x