A study was conducted to compare four school food preparation and delivery systems regarding microbiological content of foods as indicative of potential food safety hazards. Food samples were collected along the preparation and delivery line of each of 10 menu items from 16 total schools representing the four food preparation and delivery systems. Schools and systems were compared on the basis of statistically significant differences in aerobic plate count and relative frequency of improper food temperature and objectionably high indicator bacteria counts. Food preparation and handling abuse was a characteristic of individual schools and was not uniquely characteristic of any particular food preparation and delivery system or systems.
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