Chang Howook Sean, Capuozzo Bradford, Okumus Bendegul, Cho Meehee
Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Florida International University, USA.
Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida, USA.
Int J Hosp Manag. 2021 Apr;94:102854. doi: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102854. Epub 2021 Jan 14.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurant sanitation and disinfection have become more important than ever although customers can hardly check visually. The most recent research argues that one invisible element leaving people vulnerable to the health effects of COVID-19 is particulate matter (PM), micron-sized particles known to cause acute or chronic respiratory illnesses, including lung cancer. While research shows PM is emitted from cooking, this study examines indoor PM pollution of an open-kitchen full-service chain restaurant, where commercial cooking occurs in the dining room, as a case study. The results of a week-long field test showed offensively harmful levels of PM and PM, far beyond US EPA and WHO standards, while ambient outdoor PM associated with the sample restaurant was safe. The study reveals that working or frequently dining in an open-kitchen restaurant where grilling or frying takes place is likely to cause respiratory health problems and elevate susceptibility to COVID-19 unless surveillance and preventative measures are taken. Based on our findings, implications and recommendations for the industry are provided.
在新冠疫情期间，尽管顾客很难直观检查，但餐厅的卫生和消毒工作变得比以往任何时候都更加重要。最新研究表明，一种让人们易受新冠病毒健康影响的无形因素是颗粒物（PM），即已知会导致急性或慢性呼吸道疾病（包括肺癌）的微米级颗粒。虽然研究表明烹饪会排放颗粒物，但本研究以一家提供全方位服务的开放式厨房连锁餐厅的室内颗粒物污染情况为例进行考察，该餐厅在餐厅内进行商业烹饪。为期一周的实地测试结果显示，该餐厅的细颗粒物（PM）和可吸入颗粒物（PM）含量高到有害程度，远远超出美国环境保护局（EPA）和世界卫生组织（WHO）的标准，而与该餐厅样本相关的室外环境颗粒物含量则是安全的。研究表明，在进行烧烤或油炸的开放式厨房餐厅工作或经常就餐，很可能会导致呼吸道健康问题，并增加感染新冠病毒的易感性，除非采取监测和预防措施。基于我们的研究结果，为该行业提供了相关影响和建议。
