GENERAL AVIATION FOOD SERVICE
Risk Management

Statistics from reliable sources, (Center for Disease Control) and the federal government estimates that foodborne illness is responsible for over 5,000 deaths per year in the United States. In addition, over 76-million people become ill from eating contaminated food. It is also estimated that over 325,000 Americans require hospitalization yearly because of eating contaminated food. World wide, the number of people ending up with a foodborne illness is unknown, but the numbers would probably be countless. With a serious foodborne outbreak from any foodservice establishment on the ground, there will be an immediate loss of customers and sales, increased insurance premiums, loss of reputation, and there can be legal fees with lawsuits in the millions. The General Aviation industry is no exception to these happenings.

Throughout the United States, all foodservice establishments on the ground are controlled and monitored entirely by local Environmental County Health Departments or the State Department of Agriculture in each separate state. Food and drink safety compliance and controls in the Aviation industry are not regulated or controlled by any particular agency, and are virtually non-existence. Several million Americans fly in aircraft daily, and these customers may be at even greater risk of contracting a foodborne illness by eating food on a plane than diners eating at food establishments on the ground. The foodborne outbreak risk to an airline or any corporation owning a jet or jets is increased tremendously because the majority of general aviation employees, who handle or order food, have not been properly trained in food safety procedures.

When an aviation employee has never experienced a foodborne illness personally, or can't detect a bacterium in the food they are handling or serving, it is hard to understand that there may be an unseen enemy on board. A food borne outbreak on an aircraft can be almost as dangerous as a plane crash. Unregulated food risk management in the aviation industry is serious business, so protect yourself, your employer and your passengers; Get educated in food safety!