2008 Woodie Awards
Quality control issues hit Dining Services
Questions arise over food standards at URI dining halls after dozens of cases of expired condiments were thrown away.
Justin Oswald
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: News
04/10/08 - The University of Rhode Island's procedures for maintaining the quality of food served to students have been questioned and doubted by some Dining Services employees.
Their concerns follow the discarding of more than $6,000 worth of hamburger patties last semester, out-of-date dressings and mayonnaise being served in the Ram's Den, out-of-date products being thrown out and general doubt about the control of food products.
Dining Services, which operates on a $21 million budget, according to its director Kathleen Gianquitti, oversees the distribution of food to Hope Commons, Butterfield, the Ram's Den and 11 other establishments that accept Dining Dollars.
Dining Services' administrators and employees gave various reasons for the recent mishandling of out-of-date products.
About a month ago Associate Administrator of Dining Services Michael McCullough threw away 92 cases of condiments because they were out of date. Seventy of the cases included relish, sweet and sour sauce, honey mustard and ketchup, and were valued at $950. An unknown number, however, were distributed to customers at the Ram's Den.
Gianquitti said she does not believe that the "code date" stamped on products represents the absolute must use-by date, saying that if one was to consume milk past its date, it would not be a hazard assuming it was used within a reasonable amount of time.
"Code dates mean it is best used by, not 'oh my god I'm going to get sick if I eat this,'" Gianquitti said.
She said Dining Services removed the items to avoid customer confusion.
"I don't want misunderstanding with customers that might misinterpret what a code date might mean," Gianquitti said.
In an internal Feb. 28 e-mail to Ram's Den Manager JoAnne Stephens, McCullough wrote, "I will have all out-dated product picked up from satellite operations and then disposed as most are too expired for donation. Please reorder what is needed to be replaced keeping in mind that these items are obviously not turned around as fast as they once [were]."
Their concerns follow the discarding of more than $6,000 worth of hamburger patties last semester, out-of-date dressings and mayonnaise being served in the Ram's Den, out-of-date products being thrown out and general doubt about the control of food products.
Dining Services, which operates on a $21 million budget, according to its director Kathleen Gianquitti, oversees the distribution of food to Hope Commons, Butterfield, the Ram's Den and 11 other establishments that accept Dining Dollars.
Dining Services' administrators and employees gave various reasons for the recent mishandling of out-of-date products.
About a month ago Associate Administrator of Dining Services Michael McCullough threw away 92 cases of condiments because they were out of date. Seventy of the cases included relish, sweet and sour sauce, honey mustard and ketchup, and were valued at $950. An unknown number, however, were distributed to customers at the Ram's Den.
Gianquitti said she does not believe that the "code date" stamped on products represents the absolute must use-by date, saying that if one was to consume milk past its date, it would not be a hazard assuming it was used within a reasonable amount of time.
"Code dates mean it is best used by, not 'oh my god I'm going to get sick if I eat this,'" Gianquitti said.
She said Dining Services removed the items to avoid customer confusion.
"I don't want misunderstanding with customers that might misinterpret what a code date might mean," Gianquitti said.
In an internal Feb. 28 e-mail to Ram's Den Manager JoAnne Stephens, McCullough wrote, "I will have all out-dated product picked up from satellite operations and then disposed as most are too expired for donation. Please reorder what is needed to be replaced keeping in mind that these items are obviously not turned around as fast as they once [were]."