Assessment of Hygiene Management Practices and Comparative Analysis of Regulatory Frameworks for Shared Kitchens across Different Countries.

ABSTRACT

Shared kitchens, where users share kitchen space, are becoming popular worldwide due to the economic cost savings of startup businesses. This study conducted monitoring of microbial and chemical hazards from prepared foods and the environment of shared kitchen facilities, surveyed shared kitchen operators, and compared shared kitchen regulations between Korea and other countries. The monitoring results indicate that the hygiene status of the facilities and the microbial and chemical hazards in the prepared foods were all within the standard specifications, showing significantly lower levels compared to regular restaurants (p < 0.05). In particular, concurrent-use and time-division types of open shared kitchens showed significantly lower levels of both hazards than separated-individual kitchens. Survey results of hygiene inspection also confirmed better hygiene management in concurrent-use and time-division types of open shared kitchens in Korea. However, more frequent cleaning and disinfection, hygiene inspections, and training are high economic burdens in the operation of shared kitchens compared to regular restaurants. Moreover, mandatory insurance subscriptions, the operator's responsibility in hygiene-related incidents, and high operational costs collectively challenge shared kitchens' competitiveness in the food service market. Critical reassessments of regulations utilizing the benefits of shared kitchens are needed to promote a safe dining culture and the growth of shared kitchen startup businesses.